The 40 Hours Devotion

The Forty Hours Devotion provides a wonderful opportunity for the spiritual growth of each person and the parish as a whole. In a world where temptation and evil abound, where devotion to the Mass and our Lord in the Holy Eucharist have declined, where the practice of penance and confession have been forgotten, we need the Forty Hours Devotion more than ever.

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What is Forty Hours Devotion?

The Forty Hours Devotion is a special 40-hour period of continuous prayer made before the Blessed Sacrament in solemn exposition. Of course, the focus of this devotion is on the Holy Eucharist. The Forty Hours Devotion can be seen almost like a parish mini-retreat or mission in which the faithful are invited to come spend time with the Lord.

Why the number 40?

The number forty has always signified a sacred period of time: the rains during the time of Noah lasted 40 days and nights; the Jews wandered through the desert for 40 years, our Lord fasted and prayed for 40 days before beginning His public ministry. The 40 Hours Devotion remembers that traditional “forty-hour period” from our Lord’s burial until the resurrection. Actually in the Middle Ages, the Blessed Sacrament was transferred to the repository, “the Easter Sepulcher,” for this period of time to signify our Lord’s time in the tomb.

What does Forty Hours Devotion entail?

The Forty Hours Devotion begins with a Solemn Mass of Exposition, which concludes with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. The Blessed Sacrament remains on the altar in a monstrance. During the next 40 hours, the faithful gather for personal or public prayer in adoration of our Lord. There will be various prayer services and devotions offered during our celebration, but most often we will offer periods of prayerful silence. We will mark the conclusion of 40 Hours with a prayer service and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

During 40 Hours, for what should I pray and what kind of spiritual graces can I receive?

While the Forty Hours Devotion nurtures the love of the faithful for our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, three special dimensions have also surrounded this devotion: the protection from evil and temptation; reparation for our own sins and for the Poor Souls in Purgatory; and deliverance from political, material, or spiritual calamities. Here the faithful implore our Lord to pour forth His abundant graces not only for themselves, but their neighbors, not only for their own personal needs, but for those of the world. Many great saints such as St. Charles Borromeo, St. Philip Neri, St. Ignatius Loyola, and, in our own country, St. John Neumann were all strong promoters of the Forty Hours Devotion.