Prayer to St. Martha and the Novena of Nine Tuesdays

St. Martha of Bethany, the sister of Mary and Lazarus, welcomed Jesus into her home, hurried to serve him, and later made one of the great professions of faith in the Gospels: “I have believed that thou art Christ the Son of the living God.” She is the patron of cooks, homemakers, hosts and everyone who serves, and in Latin America and elsewhere many people pray a novena to her on nine Tuesdays in difficult situations. Since 2021 the Church has celebrated her on July 29 together with her sister Mary and her brother Lazarus. Below are prayers to St. Martha for the home, for the overworked and for difficult problems, how to pray the nine Tuesdays novena, the Gospel scenes of her life and her story.

A prayer to St. Martha

Written for this page:

St. Martha, you welcomed Jesus into your home and served him with love.
You learned from him that one thing is necessary:
to sit at his feet and listen to his word.
Pray for me, that I may serve others generously
without losing my peace or forgetting to pray.
Obtain for me the grace I ask: (name your intention). Amen.

A prayer for a peaceful home

St. Martha, patron of homemakers,
bless our home, our kitchen and our table.
Help us to share the work fairly, to welcome guests warmly,
and to make our home a place where Jesus is at home too. Amen.

This prayer was written for this page. See the Catholic house blessing and grace before meals.

A prayer for the busy and overworked

St. Martha, Jesus said you were “careful” and “troubled about many things.”
When I am overwhelmed by work and worries,
help me to stop, breathe and turn to Jesus,
to do what I can with love and leave the rest to him. Amen.

This prayer was written for this page. See the Catholic prayer for anxiety.

A prayer in a difficult situation

St. Martha, you brought your grief to Jesus when Lazarus died,
and you saw him raise your brother to life.
I bring you this difficult problem: (name it).
Ask Jesus to help me, as he helped your family,
and give me faith that he is the resurrection and the life. Amen.

This prayer was written for this page.

The nine Tuesdays novena to St. Martha

A popular devotion asks St. Martha’s help on nine consecutive Tuesdays. People light a candle, pray to St. Martha for their intention, and add an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be each Tuesday. Some printed versions of this novena promise that the request will “always” be granted or ask people to copy the prayer and pass it on; such promises are not part of Catholic devotion. Pray it simply, with trust in God’s will:

On each of nine Tuesdays, light a candle if you wish and make the Sign of the Cross.
Pray the prayer in a difficult situation or the prayer to St. Martha above, naming your intention.
Read one of the Gospel passages below.
End with an Our Father, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be, and thank God for whatever answer he gives.

The Gospel of Martha’s home

Jesus in the house of Martha and Mary:

Now it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain town: and a certain woman named Martha, received him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, who sitting also at the Lord’s feet, heard his word.
But Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? speak to her therefore, that she help me.
And the Lord answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled about many things:
But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Martha’s profession of faith before the raising of Lazarus:

Jesus said to her: I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live:
And every one that liveth, and believeth in me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this?
She saith to him: Yea, Lord, I have believed that thou art Christ the Son of the living God, who art come into this world.

The life of St. Martha

Martha lived in Bethany, a village near Jerusalem, with her sister Mary and her brother Lazarus, and the three were close friends of Jesus. St. Luke tells how Martha received Jesus into her house and was busy with much serving while Mary sat at his feet; when Martha complained, Jesus told her gently that she was “careful” and “troubled about many things,” and that Mary had chosen the best part. St. John tells how, when Lazarus died, Martha went out to meet Jesus and professed her faith in him as the Christ, the Son of God, before he raised her brother from the tomb. Six days before the Passover, Martha again served at a supper for Jesus in Bethany.

A medieval legend says that after the Resurrection Martha, Mary and Lazarus were set adrift in a boat and landed in Provence, where Martha tamed a dragon called the Tarasque at Tarascon by sprinkling it with holy water. Her tomb is honored in the church of St. Martha at Tarascon.

In 2021 Pope Francis decreed that the memorial of July 29 should honor Martha, Mary and Lazarus together, recognizing the witness of the whole family of Bethany.

Feast day and patronage

Feast day: July 29, Sts. Martha, Mary and Lazarus.
Patron of: cooks, homemakers, housekeepers, servers, waiters, innkeepers and dietitians.
Symbols: keys and a ladle or broom, a dragon at her feet, and a holy-water sprinkler.

Frequently asked questions

What is St. Martha the patron saint of?

Cooks, homemakers, housekeepers, servers and innkeepers.

What is the St. Martha Tuesday novena?

A popular devotion of praying to St. Martha on nine consecutive Tuesdays for a difficult intention. It should be prayed with trust in God’s will, without the superstitious promises found in some versions.

When is the feast of St. Martha?

July 29, which since 2021 honors Martha, Mary and Lazarus together.

Why is St. Martha shown with a dragon?

Because of a medieval legend from Provence that she tamed a dragon, the Tarasque, at Tarascon.

More prayers

Texts and sources

Scripture: Luke 10:38–42; John 11:25–27, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
Congregation for Divine Worship, decree on the celebration of Sts. Martha, Mary and Lazarus (January 26, 2021).
The prayers were written for this page.