PRAYER (each day)
O glorious Apostle St. Peter, head of Christ's Church on earth, to whom were confided the keys of the kingdom of heaven; illustrious penitent, whose sincere and perfect repentance has exhibited to the whole world the tenderest proof of God's love and mercy, listen to my supplications and present them to God. I unite with the whole Church in thanksgiving to our divine Redeemer for having chosen thee to become a lasting monument of His willingness to receive the repentant sinner. O dear St. Peter! obtain for me a lively faith, firm hope, ardent charity, an entire forgetfulness of self, contempt of the world, patience, humility, attention at prayer, constancy in my resolutions, resignation to the divine will, final perseverance, and the intention of this novena (here name your request), that by thy intercession and glorious merits, having overcome the temptations of the demon, the world, and the flesh, I may be worthy to appear before the sovereign Pastor of souls, Jesus Christ, and to enjoy Him and love Him forever and ever. Amen.

RESPONSORY IN HONOUR OF ST. PETER
Seek ye a patron to defend
Your cause? Then one and all,
Without delay, upon the prince
Of the apostles call.

Blest holder of the heavenly keys,
Thy prayers we all implore;
Unlock to us the sacred bars
Of heaven's eternal door.

By penitential tears thou didst
The path of life regain;
Teach us with thee to weep our sins
And wash away their stain.
Blest holder, etc.

The angel touched thee, and forthwith
Thy chains from off thee fell;
Oh! loose us from the subtle coils
That bind us fast to hell.
Blest holder, etc.

Firm rock whereon the Church is based,
Pillar that cannot bend,
With strength endue us, and the faith
From heresy defend.
Blest holder, etc.

Save Rome, which from the days of old
Thy blood hath sanctified;
And help the nations of the earth
That in thy help confide.
Blest holder, etc.

Oh! worshipped by all Christendom,
Her realms in peace maintain;
Let no contagion sap her strength,
No discord rend in twain.
Blest holder, etc.

The weapons which our ancient foe
Against us doth prepare,
Crush thou; nor suffer us to fall
Into his deadly snare.
Blest holder, etc.

Guard us through life; and in that hour
When our last flight draws nigh,
O'er death, o'er hell, o'er Satan's power,
Gain us the victory.
Blest holder, etc.

Glory be to the Father, etc.
Blest holder, etc.

Ant. Thou art the Shepherd of the sheep, Prince of the Apostles; to thee were given the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
V. Thou art Peter.
R. And upon this rock will I build my Church.

Let us pray.
O Lord, we beseech Thee, raise us up by the apostolic might of blessed Peter, thy Apostle; that, the weaker we are in ourselves, the more powerful may be the assistance whereby we are strengthened through his intercession; that thus, ever fortified by the protection of thy Apostle, we may neither yield to sin nor be overwhelmed by adversity. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Si vis patronum quaerere,
Si vis potentem vindicem,
Quid iam moraris? invoca
Apostolorum principem.

O sancte caeli Claviger,
Tu nos precando subleva;
Tu redde nobis pervia
Aulae superna limina.

Ut ipse multis paenitens
Culpam rigasti lacrimis,
Sic nostra tolli poscimus
Fletu perenni crimina.
O sancte caeli, etc.

Sicut fuisti ab angelo
Tuis solutus vinculis,
Tu nos iniquis exue
Tot implicatos nexibus.
O sancte caeli, etc.

O firma Petra Ecclesiae,
Columna flecti nescia,
Da robur et constantiam,
Error fidem ne subruat.
O sancte caeli, etc.

Romam tuo qui sanguine
Olim sacrasti, protege;
Inque te confidentibus
Praesta salutem gentibus.
O sancte caeli, etc.

Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto.
O sancte caeli, etc.

Ant. Tu es Pastor ovium, Princeps Apostolorum; tibi traditae sunt claves regni caelorum.
V. Tu es Petrus.
R. Et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam.

Oremus.
Apostolicis nos, Domine, quaesumus, beati Petri Apostoli tui attolle praesidiis: ut quanto fragiliores sumus, tanto eius intercessione validioribus auxiliis foveamur; et iugiter apostolica defensione muniti, nec succumbamus vitiis, nec opprimamur adversis. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.