Powerful Goddess Fortuna Prayers for Good Luck and Fortune: Ancient Prayers That Work

You pray to Fortuna by using a four-part Roman formula: invoke her name with an epithet that matches what you need, state why she should listen, make a specific request, then promise a conditional offering you’ll give when she delivers. Romans used this structure for over a thousand years because it worked.

Here’s what that looks like in practice. Thursday morning, light a green or gold candle. Place coins on your altar. Speak this prayer aloud:

“Fortuna, goddess of luck and turning wheel, I call to you. You who rotate the circumstances of mortals, you who hold the cornucopia of abundance, hear me. I honor you with this offering. I have spoken your name with respect. I seek your favor. Turn my fortune from static to rising. Open doors that lead to prosperity. Guide my steps toward opportunities. Position me on the ascending spoke of your wheel. If you grant this, I vow to leave more coins at your altar when fortune improves. As I speak, so may it be. Fortuna, I thank you.”

Repeat it three times. Do this for four consecutive Thursdays. Watch what shifts.

The rest of this post gives you three more complete prayers, the formula for writing your own, altar setup instructions, timing guidance, and why this produces results.

Who Fortuna Is (And Why She Responds to Prayer)

Fortuna is a Roman goddess with specific functions who responds to specific techniques.

She started as an Italian fertility goddess. The name probably comes from a root word meaning “bringing forth,” like bringing forth harvest. Over centuries her domain evolved from agricultural abundance to wealth to luck to fortune itself. She governs circumstances that can change. Job prospects, timing, opportunities that appear, whether money flows toward you or away. All these fall under her domain. What Romans called fatum (fate) stays fixed. Fortune moves.

The Romans built enormous temples to her. The sanctuary at Praeneste was a massive terraced structure climbing a hillside where pilgrims came to receive oracles through lot-drawing. Archaeological digs show the scale of worship. This was state religion and personal devotion both.

Her iconography tells you how she operates:

(Overwhelmed? Light a virtual candle and take 5 minutes. It actually helps.)

The wheel: She rotates your position. You’re always somewhere on that wheel. Bottom, top, rising, falling. Prayer moves you toward the rising position. The physical wheel you put on your altar connects to the conceptual Wheel of Fortune. That’s sympathetic magic working.

The cornucopia: Abundance flows from her. Plenty. Prosperity. Resources multiplying like grain multiplies from seed.

The rudder: She steers circumstances. She actively directs the course of events affecting you.

The globe or orb: World-level power. She operates at scale.

Her Connection to Jupiter

Jupiter, king of Roman gods, governs expansion, abundance, kingship, cosmic order. Fortuna is sometimes called his daughter. His wife Juno Moneta was the mint goddess. Coins were literally minted in Juno’s temple. The word “money” comes from “Moneta.” Working with Fortuna connects you to this whole complex of Roman deities associated with wealth and material prosperity.

Thursday is Jupiter’s day (named after Thor, who is Jupiter in Norse form). This becomes your primary prayer day.

The major Roman festival for Fortuna fell on June 24, called Fors Fortuna. Modern practitioners who work with Roman deities honor this day with larger offerings and longer rituals.

How Roman Prayer Actually Works

Romans were engineers. Prayer was technology with specific components producing specific results.

Roman prayer followed precise structure. Priests made magistrates repeat prayers word for word. An error meant starting completely over. They had flute players drown out ambient noise so only the prayer was heard. This level of precision created energetic clarity.

The formula has four parts.

1. Invocation

Name the deity with their location and domain.

Example: “Fortuna, who dwells at Praeneste, guardian of luck and bringer of abundance”

This gets her attention. It specifies which aspect you’re calling. Fortuna has multiple epithets (titles) that activate different functions. You choose the one matching your need.

Modern adaptation: “Fortuna, goddess of fortune and turning luck”

2. Argument

State why she should listen based on your relationship with her.

Options:

• Past offerings: “I have brought you coins and honey”
• Relationship: “I have honored you at your feast day”
• Alignment: “As you bring fortune to those who call, hear me now”

This establishes relationship. You’ve upheld your end through offerings and devotion. What you’re asking aligns with her nature.

3. Petition

Make a specific request in clear terms.

Be concrete: “Turn my financial fortune from falling to rising”

Skip vague requests like “bring me blessings.” Roman prayers were transactional and direct. No flowery language. Tell her exactly what you want.

