Prayers for Deceased Loved Ones: Catholic Prayers

When someone we love dies, prayer is the way our love can still reach them. The Church has always prayed for the dead, trusting that God’s mercy can complete the work of purification in those who died in his friendship (Catechism 1030–1032). Praying for them is also a comfort to us: it turns grief into an act of love and hope in the resurrection.

Below are traditional Catholic prayers for a deceased mother or father, husband or wife, child, relatives and friends, prayers for the day of death and the anniversary, and prayers for those who mourn. Insert your loved one’s name where you see “N.”

A prayer for a loved one who has died

This prayer from the old Roman Missal and prayer books asks that the soul of the one we love be received “into the region of light and peace.” Use it for a man; the next prayer is the form for a woman.

Hear, we beseech thee, O Lord, our prayers, which we humbly address to thy mercy, that the soul of thy servant N., which thou hast called out of this world, may be received into the region of light and peace, and be numbered amongst the blessed: through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

For a woman:

We beseech thee, O Lord, according to thy great goodness, to show mercy to the soul of thy servant N., that, being now delivered from the corruptions of this mortal life, she may be received into the inheritance of eternal bliss: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Then add the short prayer every Catholic knows:

Eternal rest grant unto him (her), O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
May he (she) rest in peace. Amen.
May his (her) soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Learn its history on the Eternal Rest prayer page.

A prayer for a deceased mother or father

The Church’s traditional prayer for deceased parents recalls the commandment to honor our father and mother, and asks that we may see them again in heaven.

O God, who hast commanded us to honour our father and mother, have mercy on the souls of my father and mother; and grant that I may see them in the glory of eternity, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

A personal prayer for a mother, written for this page:

Lord Jesus, from the cross you entrusted your mother to the beloved disciple.
I entrust to you my mother, N., who gave me life and taught me to love.
Forgive her sins, reward her sacrifices,
and bring her into your presence, where every tear is wiped away.
Let me one day thank her face to face in your kingdom. Amen.

And for a father:

God our Father, from whom every fatherhood takes its name,
I commend to you my father, N.
Thank you for his work, his care and his example.
Have mercy on him, receive him into your home,
and keep me faithful until we meet again in the joy of heaven. Amen.

More prayers: prayer for a deceased mother, prayer for a deceased father and prayers for deceased parents.

A prayer for a deceased husband or wife

Written for this page, for a husband or wife:

Lord, you joined N. and me in marriage,
and now death has parted us for a while.
Thank you for the years we shared, for every kindness and every sacrifice.
Forgive what was lacking in our love, and take N. to yourself.
Give me strength for the days ahead,
and the hope of meeting again in your peace. Amen.

More prayers for a deceased husband or wife.

A prayer for a child who has died

No sorrow is heavier than the death of a child. This prayer was written for this page:

Lord Jesus, you welcomed the little children and blessed them.
Receive our child, N., into your arms.
We do not understand why our time together was so short,
but we trust in your love, which is greater than ours.
Hold N. close until we are together again,
and comfort us in our grief. Amen.

For a baby who died before baptism, the Church “can only entrust them to the mercy of God,” whose love desires that all be saved (Catechism 1261). Parents may pray this same prayer with confidence. See also the prayers for the loss of a son or daughter.

A prayer for relatives and friends

For grandparents, brothers and sisters, other relatives, friends and benefactors who have died:

O God, the giver of pardon, and lover of the salvation of mankind, we beseech thy clemency in behalf of our brethren, relations, and benefactors, who have departed this life; that the blessed Mary ever Virgin and all thy saints interceding for them, they may come to the fellowship of eternal happiness: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

On the day of death or of the funeral

O God, whose property is always to have mercy and to spare, we humbly beseech thee for the soul of thy servant N. which thou hast this day called out of the world, that thou wouldst not deliver it up into the hands of the enemy, nor forget it unto the end; but command it to be received by thy holy angels, and to be carried to Paradise, its true country; that as in thee it had faith and hope, it may not suffer the pains of hell, but may take possession of everlasting joys: through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

A shorter prayer for someone who has just died:

Absolve, we beseech thee, O Lord, the soul of thy servant N. that, being dead to the world, he may live to thee: and whatever he hath committed in this life through human frailty, do thou of thy most merciful goodness forgive: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the order of prayers at the bedside, see prayers for the dying, and for the funeral Mass, prayers of the faithful for a funeral.

