Catholic Prayers for the Dead: 18 Prayers for Departed Loved Ones
For your mother, your father, your husband or wife, your child, your friend, and every soul no one remembers
The best-known Catholic prayer for the dead is Eternal Rest: "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen." Catholics pray for the dead because those who die in God's grace but still need purification can be helped by our prayers, above all by the Mass (CCC 1030-1032). This page gives 18 complete prayers for the dead, including the De Profundis, the prayer attributed to St Gertrude and prayers for a deceased parent, spouse or child, and it explains how to have a Mass offered and how to gain the November indulgence for the souls in purgatory.
Here is the hard truth many Catholic families have forgotten: we canonise our dead at the funeral and then stop praying for them. "He's in a better place" can become the reason nobody prays for him again. Love does not stop at the grave, and neither should your prayer. Your mother may need it tonight. Pray the first prayer below now, by name. No one knows the day or the hour (Mark 13:32), and one day you will want someone to do the same for you.
Grief is easier to carry when you pray every day, and when people pray with you. Pro gives you audio-guided prayer sessions, calming audio devotionals for the evenings that are hardest, a circle of believers to pray for your loved one with you, and counselling with a qualified therapist. Get Pro. $49 once, lifetime access, 30-day money-back guarantee.
1. Why Catholics Pray for the Dead
Catholics pray for the dead because death does not break the communion of the Church, and because those who die in God's friendship but are not yet fully purified undergo a final purification, which the Church calls purgatory, before they enter heaven (CCC 1030-1031). Our prayers, and above all the Mass, help them (CCC 958, 1032). The practice is older than Christianity: Judas Maccabeus had sacrifices offered for fallen soldiers "that they might be delivered from their sin" (2 Maccabees 12:46), and St Paul prayed that the Lord would grant mercy "on that Day" to Onesiphorus, who many interpreters believe had died (2 Timothy 1:16-18). The early Christians scratched prayers for their dead on the walls of the catacombs.
Purgatory is a mercy, a cleansing fire of God's love, and nothing like a second hell. For the full case from Scripture and the Fathers, including the strongest Protestant objections, read our guide to what purgatory is. For the Church's yearly feast for the faithful departed on 2 November, read our guide to All Souls' Day.
2. Traditional Prayers for the Dead
The Church's traditional prayers for the dead have been prayed at gravesides, wakes and Masses for centuries. Learn the first by heart today; it takes ten seconds and you will use it for the rest of your life. Each prayer below is given with its true source.
1. Eternal Rest (Requiem Aeternam)
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Traditional Catholic prayer for the dead, prayed at every Catholic funeral and at the end of grace before meals in many families. Its words echo 2 Esdras 2:34-35. For one person, say "grant unto him" or "her."
2. De Profundis (Psalm 130)
Out of the depths I cry to thee, O LORD! Lord, hear my voice! Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! If thou, O LORD, shouldst mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the LORD more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plenteous redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
Psalm 130 (RSV), numbered Psalm 129 in older Catholic Bibles. The Church's classic psalm for the dead, prayed in the Office of the Dead, where "Eternal rest" replaces the usual "Glory be."
3. The Prayer Attributed to St Gertrude
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.
A popular devotional prayer attributed to St Gertrude the Great (1256 to c. 1302), the German nun and mystic of the monastery of Helfta, whose feast is 16 November. She did love the holy souls and wrote about praying for them. This short prayer, though, cannot be traced to her own writings with confidence. The claim on many prayer cards that Our Lord promised to release 1,000 souls from purgatory each time it is prayed is a popular legend. The Church has made no such promise, and no approved revelation or indulgence attaches that number to it. It is a good prayer, because it unites you with every Mass offered today. Pray it for that reason, and leave the counting to God.
4. O God of Spirits and of All Flesh (Byzantine Prayer for the Departed)
O God of spirits and of all flesh, who hast trampled down death and overthrown the devil, and given life to Thy world: do Thou, the same Lord, give rest to the soul of Thy departed servant [name], in a place of brightness, a place of verdure, a place of repose, whence all sickness, sorrow and sighing have fled away. Pardon every transgression which [he/she] hath committed, whether by word or deed or thought; for Thou art a good God and lovest mankind; because there is no one who liveth and sinneth not, for Thou only art without sin, and Thy righteousness is to all eternity, and Thy word is truth.
Traditional prayer for the departed of the Byzantine Churches, Orthodox and Eastern Catholic, in a common English translation (translations vary). Eastern Christians end it with "Memory eternal."
5. Remember Our Brothers and Sisters (From the Mass)
Remember also our brothers and sisters who have fallen asleep in the hope of the resurrection, and all who have died in your mercy: welcome them into the light of your face.
From Eucharistic Prayer II of the Roman Missal. Every Mass prays for the dead. Next Sunday, when the priest says these words, name your loved one silently.
3. Prayers for a Deceased Mother or Father
Praying for a deceased parent is the last way to keep the fourth commandment, and you can keep it every day for the rest of your life. Whatever your parent was like, they need your prayer now more than they ever needed your help in life. If the relationship was hard, pray anyway; prayer is often where that wound starts to heal. Our guide to Catholic grief support has a section on losing a parent.
6. Prayer for Deceased Parents (From the Roman Missal)
O God, who hast commanded us to honour our father and our mother, in Thy mercy have pity on the souls of my father and mother, and forgive them their trespasses; and make me to see them again in the joy of everlasting brightness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Traditional Catholic prayer, an English rendering of the collect from the Roman Missal's Mass for deceased parents. For one parent, say "the soul of my father" or "my mother."
7. Prayer for My Mother or Father Who Has Died
Lord, [Mum/Dad] is gone, and the world feels wrong without [her/him]. Thank You for my life, which came through [her/him], and for every good thing [she/he] gave me. Forgive [her/his] sins, the ones I knew and the ones only You saw. Forgive mine against [her/him]. Finish the work of purifying [her/him], and bring [her/him] soon into Your presence. Let [her/him] see Your face, and one day let me see [hers/his] again. Eternal rest grant unto [her/him], O Lord. Amen.
"Honor your father and your mother." (Exodus 20:12). Original prayer.
4. Prayers for a Deceased Husband, Wife or Friend
Widows and widowers carry a grief that rearranges every hour of the day. Pray for your spouse at the times you used to share: the morning coffee, the evening meal, the moment you reach for the other side of the bed. Your marriage bond ended at death (Romans 7:2), and your love and your prayer go on.
8. Prayer for a Deceased Husband or Wife
Lord, You joined us together, and now death has parted us. I thank You for every year You gave us: the ordinary days, the hard ones, the children, the laughter, the silences that needed no words. Forgive [name] everything [he/she] did wrong, as I forgive [him/her], and forgive me for the ways I failed [him/her]. Bring [him/her] into Your peace. Keep me faithful until we meet again in Your kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto [him/her], O Lord. Amen.
"Love never ends." (1 Corinthians 13:8). Original prayer.
9. Prayer for a Deceased Friend
Lord Jesus, You wept at the grave of Your friend Lazarus. I am weeping for [name]. Thank You for our friendship and for everything I learned from [him/her]. Forgive [his/her] sins. Welcome [him/her] into the light of Your face. Help me to honour [his/her] memory by living better, and keep our friendship alive in the communion of saints. Amen.
"Jesus wept. So the Jews said, 'See how he loved him!'" (John 11:35-36). Original prayer.
Pray for them every day. Let others pray with you.
Grief makes you want to hide, and prayer for the dead is easiest to drop exactly when it matters most. Pro gives you a circle of believers who will pray for your loved one by name, audio-guided prayer sessions and calming audio devotionals for the long evenings, in-depth Bible studies on death and resurrection, and real counselling sessions with a qualified therapist for grief (it does not replace medical or clinical care). Is it worth it? Why only $49 once when the big prayer apps charge $59.95 to $100 a year? It is all digital, made once and shared with every member, with no office or agency to pay for. We are rooting for you. Try it for 30 days, and if it does not help, take your money back.
Get Pro. $49 once. $49 one-time. Lifetime access, no subscription. 30-day money-back guarantee.5. Prayers for a Deceased Child or Baby
There is no grief like the death of a child, and no one should tell you otherwise. The Church's funeral rite for a baptised child is full of confidence, because the Church believes a baptised child who dies before the age of reason is with God. Children who die before baptism are entrusted to God's mercy, and the Catechism says we may hope there is a way of salvation for them (CCC 1261). Pray for your child, and ask your child to pray for you.
10. Prayer for a Child Who Has Died
Lord Jesus, You took the children in Your arms and blessed them. Take my child now. I wanted so many more years: the birthdays, the school gates, the wedding I imagined. You have them instead. Hold [name] close until I can. Let [him/her] know how much [he/she] was loved. Give me the strength to keep living, to love the people still here, and one day to see [his/her] face again. Mary, who held your dead Son, hold me. Amen.
"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more." (Revelation 21:4). Original prayer.
11. Prayer for a Baby Lost Before Birth
Father, You knew my baby before You formed [him/her] in the womb. I never held [him/her], or I held [him/her] for too short a time. I give my child to Your mercy, with all the hope the Church allows me. Name the name I gave, or the one I never had time to give. Comfort us, and let us meet in Your kingdom. Holy Innocents, pray for us. Amen.
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." (Jeremiah 1:5). Original prayer. Our guide to miscarriage and Catholic hope explains what the Church offers grieving parents, including blessings and funerals for a baby at any stage.
6. Prayers After a Sudden Death or Suicide
When someone dies suddenly, by suicide, by overdose or far from God, the grief comes tangled with fear for their soul. Hear the Church clearly: "We should not despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. The Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives" (CCC 2283). Grave psychological disturbance and suffering can diminish responsibility (CCC 2282). Catholics who die by suicide receive Catholic funerals. Pray with hope, because the Church does.
12. Prayer for Someone Who Died by Suicide
Merciful Father, [name] was in more pain than any of us understood, and now [he/she] is gone. I do not know what happened in [his/her] last moments, but You do, and You were there. I entrust [him/her] to Your mercy, which is deeper than any despair. Heal the wounds [he/she] carried. Forgive what needs forgiving. Bring [him/her] into Your peace. And help those of us left behind to forgive [him/her], to forgive ourselves, and to keep living. Amen.
"The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18). Original prayer.
- US: call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline).
- UK and Ireland: call Samaritans on 116 123.
- Australia: call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
- Anywhere else: find a free local line at findahelpline.com.
13. Prayer for Someone Who Died Suddenly or Far From God
Lord Jesus, [name] died without warning, and I did not get to say goodbye. [He/She] had drifted far from You, and I am afraid. But You are not bound by time the way we are. You promised paradise to a thief in his last breath. I beg You, in the moment of [his/her] death, let [him/her] have turned to You. Pour out Your mercy. I offer my prayers, my Communions and my sufferings for [him/her]. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.
"Today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43). Original prayer. Many Catholic writers suggest that because God stands outside time, He can apply prayers offered today to a soul's last moment.
Our guide to grief after a death has a full section on sudden loss, suicide and overdose, and on how to keep living.
7. Prayers at the Graveside and on Anniversaries
Visiting the grave and keeping the anniversary are old Catholic customs, and both are acts of love. Take holy water to sprinkle on the grave, light a candle, and pray. On the anniversary of death, have a Mass offered if you can.
14. Prayer at the Graveside
Lord, here lies the body of [name], which You made and which You will raise. This grave is waiting for the resurrection. Grant [him/her] rest. Let perpetual light shine upon [him/her]. As I stand here, remind me that I am dust and to dust I shall return, and teach me to live ready to meet You. Until the day You raise us all, keep us one in Your love. Amen.
"For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:52). Original prayer. Read about the resurrection of the body.
15. Prayer on the Anniversary of a Death
Lord, it has been [one year / ten years] since [name] died. The ache has changed shape, but it is still here. Thank You for carrying me through this year. Thank You for the memories that still make me smile. If [name] is still being purified, bring [him/her] home today. If [he/she] already sees Your face, let my prayer go to some soul who has no one. Eternal rest grant unto [him/her], O Lord. Amen.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:4). Original prayer.
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8. How to Have a Mass Offered for the Dead
The greatest prayer you can offer for someone who has died is the Mass. The Church has always offered the Eucharistic sacrifice for the dead (CCC 1032, 1371). Having a Mass "said" for a loved one means asking a priest to offer a particular Mass for that soul, and it is simple to do.
