During the month of November, let’s remember to pray for our dead. “Holy Souls” is the term for those Christians who have died but are not yet in the full presence of God. Due to sins and imperfections in life, they are undergoing a process of spiritual purification (a purgation). Purgatory has often been compared to the process of refining precious metals. Gold or silver are melted in a furnace, and impurities are burned away. What’s left is a pure precious metal.
Praying for the Holy Souls to aid them in their time of suffering is a time-honored tradition in our Church (and indeed, before our Church! In the Old Testament Book of Maccabees, we see prayers being offered for the dead there as well).
An alert reader (thanks, Scott!) has provided the Catholic Cyber-Militia with an excellent set of prayers for just this purpose! We offer this list for your consideration. If you see any prayers which touch your heart in a particular way, please take advantage of them. In addition to benefiting the Holy Souls in Purgatory, it’ll doubtless do your soul some good as well!
Let’s all get started!
The De Profundis
Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice. Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication. If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall abide it. For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness: and because of Thy law, I have waited for Thee, O Lord. My soul hath waited on His word: my soul hath hoped in the Lord. From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord. For with the Lord there is mercy: and with Him plenteous redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
( Indulgence of 100 Days)
A Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory
O most gentle Heart of Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in Purgatory, have mercy on the souls of Thy departed servants. Be not severe in Thy judgments, but let some drops of Thy Precious Blood fall upon the devouring flames. And do Thou, O Merciful Savior, send Thy holy angels to conduct them to a place of refreshment, light, and peace. Amen.
Prayer for the Dead
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant unto the souls of Thy departed servants full remission of all their sins, that through the help of our pious supplications they may obtain that pardon they have always desired, Thou who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
- Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
- May they rest in peace. Amen.R. And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Prayer for our Dear Departed
O Good Jesus, Whose loving Heart was ever troubled by the sorrows of others, look with pity on the souls of our dear ones in Purgatory. O Thou who didst “love Thine own,” hear our cry for mercy, and grant that those whom Thou hast called from our homes and hearts may soon enjoy everlasting rest in the home of Thy love in Heaven. Amen.
- Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.R. And let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.
Prayer for Deceased Parents
O God, who hast commanded us to honor 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.
— The Roman Missal
Prayer to Jesus and Mary
O most loving Jesus, I humbly beseech Thee that Thou wouldst Thyself offer to Thine eternal Father, on behalf of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, Thy Most Precious Blood, which poured forth from the Sacred Wounds of Thine adorable Body, together with Thine agony and death. And do thou likewise, O sorrowful Virgin Mary, present unto the Heavenly Father, together with the dolorous passion of thy dear Son, Thine own sighs and tears, and all the sorrows thou didst suffer in His suffering, in order that, through the merits of the same, refreshment may be granted to the souls now suffering in the fiery torments of Purgatory, so that, being delivered from that painful prison, they may be clothed with glory in Heaven, there to sing the mercies of God for ever and ever. Amen.
Absolve, O Lord, the souls of all the faithful departed from every bond of sin, that by Thy gracious assistance they may deserve to escape the judgment of vengeance and enjoy the blessedness of everlasting light. Amen.
- Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
- From the gates of Hell,R. Deliver their souls, O Lord.
- May they rest in peace.R. Amen.
- O Lord, hear my prayer.R. And let my cry come to unto Thee.
Let us pray
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant unto the souls of Thy servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins, that through our devout supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired, Thou Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
Eternal rest, etc.
Prayer for the Poor Souls
My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine agony in the Garden, in Thy scourging and crowning with thorns, on the way to Calvary, and in Thy crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in Purgatory, and especially those that are most forsaken; do Thou deliver them from the dire torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in Paradise. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
- Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
- May the divine assistance remain always with us.R. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Prayer for the Poor Souls form the Canon of the Mass
Remember, O Lord, Thy servants and handmaids, N. and N., who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith and rest in the sleep of peace. To these, O Lord, and to all who rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of comfort, light, and peace. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer to God the Father
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ in satisfaction for my sins, in supplication for the Holy Souls in Purgatory and for the needs of the Holy Church. Amen.
Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great
O 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 Soul in Purgatory and for sinners everywhere – for sinners in the Universal Church, for those in my own home and for those within my family. Amen.
Prayer for the Holy Souls by Pope Pius IX
I adore You, oh Glorious Cross, Which was adorned with the Heart and the Body of my Savior, Jesus Christ, stained and covered with Blood. I adore You, oh Holy Cross out of love for Him, who is my Savior and my God.
