Catholic Prayers for the Dying: Bedside Prayers for a Loved One

If someone you love is dying, you do not need perfect words. Your presence and your prayer are a gift to them. Hold their hand and pray slowly. This short prayer was written for this guide:

Lord Jesus, you know and love N.
Stay close to him (her) now.
Take away all fear, forgive all sin,
and give him (her) your peace.
Mary, Mother of God, pray for him (her) at this hour.
St. Joseph, patron of a happy death, be with him (her).
Into your hands, Lord, we commend his (her) spirit. Amen.

If your loved one is Catholic, call a priest now for Confession, the Anointing of the Sick and Holy Communion (Viaticum), if this has not yet been done. See our guide to the last rites. Below are the Church’s traditional prayers for the dying, short prayers anyone can say, and practical guidance for the last hours.

Short prayers to whisper at the bedside

Hearing is thought to be one of the last senses to fade, so speak gently, even if your loved one cannot answer. Repeat these short prayers slowly:

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.
Amen.

“Jesus, I trust in you.”
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you; save souls.”
“My Jesus, mercy.”
“Lord, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46).
The Hail Mary, which asks Mary to pray for us “now and at the hour of our death.”

Traditional prayers for the dying

These prayers come from the traditional “Prayers for the Dying” in Father William Gahan’s Complete Manual of Catholic Piety, a much-reprinted Irish prayer book. They are meant to be said by family and friends gathered around the bed. Say “him” or “her” as appropriate.

By the agony of Jesus in the garden:

Lord Jesus Christ, we beseech thee, by thy bitter agony and prayer in the garden, that thou wouldst be pleased to be an advocate with thy eternal Father, in behalf of this thy servant: lay before him (her) all those drops of blood which in thy anguish of spirit flowed from thy body, and offer them for the remission of all his (her) sins: that in this hour of extremity, he (she) may be discharged from that hand-writing of sin which stands against him (her), and from that punishment which he (she) fears to be too justly due to his (her) sins.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

By the victory of Christ over death:

By thy victory over death, and the infinite merits of thy passion, we beseech thee, on behalf of this thy servant, to have no other thoughts but of peace, of mercy and comfort, and not of affliction. Bear him (her) up against all distrust and despair; deliver him (her) from his (her) necessities, and be his (her) comforter in his (her) distress. Let those hands which were once nailed to the cross, now plead for him (her) and obtaining his (her) pardon, conduct him (her) into thy eternal rest. Amen.

A commendation:

Into thy hands we commend his (her) spirit, which has been created and redeemed by thee, despise not, we beseech thee, the work of thy hands.

The commendation of the dying (“Go forth, Christian soul”)

When death seems very near, the Church has for more than a thousand years prayed this ancient commendation, in Latin Proficiscere, anima christiana:

Go forth, O Christian soul, out of this miserable world, in the name of God the Father Almighty, who created thee; in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, who suffered for thee; in the name of the Holy Ghost, who sanctified thee; in the name of the angels, archangels, thrones, dominations, cherubim, and seraphim; in the name of the patriarchs and prophets, of the holy apostles, and evangelists, of the holy martyrs and confessors, of the holy monks and hermits, of the holy virgins, and of all the saints of God: let thy place be this day in peace, and thy abode in holy Sion: through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers to St. Joseph for the dying

Because St. Joseph is believed to have died with Jesus and Mary at his side, the Church calls him the patron of a happy death (CCC 1014). Pope Leo XIII approved these invocations:

Eternal Father, by Thy love for St. Joseph, whom Thou didst select from among all men to represent Thee upon earth, have mercy on us and on the dying.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

Eternal divine Son, by Thy love for St. Joseph, who was Thy faithful guardian upon earth, have mercy upon us and upon the dying.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

Eternal divine Spirit, by Thy love for St. Joseph, Who so carefully watched over Mary, Thy beloved spouse, have mercy on us and on the dying.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

See more in our St. Joseph prayer guide.

Other prayers you can pray together

The Rosary. Its gentle repetition can comfort both the dying person and the family. Pray even a single decade. See today’s Rosary mysteries.
The Divine Mercy Chaplet. Many Catholics pray it at the bedside of the dying. See the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
The Act of Contrition. Help your loved one make an act of sorrow, even silently. See the Act of Contrition.
Psalm 23 (22 in Douay-Rheims). “For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me.”
The Memorare. A prayer of confidence in Mary’s help. See the Memorare.

Prayers for the family keeping vigil

Written for this guide:

Lord, give us strength to stay here with love.
Help us to say what needs to be said,
to forgive and to be forgiven,
and to let N. go when you call him (her) home.
Hold our family together in our grief. Amen.

Father, it is hard to watch someone we love suffer.
Ease N.’s pain, calm his (her) breathing,
and let him (her) feel our love and yours. Amen.

Practical guidance for the last hours

Call the priest early. It is far better to receive the sacraments while awake and able to respond.
Ask about the Apostolic Pardon. A priest can give this blessing with a plenary indulgence at the hour of death. If no priest is available, the Church grants the same indulgence to a dying person who habitually prayed during life (see last rites).
Place a crucifix where they can see it, and a rosary in their hands if they wish.
Speak words of love and permission. “We love you. We will be all right. You can go to God.”
Keep the room peaceful. Soft light, quiet voices, perhaps gentle hymns.
It is all right to step away. Some people die when their family has left the room for a moment. That is not a failure of love.

After death

When your loved one has died, gather around and pray the Eternal Rest prayer:

Eternal rest grant unto him (her), O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him (her).
May he (she) rest in peace. Amen.

Then let the parish know, and begin planning the funeral. Our guides to Catholic prayers for the dead, Mass intentions for the dead and the Prayers of the Faithful for a funeral may help in the days ahead.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Catholic prayer for the dying called?

The Church’s prayers at the hour of death are called the Commendation of the Dying. The best known is “Go forth, Christian soul” (Proficiscere, anima christiana).

Can a lay person pray the prayers for the dying?

Yes. Family members and friends can pray all the prayers on this page. Only the sacraments, Confession and the Anointing of the Sick, require a priest.

What if my loved one is not Catholic?

Pray for them with love. You can pray the Our Father, Psalm 23 and the short prayers above with anyone. God desires the salvation of all.

Is it too late to call a priest if the person is unconscious?

No. A priest can still anoint and absolve a person who is unconscious, if they would have wanted it. Call right away.

Related guides

Texts and sources

Traditional prayers for the dying and the commendation: William Gahan, O.S.A., The Complete Manual of Catholic Piety, “Prayers to be recited by the Assistants” and “The Recommendation of a Soul Departing,” public domain (Project Gutenberg); the opening of the commendation modernized from “Depart then.”
Invocations to St. Joseph and the ejaculations: F. X. Lasance, With God (1911), public domain.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1014.
Psalm 22:4 (23:4); Luke 23:46, Douay-Rheims Bible.