Between 1673-1676, St Margaret Mary Alocoque, a French nun, had numerous visions and private revelations from Jesus.  Jesus asked St Margaret Mary to promote devotion to His Most Sacred Heart and she was assisted by her confessor, St Claude de la Columbiere.  As part of these visions Jesus made certain promises to those who carried out this devotion.  The Church established a solemn feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a result, on the Friday, the Final Day of the Octave of Corpus Christi (the Body of Christ).  For that reason, many of the faithful have practiced a period of 9 days of prayer before his feast day as a preparation and deepening of devotion to Jesus.

Today is the first day of this Novena to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus for 2023.