How to Pray a Holy Hour

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it's difficult to find a moment of peace. For those seeking clarity or strength in difficult times, Holy Hour allows us to rest in God’s love and to bring Him our hopes, struggles, thoughts and gratitude.

If you're new to the practice, don’t worry. This guide gives you an overview of everything you need to know, and we also have a resource you can download with suggested prayers and a minute-by-minute of how you can spend your time. 

What is a Holy Hour?

A Holy Hour is one hour of prayer, reflection, or even conversation spent in the presence of Jesus. Holy Hour often takes place in a church or chapel done in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, but you can also observe it at home, outside, or even when you’re travelling. 

Some people might spend the hour in deep personal prayer; others might recite the Rosary, read Scripture, or follow a guided devotion led by a priest. Holy Hour is not about saying the right words or filling time. The purpose is to be present with Christ and to make time to listen and reflect. 

The origins of Holy Hour

Holy Hour has roots in the Gospels, specifically in the Gospel of Matthew and the Garden of Gethsemane. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus asked His disciples to keep watch and pray with Him for one hour:

“Could you not watch with me one hour?” (Matthew 26:40)

After returning from prayer, he found His disciples asleep. He said to Peter: 

"So, could you not keep watch with me for one hour?" (Matthew 26:40).

This plea is the spiritual foundation of the devotion. It is an invitation to share in His suffering, to console Him, and to offer our time in loving response.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a Visitation nun in the 17th century, played a significant role in popularising the devotion. She received visions from Jesus, who asked for greater love and reparation for the sins of the world. He requested that the faithful spend time in adoration, particularly on Thursdays, in remembrance of His agony in the garden. This became known as the “Holy Hour of Reparation.”

How to structure your Holy Hour

An hour can seem like a long time. We have broken the hour into segments to help make the time pass smoothly.

1. The beginning (5 minutes)

Start by stilling your body and mind. It can help to make the sign of the cross and take a few moments in silence. Bring yourself into God's presence. Speak a simple prayer asking the Holy Spirit to guide your time and open your heart to whatever graces God wishes to give you.

2. Adoration (10 minutes)

This part of the hour isn’t about asking for things - it's about loving God and recognising His presence. Speak to Him from the heart, as you would to a beloved friend. If you’re unsure of what to say, then we have a suggested prayer available in the resource you can download. 

3. Contrition (10 minutes)

This is a moment to examine your conscience and acknowledge your sins. Where have you fallen short? Where do you need God’s mercy? Offer a heartfelt act of contrition, and ask the Lord for healing and forgiveness. This is not a time for shame, but for healing.

4. Meditation (15 minutes)

Now, engage your mind. Use this time for spiritual reading and reflection. Choose a passage of Scripture - perhaps from the Gospels or the Psalms - and slowly read through it. How do the words speak to you? Can you take meaning or inspiration from them to use in your own life or community?

5. Thanksgiving (10 minutes)

Turn your focus to gratitude and pause to thank God for all His gifts. Thank Him for His love, for the gift of life, for family and friends, and for your faith. 

6. Petition God(5 minutes)

Now bring your needs, and the needs of the world, before the Lord. Pray for yourself, your family, for the community, for the Church, and for the world. Pray for the suffering, for the poor, for the isolated and the vulnerable. 

7. Conclusion (5 minutes)

As the hour draws to a close, offer a final prayer - perhaps the Divine Praises - thanking Him for the time you’ve spent together. If you’re in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, make the Sign of the Cross, and take the peace of the Lord’s presence with you into the world 

For a more detailed minute-by-minute guide of how to spend the hour, as well as suggested prayers, thoughts and questions, download our guide below.