4. Vow

Promise a conditional offering.

Template: “If you grant this, I vow to [specific offering]”

Example: “If you turn my fortune, I will leave gold coins at your altar on the full moon”

Critical point: You must fulfill vows. Breaking a vow destroys the relationship. Only promise what you can definitely deliver.

This seals the contract. It gives her incentive. Romans called this do ut des (“I give so that you might give”). Foundation of Roman religious practice.

Why This Structure Matters

Each part does specific work. The invocation gets attention. The argument establishes grounds. The petition states the need. The vow creates accountability and exchange.

Skip a part, the prayer weakens.

Write your prayer out beforehand. Read it aloud (speaking activates the working). Repeat at least three times to establish the pattern. No distractions. Phone off, door closed.

Four Complete Prayers to Fortuna

These follow Roman structure with accessible language. Use them as written or adapt them.

Prayer for General Good Fortune

Use this for regular devotional practice, Thursday mornings, new moon work, or before job interviews and financial decisions.

“Fortuna, goddess of luck and turning wheel, I call to you. You who rotate the circumstances of mortals, you who hold the cornucopia of abundance, hear me. I honor you with this offering [place coins or pour honey]. I have spoken your name with respect. I seek your favor. Turn my fortune from static to rising. Open doors that lead to prosperity. Guide my steps toward opportunities. Position me on the ascending spoke of your wheel. If you grant this, I vow to leave [specify your offering] at your altar when fortune improves. As I speak, so may it be. Fortuna, I thank you.”

Key features: Invokes wheel imagery for sympathetic magic. Offers something first (do ut des). Makes specific request about position on wheel. Includes vow. Thanks her to maintain relationship.

Prayer for Wealth and Prosperity

Use this during the waxing moon, Thursday during a Jupiter planetary hour, when starting business ventures, or during financial difficulty.

“Fortuna Obsequens, you who grants prosperity to those you favor, I stand before you. You whose temple received offerings of gold, you who turns poverty to wealth and scarcity to abundance, attend my words. I bring you [state your offering]. I have kept your day holy. I petition you: multiply my resources as grain multiplies in fertile soil. Bring profitable ventures to my hand. Turn the wheel so that wealth flows toward me. Make my finances stable and growing. If you accomplish this, I vow to donate [amount or percentage] to [cause] in your name, and leave golden offerings at your altar. By Jupiter’s blessing and your favor, turn my fortune. Fortuna Obsequens, I honor you.”

Key features: Uses the epithet “Obsequens” (the compliant one, the granter). Invokes Jupiter for his expansion energy. Uses agricultural metaphor. Grain multiplying connects to her fertility roots. Includes charitable component in the vow, which maintains good fortune through generosity.

Prayer for Turning Bad Luck Around

Use this during genuine crisis (job loss, health problems, severe financial trouble), at the dark moon, when a pattern of bad luck has established itself, or in emergency situations.

“Fortuna Redux, you who brings travelers safely home, you who returns fortune to those cast down, I need you. My luck has turned against me. I am on the descending spoke of your wheel. You who rescued sailors from storms, you who returned armies victorious, reverse my fortune now. I offer you [state offering] and my devoted attention. I vow that if you turn my circumstances from falling to rising, I will [state larger than usual offering]. Rotate the wheel, Fortuna. Shift my position from bottom to ascending. As the tide turns, turn my luck. As night becomes dawn, transform my fortune. By your power and Jupiter’s might, change my situation from bad to good. Fortuna Redux, answer.”

Key features: Uses “Redux” epithet (the one who brings back, restores). Acknowledges your current position honestly. Appeals to her proven historical power. Promises a larger vow for a larger request. Uses multiple reversal metaphors (tide, dawn).

Prayer for Maintaining Good Fortune

Use this at the full moon, after your fortune has improved following prayer, when fulfilling vows, or as regular devotional maintenance.

“Fortuna, guardian of my good fortune, I thank you. The wheel has turned in my favor. Abundance flows. Opportunities open. I recognize your hand in these blessings. I bring you [offering] in gratitude, not petition. Keep your favor upon me. Maintain my position on the rising spoke. Let not my fortune slip while I am careless. As I honor you in abundance, I will honor you in scarcity. My relationship with you continues beyond single requests. Accept my thanks, Fortuna. Keep your wheel turning steadily for me. As I have promised, so I deliver. As you have blessed, I honor you. Fortuna, my thanks.”

