The Blessed Mother and the Twelve Apostles remained in the Upper Room in prayer for nine days after the Lord's ascension. From those nine days of prayer, the tradition of novenas -- praying for a specific period of time for a special intention -- was born. The word is derived from the Latin , meaning nine. is your easy-to-read, down-to-earth introduction to this beautiful devotion. In this brief booklet, author and novena enthusiast Allison Gingras helps you understand and practice this ancient, yet totally relevant, form of prayer. You'll learn: