Novbahar, the Arabic name of a famous temple or mosque which the ancestors of the Barmecides, one of the most illustrious families of Persia, founded in the town of Balk, on the model of the Kaaba, or magnificent temple of Mecca. This mosque was covered with silk, and surrounded with sixty chapels, in which the pil- grims, who resorted thither in great numbers, performed their devotions. Those who had the care of this mosque had the name of Barmel; from that of the founders. See Broughton, Hist, of Religions, s. v. See Kaaba.
Novelli, Cav. Pietro, called II Mom-ealese, from the place of his nativity, an eminent Italian painter and architect, who flourished at Palermo near the middle of the 17th century, left many works both in oil and fresco in his native city, the most remarkable of which is his great picture of the marriage at Cana, in the refectory of the fathers Bencdettini, which is particularly com- mended. He resided a long time at Palermo, where he painted many works for the churches, the most noted of which is the vault of the church of the Conventuals, wholly executed by himself in several compartments. Guarienti eulogizes him for his style, and says he was diligent in studying nature, correct in design, graceful in his forms, and rich in his coloring, with a slight imi- tation of Spagnoletto. Lanzi says, " The people of Pa- lermo confer daily honor on him ; since, whenever they meet a foreigner of taste, they show him nothing else in this Git3' than the works of this great man." See Spooner, Biog. Hist, of the Fine Arts, p. 623.
Novello, VixCENT, an English organist and com- poser of Italian descent, was born in London Sept. 6, 1781, and died at Nice in September, 1861. At the age of sixteen he became organist of the Portuguese chapel in London, and under his direction the music there be- came noted for its excellence. He was one of the orig- inal founders of the Philharmonic Society, and a mem- ber of the Royal Society of Musicians. He composed largely, though without inspiration. His principal claim to distinction rests on the service he rendered to the art of music by editing and bringing to public at- tention a vast n\imber of classical works of old as well as modern authors. — Amer. Ci/clop. s. v.
Novels («ore//o) is the name applied to the ecclesi- astical enactments of Justinian, which were added to the Institutes, and consisted of those new rescripts and con- stitutions which formed Justinian's own contributions to imperial jurisprudence. Novels, let it be understood, were no part of the Justinian Code, but laws framed subsequently to the enactment of the Code. See Jus- tinian. I\iany of the novels treat of woman's relation to the Church, a point not carefully considered in the Code, for it was only after Christianity had fairly as- serted itself in the empire that woman came to be re-
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garded as fit for auj' other than the marital or monastic obligation.
Novena is the term a\)plied in the Church of Rome to a nine-days' devotion on some peculiar or extraordi- nary occasion ; as e. g. in honor of some mystery of the redemption, or in honor of the Virgin Mary, or of some saint, in order to obtain any particular request or bless- ing. The liturgical service used on such occasions is also called Novena. Thus there is "A Novena to St. Joseph," in the Garden of the Soul. It begins thus:
"O glorious descend.'nit of the kings of Judah! inher- itor of the virtues of all the patrinrchs ! just and happy St. Joseph! listen to my prayer. Thou art my glorious protector, aud shalt ever be, after Jesus and Mary, the object of my most profound veneration and tender confl- dence. Thou ait the most hidden, though the greatest saint, and art peculiarly the patron of those who serve God with the greatest purity and fervor. In union with all those who have ever been most devoted to thee, I now dedicate myself to thy service; beseeching thee, for the sake of Jesus Christ, who vouchsafed to love aud obey thee as a son, to become a father to me; aud to obtain for me the filial respect, confidence, aud love of a child towards thee. O powerful advocate of all Christians ! whose intercession, as St. Teresa assures us, has never been found to fail, deign to intercede for me now, and to implore for me the particular intention of this novena. (Specifu it.) Present me, O great saint, to the adorable Trinity, with whom thou hast so glorious aud so inti- mate a correspondence."
This novena specially and repeatedly beseeches St. Jo- seph under many titles, as "Guardian of the Word In- carnate," " Spouse of the ever-blessed Virgin," etc., " pray for us ;" and concludes with the prayer :
"Assist us, O Lord ! we beseech thee, by the merits of the Spouse of thy most holy Mother, that wliat our un- worthiness cannot obtain, may be given us by his inter- cession with thee: who livest and reiguest with God the Father in the uuity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen."
Noveudiale (Lat. novem, "nine," and dies, "day") is the name of a custom which prevailed among the heathen of repeating their mourning for the dead on the third, seventh, and ninth days, and hence called no- veudiale. On these days they were accustomed to offer milk, wine, garlands, etc., to the manes. The practice was first instituted by TuUus Hostilins. The imitation of this custom by Christians is condemned by Augus- tine, who animadverts on the superstitious observance of nine days of mourning. Novendiale was also a name among the Romans for the sacrifice which they offered at the close of the nine days devoted to mourning and the solemnities connected with the dead, — Farrar, Eccles. Diet. See jNIoursixg.