Catholics pray for the dead because love does not end at death, and because the Church teaches that our prayers, above all the Mass, help those who died in God’s friendship to be fully purified and enter His presence (CCC 1032). Here are fifteen Catholic prayers for the deceased: the Church’s traditional prayers, prayers for a particular person, prayers for the wake and the graveside, and a simple way to pray the Rosary for someone who has died.
If you need one prayer right now, pray this one:
Eternal rest grant unto him (her), O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
May he (she) rest in peace. Amen.
Traditional Catholic prayers for the dead
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.
Its history, the Latin text and the versions for one person are on the Eternal Rest prayer page.
2. Prayer for the faithful departed (Fidelium Deus)
An ancient collect from the Roman Missal, in a traditional translation:
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful,
grant to the souls of thy servants departed the remission of all their sins,
that through our devout prayers they may obtain the pardon they have always desired.
Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.
3. Psalm 130 (De Profundis)
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…
Because with the Lord there is mercy: and with him plentiful redemption.
(Douay-Rheims, Psalm 129)
The full psalm is on the prayers for the souls in purgatory page.
4. The St. Gertrude prayer
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.
Read what the Church does and does not say about the promise printed with it.
5. A Catholic blessing for the dead
The priestly blessing of Numbers 6:24–26 can be prayed over a loved one’s body, coffin or grave, making the Sign of the Cross:
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.
The Lord shew his face to thee, and have mercy on thee.
The Lord turn his countenance to thee, and give thee peace.
May N. rest in the peace of Christ. Amen.
Prayers for a particular person who has died
6. For a deceased mother or father
O God, who hast commanded us to honor our father and our mother,
in thy mercy have pity on the soul of my mother (father), and forgive her (his) trespasses;
and make me to see her (him) again in the joy of everlasting brightness.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
7. For a husband or wife
Lord, you joined us in marriage and you have called N. home before me.
Thank you for the love we shared and for every year you gave us.
Forgive whatever in N. was not yet healed, complete your work of love, and bring him (her) into your peace.
Keep me faithful until we meet again where there is no more parting. Amen.
8. For a child
Father of mercy, you gave us N. and you know the depth of our grief.
We place our child in your hands, which are gentler than ours.
Hold N. close to you, and give us the hope that will carry us until we are together again. Amen.
9. For a brother, sister or friend
Lord Jesus, you wept for your friend Lazarus.
Look with love on N., my brother (sister, friend), whom I miss so much.
Welcome him (her) into the company of the saints, and let me one day share that joy with him (her). Amen.
10. For someone who died suddenly
Merciful God, N. was taken from us without warning, and we had no time to say goodbye.
You were with N. in that moment, even when we were not.
Grant N. your mercy and peace, and calm the shock and sorrow of all who loved him (her). Amen.
11. For someone who has no one to pray for them
Lord, remember those who died alone, those whose families have forgotten them, and those for whom no one prays.
Let my prayer reach them through your mercy, and bring them quickly into your light. Amen.
Prayers at the wake, the funeral and the graveside
The Church’s Order of Christian Funerals accompanies the dead in three stages: the vigil (wake), the funeral liturgy (usually a funeral Mass) and the rite of committal at the grave. Families often want simple prayers of their own at each stage.
12. A prayer at the wake
Lord God, we gather around N. with sorrow, but not without hope.
We thank you for N.’s life, for the love N. gave and received, and for the faith that marked N. at baptism.
Receive N. into your mercy, and console all of us who are gathered here. Amen.
13. A prayer at the graveside
Lord Jesus Christ, by your own three days in the tomb you made the grave a sign of hope.
We lay N. to rest here in the sure hope of the resurrection.
Watch over this place, and on the last day raise N. to the glory of your kingdom. Amen.
14. On the anniversary of a death
Lord, today we remember N., who died on this day.
The years have passed, but our love has not.
Grant N. eternal rest and the fullness of your joy, and keep us faithful until we meet again. Amen.
For a Mass on the anniversary, see the Prayers of the Faithful for a death anniversary.
How to pray the Rosary for the dead
15. The Rosary offered for the deceased
The Rosary is one of the most common prayers at Catholic wakes. To offer it for someone who has died:
- Begin as usual with the Sign of the Cross, the Creed, an Our Father, three Hail Marys and the Glory Be.
- Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries, or the Glorious Mysteries, which speak of the Resurrection and of heaven.
- After each decade, instead of (or after) the Glory Be, pray: “Eternal rest grant unto him (her), O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him (her). May he (she) rest in peace. Amen.”
- End with the Hail, Holy Queen and a closing prayer for the deceased, such as the Fidelium Deus above.
If you are new to the Rosary, the interactive Rosary walks you through every prayer.
Why Catholics pray for the dead
- Because the Church is one family. The communion of saints unites the living, the dead being purified and the saints in heaven (CCC 958).
- Because Scripture commends it. Judas Maccabeus offered sacrifice for fallen soldiers, “that they might be delivered from sin” (2 Maccabees 12:46).
- Because purification may still be needed. Those who die in God’s grace but imperfectly purified undergo a final purification, which the Church calls purgatory (CCC 1030–1031). Learn more on prayers for the souls in purgatory.
- Because love continues. Praying for the dead is the way Christians go on loving those they have lost.
The best things you can do for someone who has died
- Have a Mass offered for them. See Mass intentions for the dead.
- Pray for them by name every day, even briefly.
- Gain indulgences for them, especially from November 1 to 8 (All Souls Day).
- Give alms or do a work of mercy in their memory.
- Visit their grave, and teach your children to pray there.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Catholic prayer for the dead called?
The best-known is the Eternal Rest prayer, in Latin Requiem aeternam. The Mass offered for someone who has died is called a Requiem Mass or a Mass for the Dead.
What do Catholics say when someone dies?
Common expressions are “May he (she) rest in peace,” “Eternal rest grant unto him (her), O Lord,” and “I will pray for him (her).” Offering to have a Mass said is a traditional Catholic gesture of sympathy.
Can Catholics pray for non-Catholics who have died?
Yes. The Church entrusts all the dead to God’s mercy, and Catholics may pray for anyone who has died.
How long should I pray for someone after they die?
There is no limit. Many Catholics pray for their dead every day for the rest of their lives, and have Masses offered on anniversaries. If a soul no longer needs our prayers, God applies them to others.
Is it ever too late to pray for the dead?
No. God is outside time, and the Church has prayed for the dead of every age, including those who died long ago.
Related pages
- Prayers for deceased loved ones: for a mother, father, spouse or child
- All Souls Day and All Saints Day
- Prayers of the Faithful for a Catholic funeral
- How to write Prayers of the Faithful for a funeral
- Prayers of the Faithful for All Souls Day
- Mass intentions
More prayers
- Psalm 5 (In the morning you hear my voice)
- Dies Irae
- Gregorian Masses
- Novena for the dead
- Rosary for the dead
- Death anniversary prayer
- Catholic funeral prayers
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 958, 1030–1032, 1680, 1681–1683 and 1684–1690
- Order of Christian Funerals (vigil, funeral liturgy, rite of committal)
- Missale Romanum, collect Fidelium Deus omnium conditor et redemptor
- Numbers 6:24–26 and 2 Maccabees 12:38–46 (Douay-Rheims)