Key features: Gratitude-focused rather than request-heavy. Acknowledges her role in current blessings. Asks for maintenance instead of change. Emphasizes ongoing relationship. Demonstrates vow fulfillment.

Setting Up Your Fortuna Altar

Roman deities responded to physical cult sites. Your altar becomes a localized temple.

Location matters. Romans built temples on hills. Praeneste was a massive terraced structure climbing a hillside. Put your altar in an elevated position if possible. East-facing works well (dawn equals new fortune with new day). Place it where you’ll see it daily. Relationship requires attention. Make sure it’s private enough for focused prayer.

Essential Elements

Wheel symbol (non-negotiable)

The physical wheel creates sympathetic magic. It connects to the conceptual Wheel of Fortune. Options:

• Tarot card X (Wheel of Fortune)
• Draw your own wheel on wood or paper
• Small decorative wheel
• Printed image of a wheel

Place this centrally on your altar.

Colors: Gold, green, purple

Gold represents solar wealth, Jupiter’s energy, coins, abundance. Green represents growth, money, fertile fields. Purple is Jupiter’s color, associated with royalty and expansion.

Use these colors for:

• Altar cloth
• Candles
• Decorative elements
• Offering dishes

Candles

Green for money magic (most common choice). Gold for general fortune. Purple for Jupiter connection. Light them when you pray. Fire activates prayer.

Offering bowl or plate

For coins (primary offering). Grain like wheat or barley (connects to her agricultural roots). Honey (golden, sweet fortune). Small dedicated items.

Fortuna representation

A statue if you can find one. A printed image showing her with wheel, cornucopia, or rudder. Even just her name written beautifully. Romans used small household figures in their lararia (home shrines).

Optional but Powerful Additions

Jupiter symbols like eagles, lightning bolts, or his name written in gold. Coins from different countries (international fortune). A small cornucopia image or decoration. Blue cloth underneath (Jupiter’s color). Fresh flowers on Thursdays. Candle holders for your ritual candles.

Activation and Maintenance

First time: Introduce yourself to Fortuna at the altar. State your intent to honor her there. Make an initial offering (coins work well). Light a candle. Speak a short prayer. Establish this as sacred space between you and her.

Maintenance: Refresh offerings weekly, ideally on Thursdays. Keep the altar clean. A dusty altar signals a neglected relationship. Don’t let candles burn down to nothing unattended. When you fulfill a vow, do it at this altar.

Offerings That Work

Roman religious practice centered on do ut des: “I give so that you might give.” Offerings build relationship.

Primary Offerings

Coins

The most obvious and traditional. Leave real money: pennies, dimes, quarters. Gold-colored coins work even better (chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil, game tokens). Foreign currency feels exotic and special. This directly honors the connection to Juno Moneta and represents wealth literally.

Offer coins with every prayer at minimum.

Grain and wheat

Actual wheat stalks if you can get them. Barley, oats, any grain. Breadcrumbs or small pieces of bread. This connects to money’s origins (grain was the original currency in barter economies) and to Fortuna’s agricultural roots. One seed becomes many grains. Symbolic multiplication.

Honey

Small amount in an offering bowl. Golden color (solar, wealth). Sweetness (sweet fortune). Preservation quality (lasting fortune). Traditional libation substance.

Wine

Pour a small amount while praying. Red is more traditional, but white works. You can substitute grape juice. This is a standard Roman offering. Pour it outside if possible, or into a plant’s soil.

Special Occasion Offerings

Reserve these for when fortune has turned, when you’re fulfilling vows, or for the June 24 festival.

Gold items: Gold jewelry (even costume jewelry). Gold foil or gold leaf. Anything gold-colored you actually value. Shows serious gratitude.

Incense: Frankincense (Jupiter association). Cinnamon (wealth magic). Oakmoss or cedar (Jupiter herbs). The smoke carries prayers upward.

Green candles: Dressed with prosperity oil. Carved with money symbols or your petition. Allow to burn completely if safe to do so.

Modern Adaptations

Lottery tickets (symbols of fortune attempting to shift). Dollar bills (literal money). Written petitions you burn afterward (smoke carries them). Any items in gold, green, or purple you dedicate to her.

Timing

Every prayer: at least coins. Weekly: Thursday offerings. Monthly: full moon gratitude offering. Vow fulfillment: as promised, with no delay.