- Contact the parish office. Call, email or drop in. Say you would like a Mass offered for the repose of the soul of [full name].
- Choose a date if it matters. The anniversary, a birthday or All Souls' Day. Popular dates fill early, so ask weeks ahead.
- Make the customary offering. Catholics give a small offering, called a stipend, with the request; your diocese sets the usual amount. Church law permits the priest to receive it and urges priests to offer Mass for the needy even without one (canon 945), so no one should be turned away for lack of money.
- Go to the Mass. Sit with the family if you can. Receive Communion for your loved one.
- Consider Gregorian Masses. This is a custom going back to Pope St Gregory the Great: thirty Masses offered on thirty consecutive days for one person who has died. Parishes rarely can do them; many religious orders and shrines arrange them.
- Send a Mass card. Instead of flowers, give the family a card saying a Mass will be offered for their loved one. It is the most Catholic sympathy gift there is.
16. Prayer When Offering a Mass for the Dead
Eternal Father, at this Mass Your Son offers Himself to You for the living and the dead. I unite my prayer to His sacrifice for [name]. By His Precious Blood, wash away whatever remains of [his/her] sins. By His Body given for us, nourish [his/her] hope. Bring [him/her] today into the light of Your face, to praise You with all Your saints. Amen.
"He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:54). Original prayer.
9. The November Indulgence for the Holy Souls
November is the Church's month for the dead, and it comes with a remarkable gift. The Church grants a plenary indulgence, applicable only to the souls in purgatory, to the faithful who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray for the dead on any day from 1 to 8 November, and to those who visit a church or oratory on All Souls' Day, 2 November, and pray there the Our Father and the Creed. A partial indulgence is granted for visiting a cemetery and praying for the dead on other days, and for devoutly praying "Eternal rest." Here is how to gain the plenary indulgence, step by step.
- Go to confession within several days before or after. One confession can cover several indulgences.
- Receive Holy Communion, ideally on the day itself.
- Pray for the Pope's intentions. An Our Father and a Hail Mary fulfil this.
- Visit a cemetery between 1 and 8 November and pray for the dead there, even silently. Or, on 2 November, visit a church and pray the Our Father and the Creed.
- Reject all attachment to sin, even venial sin. If that attachment is not fully absent, the indulgence is partial. Do your honest best and leave the rest to God.
- Repeat it each day from 1 to 8 November; one plenary indulgence may be gained per day, each for a different soul if you wish.
Some years the Apostolic Penitentiary has extended the dates; check your diocese. For the history of the feast, read our guide to All Souls' Day, and for what indulgences are and are not, see the section on indulgences in our guide to purgatory.
17. Prayer in the Cemetery in November
Lord of the living and the dead, I walk among these graves and I pray for every soul buried here: the ones whose names I know and the thousands I never will. Forgive them. Purify them. Bring them home. I offer this visit and this prayer for [name], and for any soul here who has no one left to pray for them. Our Father, who art in heaven... Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. Amen.
"It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins." (2 Maccabees 12:46, Douay-Rheims). Original prayer.
18. Prayer for the Forgotten Souls
Lord Jesus, some souls have no one left on earth who remembers them: no children, no friends, no name on a headstone anyone visits. I remember them now. I offer this prayer for the soul in purgatory who is most forgotten and most alone. Let my prayer be the one they were waiting for. When they see Your face, let them pray for me. Amen.
"Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!" (Job 19:21), words the Church has long applied to the holy souls. Original prayer.
Pray for your dead every day of the year
Most of us mean to pray for the people we have lost and then life gets busy. Pro helps you keep the promise: audio-guided prayer sessions and calming audio devotionals for every evening, in-depth Bible studies, a circle of believers who will pray for your loved one with you, and real counselling sessions with a qualified therapist when grief will not lift. Will you stick with it? The audio carries the habit on the nights you are too tired to read. $49 once, lifetime access, no subscription, 30-day money-back guarantee. No one knows the day or the hour. Start today.
Get Pro for $49 One-time payment. No recurring charge. 30-day money-back guarantee.10. Do Other Christians Pray for the Dead?
