The First Fridays devotion joins Mass and Communion on nine consecutive first Fridays to the promises of the Sacred Heart.
Tagged: Prayer Remembrance Sacred time Catholic
How It Is Practiced
The practice comes from the revelations reported by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque in the seventeenth century. The devotee attends Mass and receives Communion on the first Friday of nine consecutive months, usually with confession and time in adoration, offering the day in reparation for indifference and ingratitude toward Christ in the Eucharist. Parishes commonly schedule a First Friday Mass and Holy Hour so the devotion can be kept in company.
Purpose and Meaning
The devotion rests on the image of the Sacred Heart: Christ's love shown as wounded and persistent. Its practice is reparation — deliberately offering worship where the devotee believes neglect has occurred — and trust in the promises attached to it, above all the promise of final perseverance. The nine-month rhythm makes it a long act of fidelity rather than a single observance.
References
- First Fridays Devotion — Wikipedia Free / open access
Related Practices
- Eucharistic Adoration — In Eucharistic adoration the consecrated host is displayed and the faithful pray in its presence in silence.
- The Rosary — The Rosary is a meditative prayer that moves through the life of Christ and Mary on a circle of beads.
- Novena — A novena is a prayer or set of prayers repeated on nine consecutive days for a particular intention.
Related Across the Site
- Eucharistic Adoration Devotion — In Eucharistic adoration the consecrated host is displayed and the faithful pray in its presence in silence.
- Home Pūjā Devotion — The household shrine's daily worship: the deity awakened, bathed, dressed, fed, and offered lamp and flowers as an honored guest in the home.
- Novena Devotion — A novena is a prayer or set of prayers repeated on nine consecutive days for a particular intention.
- Pilgrimage (Catholic) Devotion — Catholic pilgrimage is a journey to a shrine undertaken as prayer, penance, thanksgiving, or petition.
- Stations of the Cross Devotion — The Stations of the Cross walk the worshipper through fourteen scenes of Christ's journey to the crucifixion.
- The Angelus Devotion — The Angelus is a short prayer on the Incarnation, prayed at morning, noon, and evening at the sound of a bell.
- The Brown Scapular Devotion — The Brown Scapular is two small squares of brown wool worn over the shoulders as a sign of belonging to Mary.
- Veneration of Icons Devotion — Before the icons at home and in church, the faithful light lamps and candles, bow, and kiss the images of Christ and the saints.