What Not to Offer

Wilted flowers (shows neglect). Food that will spoil on the altar unless you remove it within a day. Items you don’t actually value (she’ll know). Empty promises (relationship killer).

Disposal

Coins: Leave on the altar indefinitely or take to a crossroads or public fountain. Food offerings: Compost them or leave outside for animals. Wine: Pour into earth. Never disrespectfully trash offerings.

Timing Your Prayers for Maximum Power

Romans prayed at dawn. Each new day represented a fortune reset point. First light is a cosmic reset.

Jupiter Timing (Primary System)

Thursday

Named after Thor, who is Jupiter in Norse mythology. Same deity, different culture. Thursday is ruled by expansion, kingship, and abundance. Fortuna connects to Jupiter as daughter and as part of his domain. This is your primary prayer day.

Weekly Thursday prayers build relationship over time.

Jupiter Planetary Hours

The planetary hours system divides each day into twelve daylight hours and twelve night hours. The length varies by season and location. The first hour after sunrise on Thursday holds peak power.

Calculate it: (Sunset time minus Sunrise time) divided by 12 equals length of each daylight hour

Jupiter hours occur first thing after sunrise on Thursday, then every eight hours in the planetary sequence. You can find Jupiter hours on other days too (just less powerful than Thursday’s). Free online calculators show you exactly when they occur for your location.

Moon Phases (Secondary System)

New moon: Starting fresh ventures. Beginning luck reversal. Initiating relationship with Fortuna. First prayers to her. Planting seeds (metaphorically and literally).

Waxing moon: Increasing wealth. Building momentum. Resources multiplying. Business growth. Best timing for the wealth and prosperity prayer.

Full moon: Gratitude prayers. Receiving fortune at peak. Vow fulfillment. Celebrating success. Acknowledging her blessings.

Dark moon: Emergency prayers. Rock bottom reversal. Desperate situations. When you’re at the bottom of the wheel and need rotation immediately. Use the crisis prayer here.

Optimal Combination

Thursday morning plus Jupiter hour plus appropriate moon phase equals maximum power.

But don’t let perfect timing stop regular practice. Thursday morning alone works fine. Consistency matters more than perfection.

Festival Day: June 24

Historical Roman festival called Fors Fortuna. Modern practitioners honor this day with larger offerings and longer rituals. Think of it as an annual relationship renewal with the goddess.

Dawn Practice

Pray at sunrise when possible. Each dawn represents fortune resetting. “As night becomes day, turn my fortune” captures this energy. Practically speaking, even 30 minutes after sunrise counts.

Regular Thursday prayers build stronger relationship than occasional perfectly-timed elaborate rituals.

Why This Actually Works

Sympathetic Magic Principles

Physical symbols activate conceptual realities. The wheel on your altar connects to the Wheel of Fortune concept. Coins as offerings connect to wealth energy. Speaking activates thought into the material plane. “As above, so below.” Physical action mirrors spiritual action.

Devotional Relationship Creates Access

Gods govern specific domains in polytheistic frameworks. Fortuna specializes in luck and fortune. Building a relationship gives you access to her function. Like having a lawyer’s phone number versus just hoping law works out.

Regular practice builds the connection:

• Weekly prayers equal weekly reinforcement
• Offerings equal energetic exchange
• Altar equals dedicated portal
• Names and epithets equal addressing specific aspects

Psychological Reprogramming

This doesn’t deny spiritual reality. Both layers operate simultaneously.

Regular Fortuna focus trains your mind to notice opportunities. Wheel imagery creates expectation of rotation (change is coming). Vow structure creates accountability. Prayer at dawn sets daily intention. You start moving through the world like someone whose luck is turning. You take different actions. You see different possibilities.

Historical Egregore

Two thousand years of worship built something. Millions of people prayed these prayers. Energy accumulates around symbols and names. An egregore (a collective thought-form built by repeated worship) responds when you invoke “Fortuna.” The name carries the weight of all previous devotion. You’re joining an ongoing current flowing since before the Roman Republic.

Roman Engineering Applied to Religion

Romans built prayer as results-oriented technology. Formula precision removes variables and increases replicability. The four-part structure covers all bases: attention, relationship, request, and exchange. Physical offerings create a material component. They kept doing it because it produced results.