Eastern Orthodox Christians pray for the dead constantly, with memorial services on the third, ninth and fortieth days after death and on anniversaries, and they end with "Memory eternal," though they do not define purgatory in the Catholic way. Most Protestants do not pray for the dead, holding that each person's eternal state is fixed at death and rejecting purgatory; many see prayer for the dead as unscriptural. Anglicans are divided, and Anglo-Catholics pray for the faithful departed much as Catholics do. Martin Luther himself wrote that he did not regard it as a sin to pray for the dead with free devotion, asking God to be gracious to a soul if it is in a condition to receive mercy.
The Catholic position is that prayer for the dead is an apostolic practice, rooted in Scripture (2 Maccabees 12:46) and kept by the Church from the catacombs onward. It costs you nothing and it may mean everything to the person you loved. If you are not sure, pray anyway; God will not waste it. For the full comparison of Catholic and Protestant teaching, read our guide to Catholic and Protestant differences.
Here is a simple rule for every Catholic: say "Eternal rest" for your dead every night, name them at every Mass, have a Mass offered on each anniversary, and visit the grave in November. Keep it up until you join them. Lost for words on a hard day? Our free prayer generator writes a prayer for your loved one by name.
One day someone will need to pray for you. Build the habit now, while you can. Pro gives you daily audio-guided prayer and devotionals, a circle of believers to pray with, and counselling for grief. Get Pro. $49 once. Why only $49 once when the big prayer apps charge $59.95 to $100 a year? It is all digital, made once and shared with every member, with no office or agency to pay for. We are rooting for you. 30-day money-back guarantee.
You have 18 prayers for the dead. Pray one tonight, by name.
The people you have lost cannot pray for themselves now. You can. Pro gives you audio-guided prayer sessions, calming audio devotionals, the full study library of Bible studies, prayer frameworks and worship playlists, a circle of believers to pray with, and counselling with a qualified therapist for grief. Why only $49 once when the big prayer apps charge $59.95 to $100 a year? It is all digital, made once and shared with every member, with no office or agency to pay for. We are rooting for you. Pro is material and community for daily prayer; it has no effect on any soul's salvation, which rests on God's mercy, and the Mass, the indulgence and every prayer on this page are free. No one knows the day or the hour. Start today.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Catholic prayer for the dead?
The best-known Catholic prayer for the dead is Eternal Rest: "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen." Catholics also pray the De Profundis (Psalm 130), the Rosary and above all the Mass for those who have died.
How do I pray for a deceased loved one?
Pray for them by name every day, even one "Eternal rest" at night. Have a Mass offered for them, especially on the anniversary of death, name them silently at every Mass, visit the grave and pray there, and offer your Communions, sacrifices and indulgences for their soul.
Does the St Gertrude prayer release 1,000 souls from purgatory?
No Church teaching says so. The claim that each recitation frees 1,000 souls is a popular legend found on prayer cards, and the prayer itself cannot be confidently traced to St Gertrude's own writings. It is still a good prayer, because it unites you with every Mass offered that day, and God alone knows its fruit.
Why do Catholics pray for the dead?
Catholics pray for the dead because those who die in God's grace but are not yet fully purified pass through purgatory before heaven, and the prayers of the living, above all the Mass, help them (CCC 1030-1032). The practice appears in 2 Maccabees 12:46 and was kept by the early Church.
How do I have a Mass said for someone who died?
Contact your parish office and ask for a Mass to be offered for the repose of the soul of your loved one, giving their full name and a preferred date. It is customary to give a small offering set by the diocese, but priests are urged to offer Mass for those who cannot pay.
What is the November indulgence for the dead?
The Church grants a plenary indulgence, for the souls in purgatory only, to those who visit a cemetery and pray for the dead on any day from 1 to 8 November, or visit a church on All Souls' Day and pray the Our Father and Creed, with confession, Communion, prayer for the Pope's intentions and detachment from sin.
Can I pray for someone who died by suicide?
Yes. The Catechism says we should not despair of the eternal salvation of people who have taken their own lives, that God can provide the opportunity for repentance in ways known to Him alone, and that the Church prays for them (CCC 2283). Pray for them with hope and offer Masses for them.
How long should you pray for the dead?
Keep praying for your dead for as long as you live. We do not know when a soul is fully purified, and God is outside time. If your loved one is already in heaven, God applies your prayer to other souls in need, so no prayer for the dead is ever wasted.