On the anniversary of death

On the anniversary, many families have a Mass offered and visit the grave. This is the traditional prayer for the day:

O Lord, the God of mercy and pardon, grant to the soul of thy servant N. whose anniversary we commemorate, the seat of refreshment, the happiness of rest, and the brightness of light: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

See how to request a Mass for the dead and send a Mass card.

For a deceased priest

O God, who amongst thy apostolic priests hast raised up thy servant N. to the dignity of a Bishop (or a priest) grant we beseech thee, that he may also be admitted in heaven to their everlasting fellowship: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For all the faithful departed

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, give to the souls of thy servants departed the remission of all their sins; that, through pious supplications, they may obtain the pardon which they have always desired: who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Prayers of comfort for those who grieve

Christian grief is real grief, but it is not without hope. These passages of Scripture are often read at Catholic funerals:

But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and the torment of death shall not touch them.
In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure was taken for misery:
And their going away from us, for utter destruction: but they are in peace.

Jesus said to her: I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, although he be dead, shall live:
And every one that liveth, and believeth in me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this?

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes: and death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former things are passed away.

A prayer for those who mourn, written for this page:

Lord Jesus, you wept at the tomb of your friend Lazarus.
You know the emptiness I feel and the questions I carry.
Stay with me in my sorrow, give me rest when I cannot sleep,
and surround me with people who will help me.
Teach me to hope in your resurrection,
and to believe that love is stronger than death. Amen.

Other ways to help your loved ones who have died

Have a Mass offered for them. The Church considers the Mass the greatest prayer for the dead. See Mass intentions for the dead.
Pray the Rosary for them, or a single decade each day. See the prayers of the Rosary.
Gain an indulgence for them. From November 1 to 8, a plenary indulgence for the souls in purgatory may be gained by visiting a cemetery and praying for the dead, under the usual conditions; on All Souls’ Day, by visiting a church and praying the Our Father and the Creed.
Give alms or do a good work in their name. Scripture praises Judas Maccabeus for his offering for the dead:

It is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.

Visit the grave and keep their memory alive in the family, especially in November, the month of the Holy Souls.

Frequently asked questions

Why do Catholics pray for the dead?

Because death does not break the communion of the Church. Those who die in God’s friendship but are still imperfectly purified are helped by our prayers, especially the Mass (Catechism 1030–1032). The practice goes back to the Old Testament (2 Maccabees 12:46) and the earliest Christian inscriptions.

Can I pray for someone who was not Catholic?

Yes. You may pray for anyone who has died and entrust them to God’s mercy. Only God knows the heart.

Can my loved ones in heaven pray for me?

The Church believes in the communion of saints: those who are with God can intercede for us (Catechism 958). It is natural to ask a holy parent or grandparent to pray for you. What the Church forbids is trying to contact the dead through mediums or séances (Catechism 2116).

How long should I pray for someone who has died?

There is no time limit. Many families pray daily for a loved one for the rest of their lives, especially on the anniversary and in November. If the person is already in heaven, God applies the prayer to others.

What can I say instead of “rest in peace”?

Catholic alternatives include “May he rest in the peace of Christ,” “Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord,” “May the angels lead him into paradise,” or simply “I am praying for her soul.”

More prayers for the dead

Texts and sources

Prayers for a man, a woman, parents, relatives, the day of death, one lately deceased, the anniversary, a priest and all the faithful departed: Patrick F. Moran, The Catholic Prayer Book and Manual of Meditations (1883), “Prayers for the Dead,” public domain (Wikisource); capitals normalized and the abbreviated endings (“through our Lord, &c.”) completed.
Scripture: Wisdom 3:1–3; John 11:25–26; Apocalypse 21:4; 2 Machabees 12:46, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
The prayers for a mother, a father, a spouse, a child and for those who grieve were written for this page.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 958, 1030–1032, 1261 and 2116.
Indulgences for the dead: Enchiridion Indulgentiarum (1999), grant 29.