Jupiter Planetary Current

Jupiter the planet has real gravitational and energetic influence. Planetary magic works with actual astronomical forces. Thursday and Jupiter hours align you with that energy. The Fortuna-Jupiter connection lets you ride a larger cosmic current.

The Mechanism

Here’s how it operates. You create a dedicated connection (altar, regular practice). You align with cosmic timing (Thursday, Jupiter hours, appropriate moon phase). You use a proven formula (four-part structure). You engage the historical egregore (Fortuna’s name and symbols). You make material exchange (offerings). You state a specific request (petition). You create accountability (vow). Fortuna, who governs mutable fortune, responds.

Results show up as: opportunities appearing, timing improving, resources flowing, obstacles clearing, lucky breaks, being in the right place at right time.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Vague Petitions

Wrong: “Bring me blessings”

Right: “Turn my financial situation from loss to profit within three months”

Fix: Be as specific as you’d be writing a contract.

Skipping the Vow

This fails because you’re giving the deity no incentive and creating no accountability for yourself.

Fix: Always include a conditional offering promise. “If this happens, I will do X.”

Not Fulfilling Vows

This kills the relationship dead. Fortuna remembers. All deities do.

Fix: Only vow what you can definitely deliver. When fortune turns, fulfill immediately.

Asking for Impossibilities

Fortuna governs mutable circumstances. She can’t make you win the lottery (those numbers are already set, that’s fate). She can position you for windfall opportunities.

Fix: Ask for positioning, openings, and opportunities. Things she actually controls.

No Regular Practice

One prayer then waiting creates weak connection.

Fix: Weekly Thursday prayers minimum. Relationship requires maintenance.

Wrong Timing

Praying only during crisis treats her like an emergency service instead of an ongoing relationship.

Fix: Pray during good times too. Use the gratitude prayer. Build relationship before you desperately need it.

Treating Her Like a Vending Machine

Romans understood relationship.

Fix: Make offerings even when you’re not petitioning. Thank her when luck runs good.

Apologizing for Praying

“Sorry to bother you” weakens your petition. Romans didn’t apologize. They stated grounds for why the deity should listen.

Fix: Use the Argument section to establish relationship, past offerings, and alignment with her nature.

Neglecting the Altar

Dusty altar signals neglected relationship.

Fix: Clean weekly. Refresh offerings. Maintain sacred space.

What to Expect: Results and Timelines

Immediate (Within Days)

Increased awareness of opportunities. Small synchronicities. Mental shift toward possibility. Feeling of support when you think about your situation.

Short-Term (Within Weeks)

Small lucky breaks. Better timing in daily life. Doors opening unexpectedly. Resources appearing. Helpful people showing up. Someone mentions something at exactly the right moment.

Medium-Term (Within Months)

Noticeable pattern shift. Financial improvement. Career opportunities. Your relationship with Fortuna feels established. Natural prayer flow developing. You stop needing to read the prayers because your own words come easily.

Long-Term (Within a Year)

Consistent good fortune. Life trajectory changed. You look back and see a clear turning point. Strong devotional relationship. You fulfill vows naturally because the practice is integrated.

What It Looks Like in Practice

Job interview appears when you need work. Tax refund arrives exactly when needed. Someone mentions an opportunity at the right moment. Investment pays off unexpectedly. A series of “lucky coincidences” that stack on each other.

What it doesn’t look like: lottery winnings (fate, not fortune), miraculous appearance of cash, instant transformation, passive reception with no effort on your part.

Your Part and Her Part

You: Consistent prayer and offerings. Acting on opportunities she provides. Fulfilling vows. Maintaining relationship. Doing practical work alongside prayer.

Fortuna: Rotating the wheel to position you favorably. Opening doors. Steering circumstances. Multiplying your efforts. Bringing fortunate timing.

Together: Your work plus her positioning equals good fortune.

Begin

Fortuna’s temples stood for over a thousand years because people’s fortunes changed after praying to her. Material results.

You now have four complete prayers you can use immediately. You have the four-part formula for writing your own. You know how to set up an altar. You understand timing. You know what to offer. You understand why this produces results.

Start simple. Thursday morning. Golden or green candle. Handful of coins. The first prayer (general good fortune). Speak it aloud three times. Do this for four consecutive Thursdays. Watch what shifts.

Fortuna’s wheel still turns. Your position on it changes. Prayer positions you on the rising spoke.

Light the candle. Place the coins. Speak her name.