Termonbacca Divine Child Novena

The discalced Carmelite Order in Termonbacca Monastery, Derry, are this year, instituting a Novena to the Divine Child. 

The novena will run from 15^th to 23^rd December. The novena Mass and prayers will be held at Termonbacca at 7:30 pm each evening.

An image of the infant Child in the Crib will be carried to a particular home, by a group of escorts, on each of the nine days of the novena and left overnight, prior to being installed in the Crib at Termonbacca, during the Christmas Eve vigil Mass at 11pm.  

Novena: 15 to 23 December 2020
Each evening at 7:30pm

The novena will comprise of nine evening Masses celebrated by the Carmelite Fathers, with the homily on a particular appropriate theme. The public novena prayers will be recited immediately after Mass. This will all be streamed live from Termonbacca Monastery, via their Youtube/ Facebook page each evening.

Whether you are taking part or not, perhaps only occasionally, the Carmelite Fathers are encouraging the old Christian tradition of placing a lighted candle in the window of homes in Derry for the entire nine nights, as a sign of hope and joy in the midst of this Pandemic and as a welcome of the infant Child Jesus into your homes this Christmas.

They are also encouraging those taking part to erect and display a crib prominently in their homes and focus on the real meaning of Christmas, the Incarnation – Emmanuel, God is with us. It seems somewhat fitting and appropriate, amid all the trials and tragedies of this Pandemic that this novena, with its emphasis on protection from harm for people, families and homes, is happening.

Novena prayer leaflets containing the public prayers after mass and the private prayers to be said at home are available by going into the Termonbacca Facebook page or emailing or for those living close, simply calling up to Termonbacca and collecting them. Please note if doing so, masks will need to be worn before entering the Monastery.