(Pope Pius IX declared that reciting this prayer 5 times on Friday, will free 5 souls in purgatory, and 33 souls by reciting this prayer on Good Friday: This prayer should be recited before a crucifix with contrite heart and praying a few moments for the Poor Soul in Purgatory)
Novena for the Poor Souls in Purgatory
(Prayers from the Raccolta, 594-595)
Prayer to be said every day of the Novena
- O Lord, hear my prayer;R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant unto the souls of Thy servants and handmaids the remission of all their sins, that through our devout supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired, Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen. Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,
- R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
- May the divine assistance remain always with us.R. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Sunday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Thy divine Son Jesus shed in the Garden, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and especially that one which is the most forsaken of all, and bring it into Thy glory, where it may praise and bless Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
- Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
- May the divine assistance remain always with us.R. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Monday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Thy divine Son Jesus shed in His cruel scourging, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them all, especially that soul which is nearest to its entrance into Thy glory, that it may soon begin to praise Thee and bless Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
- Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
- May the divine assistance remain always with us.R. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Tuesday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus that was shed in His bitter crowning with thorns, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them all, particularly that soul which is in the greatest need of our prayers, in order that it may not long be delayed in praising Thee in Thy glory and blessing Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
- Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
- May the divine assistance remain always with us.R. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Wednesday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus that was shed in the streets of Jerusalem, whilst He carried on His sacred shoulders the heavy burden of the Cross, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and especially that one which is richest in merits in Thy sight, so that, having attained the high place in glory to which it is destined, it may praise Thee triumphantly and bless Thee forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
- Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
- May the divine assistance remain always with us.R. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Thursday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Body and Blood of Thy divine Son Jesus, which He Himself, on the night before His Passion, gave as meat and drink to His beloved Apostles and bequeathed to His holy Church to be the perpetual Sacrifice and life-giving nourishment of His faithful people, deliver the souls in Purgatory, but most of all, that soul which was most devoted to this Mystery of infinite love, in order that it may praise Thee therefore, together with Thy divine Son and the Holy ghost in thy glory forever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
- Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
- May the divine assistance remain always with us.R. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Friday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which Jesus Thy divine Son did shed this day upon the tree of the Cross, especially from His sacred hands and feet, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and particularly that soul for whom I am most bound to pray, in order that I may not be the cause which hinders Thee from admitting it quickly to the possession of Thy glory, where it may praise Thee and bless Thee forevermore. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
- Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
- May the divine assistance remain always with us.R. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Saturday
O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee by the Precious Blood which gushed forth from the sacred side of Thy divine Son Jesus in the presence of and to the great sorrow of His most holy Mother, deliver the souls in Purgatory, and among them all, especially that soul which has been most devout to this noble Lady, that it may come quickly into Thy glory, there to praise Thee in her, and her in Thee, through all the ages. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
- Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord,R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.
- May the divine assistance remain always with us.R. And may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
A Short and Efficacious Prayer for the Faithful Departed
O Most compassionate Jesus, have mercy on the souls detained in Purgatory, for whose redemption Thou didst take upon Thyself our nature and endure a bitter death. Mercifully hear their sighs, look with pity upon the tears which they now shed before Thee, and by virtue of Thy Passion, release them from the pains due to their sins. O most merciful Jesus, let Thy Precious Blood reach down into Purgatory and refresh and revive the captive souls who suffer there. Stretch out to them Thy strong right hand, and bring them forth into the place of refreshment, light and peace. Amen.
Prayer to the Poor Souls in Purgatory
O holy souls in Purgatory, thou art the certain heirs of Heaven. Thou art most dear to Jesus, as the trophies of His Precious Blood, and to Mary, Mother of Mercy. Obtain for me, through thy intercession, the grace to lead a holy life, to die a happy death, and to attain to the blessedness of eternity in Heaven.
Dear suffering souls, who long to be delivered in order to praise and glorify God in Heaven, by thy unfailing pity, help me in the needs which distress me at this time, particularly (here mention your request), so that I may obtain relief and assistance from God.
In gratitude for thy intercession, I offer to God on thy behalf the satisfactory merits of my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day (week, month, or whatever space of time you wish to designate.) Amen.
Litany for the Poor Souls in Purgatory
O Jesus, Thou suffered and died that all mankind might be saved and brought to eternal happiness. Hear our pleas for further mercy on the souls of:
My dear parents and grandparents, My Jesus Mercy
My brothers and sisters and other near relatives, My Jesus Mercy
My godparents and sponsors of Confirmation, My Jesus Mercy
My spiritual and temporal benefactors, etc.
