Losing someone we love is one of life's deepest sorrows. As Catholics, we believe our love for them doesn't end at death. We can still help them through our prayers. Here are traditional prayers for a deceased loved one and for all the faithful departed.
If you are grieving right now, may God give you comfort and peace.
Prayer for a Deceased Loved One
This prayer comes from the traditional Roman Missal, the Mass prayer for a deceased person.
Incline Your ear, O Lord, to our prayers, in which we humbly ask Your mercy upon the soul of Your servant (name), whom You have called out of this world, that You would bring him/her into the place of peace and light, and grant him/her a share in the company of Your saints. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
In Latin
Inclina, Domine, aurem tuam ad preces nostras, quibus misericordiam tuam supplices deprecamur: ut animam famuli tui (name), quam de hoc saeculo migrare iussisti, in pacis ac lucis regione constituas, et sanctorum tuorum iubeas esse consortem. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.
Eternal Rest
The Church's shortest and best-loved prayer for the dead:
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Read more about the Eternal Rest Prayer →
The De Profundis (Psalm 130)
For centuries, the Church has prayed this psalm for the dead. Its name comes from its first words in Latin, De profundis, "Out of the depths."
Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it? For with thee there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of thy law, I have waited for thee, O Lord.
My soul hath relied on his word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord. From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.
Because with the Lord there is mercy: and with him plentiful redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
(Psalm 130, Douay-Rheims; Psalm 129 in its numbering)
Traditionally, the De Profundis is followed by the Eternal Rest prayer.
Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
This prayer is traditionally associated with St. Gertrude the Great:
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.
You may see claims that this prayer releases a specific number of souls from purgatory each time it is prayed. That claim has no approval from the Church. The prayer itself is good and worth praying out of love for the departed.
Other Ways to Help the Departed
- Have a Mass offered for them. The Mass is the greatest prayer the Church can offer for the dead. Ask your parish office how to request a Mass intention.
- Pray the Holy Rosary for their soul.
- Visit their grave and pray there.
- Offer up small sacrifices and good works for them.
Filipino Traditions of Praying for the Dead
In the Philippines, prayer for the dead is woven into family life:
- Pasiyam: nine days of prayer, usually the Holy Rosary, beginning after a loved one's death or burial, often ending with a gathering on the ninth day
- Babang-luksa: the first anniversary of death, marking the end of the mourning period with a Mass and family prayer
- Undas: on November 1 and 2, families visit the graves of their loved ones to clean them, light candles, and pray
These traditions keep alive what the Church has always taught: that we can, and should, keep praying for those we love.
Why Catholics Pray for the Dead
The Church teaches that those who die in God's friendship, but are not yet fully purified, undergo a final purification called purgatory before entering heaven (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1030–1032). Our prayers, sacrifices, and the Mass help them on their way.
Scripture says it is "a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead" (2 Maccabees 12:46).