page_title: Novena, Singapore
section_title: Etymology
hierarchical_section_title: Novena, Singapore / Etymology
caption_attribution_description: English: Church of St. Alphonsus (Novena Church) surrounding with the busiest neighbourhood in Singapore, May 2011
context_page_description: Novena is a planning area located within the Central Region of Singapore. Novena is bounded by Toa Payoh to the north, Bukit Timah to the west, Tanglin to the south and Kallang to the east. While Novena is not classified as a "new town" by the Housing and Development Board, the estate of Whampoa within the subzone of Balestier constitutes part of the Kallang/Whampoa New Town.
  Tan Tock Seng Hospital, set up by philanthropist Tan Tock Seng in 1844, being one of the oldest and busiest hospitals in Singapore, is located in this area.
context_section_description: Novena and its associated roads, buildings and Mass Rapid Transit station are named after Novena Church (canonically the Church of Saint Alphonsus Liguori) located in the area.
  The current premises of the church were owned by a wealthy Chinese businessman, Wee Kah Kiat. The premises were bought over by the Redemptorist priests in 1948 where a small church dedicated to Our Mother of Perpetual Help named the Church of Saint Alphonsus was built in May 1950. According to tradition, the novenas to Our Lady of Perpetual Help began in January 1949 and were heavily publicised and instantaneously became widespread in 1951 as intended by Pope Pius XI.
  Balestier Road was named after Joseph Balestier, an American diplomat who served in Singapore in the 1800s.
caption: Novena Church in the evening
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