My friends and neighbors,
All for whom love or duty bids me pray,
Those who have suffered disadvantage or harm through me,
Those whose release is near at hand,
Those who desire most to be united to Thee,
Those who endure the greatest sufferings,
Those whose release is most remote,
Those who are least remembered
Those who are most deserving on account of their services to the Church,
The rich, who are now the most destitute,
The mighty, who are now powerless,
The once spiritually blind, who now see their folly
The frivolous, who spent their time in idleness,
The poor who did not seek the treasures of heaven,
The tepid who devoted little time to prayer,
The indolent who neglected to perform good works,
Those of little faith, who neglected the frequent reception of the Sacraments,
The habitual sinners, who owe their salvation to a miracle of grace,
Parents who failed to watch over their children,
Superiors who were not solicitous for the salvation of those entrusted to them,
Those who strove for worldly riches and pleasures,
The worldly minded, who failed to use their wealth and talent for the service of God,
Those who witnessed the death of others, but would not think of their own,
Those who did not provide for the life hereafter,
Those whose sentence is severe because of the great things entrusted to them,
The popes, kings, and rulers,
The bishops and their counselors,
My teachers and spiritual advisors,
The priests and religious of the Catholics Church,
The defenders of the Holy Faith,
Those who died on the battlefield,
Those who fought for their country,
Those who were buried in the sea,
Those who died of apoplexy,
Those who died of heart attacks,
Those who suffered and died of cancer,
Those who died suddenly in accidents,
Those who died without the last rites of the Church,
Those who shall die within the next twenty-four hours,
My own poor soul when I shall have to appear before Thy judgment seat,
PRAYER
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them: For evermore with Thy Saints, because Thou art gracious.
P. The Lord be with you.
S. And with thy spirit.
May the prayer of Thy suppliant people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, benefit the souls of Thy departed servants and handmaids: that Thou mayest both deliver them from all their sins, and make them to be partakers of Thy redemption. Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine on them. Amen.
May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Litany for the Faithful Departed
- Lord, have mercy on us.R. Lord, have mercy on us.
- Christ, have mercy on us.R. Christ, have mercy on us.
- Lord, have mercy on us.R. Lord, have mercy on us.
- Christ, hear us.R. Christ, graciously hear us.
| God the Father of Heaven, Have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed
God the Holy Ghost, Have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed
Holy Trinity, one God, Have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed |
| Holy Mary, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed
Holy Mother of God, Pray for the souls of the faithful departedHoly Virgin of virgins, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed
St. Michael, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed
All ye angels and archangels, etc.
All ye orders of blessed spirits,
St. John the Baptist,St. Joseph,
All ye holy patriarchs and prophets,St. Peter,St. Paul,
St. John,
All ye holy apostles and evangelists,
St. Stephen,
St. Lawrence,
All ye holy martyrs,
St. Gregory,
St. Ambrose,
St. Augustine,
St. Jerome,
All ye holy bishops and confessors,
All ye holy doctors,
All ye holy priests and Levites,
All ye holy monks and hermits,
St, Mary Magdalen,
St. Catherine,
St. Barbara,
All ye holy virgins and widows,
All ye saints of God, |
| Be merciful, Spare them, O Lord |
| Be merciful, Graciously hear us, O Lord |
| From all evil, O Lord deliver them.
From Thy wrath, O Lord deliver them.From the rigor of Thy justice, O Lord deliver them.
From the power of the devil, O Lord deliver them.From the the gnawing worm of conscience, O Lord deliver them.
From long-enduring sorrow, etc.
From eternal flames,From intolerable cold,
From horrible darkness,
From dreadful weeping and wailing,Through Thine admirable conception,
Through Thy holy nativity,
Through Thy most sweet name,
Through Thy baptism and holy fasting,
Through Thy most profound humiliations,
Through Thy prompt obedience,
Through Thy infinite love,
Through Thy sorrow and anguish,
Through Thy bloody sweat,
Through Thy bonds,
Through Thy scourging,
Through Thy crowning with thorns,
Through Thy carrying of the cross,
Through Thy most cruel death,
Through Thy five most holy wounds,
Through Thy most bitter cross and passion,
Through Thy holy Resurrection,
Through Thine admirable Ascension,
Through the coming of the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete,
In the day of judgment, |
| We sinners, We beseech Thee, hear us Thou Who forgavest Magdalen, and didst hearken to the prayer of the thief, We beseech Thee, hear us Thou Who savest freely Thine elect, We beseech Thee, hear us
Thou Who hast the keys of death and hell, We beseech Thee, hear us
That Thou wouldst be pleased to deliver the souls of our parents, relations, friends, and benefactors, from the pains of hell, We beseech Thee, hear us
That Thou wouldst be pleased to have mercy on those of whom no special remembrance is made on earth, We beseech Thee, hear us
That Thou wouldst be pleased to grant them all the pardon and remission of their sins, We beseech Thee, hear us
That Thou wouldst be pleased to fulfill all their desires, We beseech Thee, hear us
That Thou wouldst be pleased to receive them into the company of the blessed, We beseech Thee, hear us
King of awful majesty, We beseech Thee, hear us
Son of God, We beseech Thee, hear us |
- Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,R. grant unto them eternal rest.
- Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,R. grant unto them eternal rest.
- Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world,R. grant unto them rest everlasting.
- Christ, hear us.R. Christ, graciously hear us.
- Lord, have mercy.R. Christ, have mercy.
- From the gate of hell,R. Deliver their souls, O Lord.
- O Lord, hear my prayer.R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
Let us Pray:
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant unto the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins; that, by pious supplications, they may obtain the pardon which they have always desired. Grant this, O God,
Who livest and reignest for ever and ever, Amen.
O Eternal God, Who, besides the general precept of charity, hast commanded a particular respect for parents, kindred, and benefactors; grant, we beseech Thee, that, as they were the instruments by which Thy providence bestowed on us our birth, education and innumerable other blessings, so our prayers may be the means to obtain for them a speedy release from their excessive sufferings, and free admittance to Thine infinite joys. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen
- Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord.R. And let the perpetual light shine upon them.V. May they rest in peace.R. Amen. 1
1 Indulgence of 300 days for the recital of these four ejaculations, only applicable to the souls in Purgatory.
The Heroic Act for the Poor Souls in Purgatory
A decree of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences dated December 18, 1885, and confirmed the following day by Leo XIII, says:
The Heroic Act of Charity in favor of the souls detained in purgatory consists in this, that a member of the Church militant (Christifidelis), either using a set formula or simply by an act of his will, offers to God for the souls in purgatory all the satisfactory works which he will perform during his lifetime, and also all the suffrages which may accrue to him after his death. Many Christians devoted to the Blessed Vrgin Mary, acting on the advice of the Theatine Regular Cleric Father Gaspar Olider, of blessed memory, make it a practice to deposit the said merits and suffrages as it were into the hands of the Blessed Virgin that she may distribute these favors to the souls in purgatory according to her own merciful pleasure. Olider lived at the beginning of the eighteenth century.
The Heroic Act is often called a vow, yet it partakes more of the nature of an offering made to God and to Mary, and it is also, unlike a vow, revocable at will. This point has been decided by the S.C. Indulg., Feb. 20, 1907, in answer to a question from Chicoutimi in Canada. A special vow “never to revoke the Act” would probably be binding, because its subject matter is an act of the personal will of which man can freely dispose, whereas he has not the disposal of his satisfactory works in favor of the departed; that depends on God; for man it is only a matter of pious desire, and only in this sense a votum. It always remains doubtful to what extent God accepts the oblation, and it is certain that the holy souls altogether lack the power of accepting it. The practice of the Heroic Act is based on the communion of saints, in virtue of which the good deeds of one member of Christ’s body benefit all other members. Its meritoriousness results from the more intense charity (love of God and His suffering friends) which inspires it, and on which the intrinsic perfection of all our good deeds depends. Its heroicity arises from the willingness it involves to take upon one’s self the dreadful pains of purgatory for the love of one’s neighbor, although there remains the reasonable hope that God in His goodness, and the sainted souls in their gratitude, will not allow the punishment to be exacted to the full.
The Heroic Act has been enriched with numerous indulgences by Benedict XIII (1728), Pius VI (1788), and Pius IX (1852). Priests who make it receive the personal privilege of gaining a plenary indulgence for a soul of their choice each time they say Mass. Laymen gain a similar indulgence each time they receive Holy Communion, also each Monday they hear Mass for the departed; in both cases the usual conditions are required.
Words to a formal Act of Heroic Charity are as follows:
O Holy and Adorable Trinity, desiring to aid in the relief and release of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, through my devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, I cede and renounce, on behalf of these souls, all the satisfactory part of my works, and all the suffrages which may be given to me after my death. In their entirety, I offer them to Mary, the Most Holy Mother of God, that she may use them, according to her good pleasure, for those souls of the faithful departed whom she desires to alleviate their suffering. O my God, deign to accept and bless my offering which I make to Thee through the most august Queen of Heaven and Earth. Amen.
