In Italy on March 3, 1884 (the same year Pope Leo XIII penned the prayer to St. Michael) young Fortuna Agrelli experienced an apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Fortuna was suffering from 3 incurable diseases. Doctors had classified her case as hopeless. Upon seeing Our Lady Fortuna exclaimed “Queen of the Holy Rosary, be gracious to me, restore me to health! I have already prayed to Thee in a novena, O Mary, but have not yet experienced Thy aid. I am so anxious to be cured!”

“Child,” responded the Blessed Virgin, “you have invoked Me by various titles and have always obtained favors from Me. Now, since you have called Me by that title so pleasing to Me, ‘Queen of the Most Holy Rosary’, I can no longer refuse the favor you petition; for this name is most precious and dear to Me. Make three novenas, and you shall obtain all.”

On another occasion, Our Lady appeared to the young girl and said, “Whoever desires to obtain favors from Me should make three novenas of the prayers of the Rosary, and three novenas in thanksgiving.”

Obeying Our Lady’s instructions, the young girl was healed and restored to perfect health and thus began the tradition of the 54-Day Miraculous Rosary Novena. 

This novena consists of praying a rotation of the Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious mysteries for nine days. Three novenas are prayed in petition (27 days) followed by three novenas in thanksgiving for graces granted (27 days) for a total of 54 days. The novena always begins with the Joyful mysteries no matter the day of the week.