In the Catholic Church a novena is a nine-day devotion of prayers, often sorrowful or yearning in nature, asking for special graces. In keeping with Beit Benedict's mission in the Middle East, Galbraith's oratorio is a Novena for Peace, one that is traditionally associated with the Virgin Mary. The composer has chosen texts that reflect these themes, including prayers from the three Abrahamic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The work features a quartet of soloists—soprano, alto, tenor, bass— accompanied by a chamber ensemble of woodwinds, strings, piano and percussion. Six of the eleven movements also include prerecorded electroacoustical arrangements that blend with the live musicians to provide additional layers of timbre and texture. Galbraith's sonic designs make use of primitive flutes and chants, recitations of prayers, animal voices, and unique sounds created in her home studio.