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Japanese The best-known prayer for someone who has died is the Catholic “Eternal rest”: “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.” Catholic, Orthodox and some Anglican Christians pray for the dead. Many Protestants do not, and give thanks instead for the life they knew.
If you, or someone you are praying for, is thinking about ending their life, call or text 988 in the US, or call Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland. There are also more Christian and crisis lines.
Eternal rest and other Catholic prayers for the dead
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace. Amen.
Traditional. English text as printed among the common prayers in the appendix of the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2005). In Latin: “Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.”
For one person, say “him” or “her” in place of “them.” The Baltimore Catechism of 1885 prints the same prayer under the heading “For the Faithful Departed,” in the older wording “Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord.” Its evening prayers end with a second short prayer for the dead:
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
From A Catechism of Christian Doctrine, No. 1 (Baltimore Catechism), 1885.
Catholic teaching links these prayers to purgatory, which the Catechism of the Catholic Church describes as a purification after death for those who “die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (paragraph 1030). It goes on: “From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God” (paragraph 1032).
An Orthodox prayer for the departed
The Orthodox Church says this prayer at funerals and at memorial services. The English below is Isabel Hapgood’s translation of 1906; the name of the person who has died goes in place of “N.”
O God of spirits, and of all flesh, who hast trampled down Death, and overthrown the Devil, and given life unto thy world: Do thou, the same Lord, give rest to the soul of thy departed servant, N., in a place of brightness, a place of verdure, a place of repose, whence all sickness, sorrow and sighing have fled away. Pardon every transgression which he (she) hath committed, whether by word, or deed, or thought. For thou art a good God, and lovest mankind; because there is no man who liveth and sinneth not: for thou only art without sin, and thy righteousness is to all eternity, and thy word is true.
From the Order for the Burial of the Dead (Laymen), in Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic (Greco-Russian) Church, translated by Isabel Florence Hapgood (1906), page 370.
The services end with the words “Memory eternal!”, sung three times. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America says that memorial services are held “approximately forty days after the death of a person and after one year,” and that some families also hold them “annually on the anniversary of the repose in the faith of their loved one.”
Prayers from the Book of Common Prayer
The 1928 Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church in the United States includes prayers for the departed in its burial service. Two are short enough to say at a grave or on an anniversary. Change “him” to “her” as needed.
Remember thy servant, O Lord, according to the favour which thou bearest unto thy people, and grant that, increasing in knowledge and love of thee, he may go from strength to strength, in the life of perfect service, in thy heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered; Accept our prayers on behalf of the soul of thy servant departed, and grant him an entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of thy saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The same service has a prayer of thanksgiving for all who have died in faith:
Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of those who depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity; We give thee hearty thanks for the good examples of all those thy servants, who, having finished their course in faith, do now rest from their labours. And we beseech thee, that we, with all those who are departed in the true faith of thy holy Name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
All three from “The Order for the Burial of the Dead,” The Book of Common Prayer (1928).
Do all Christians pray for the dead?
No, though the practice is old. Early in the third century the North African writer Tertullian described a Christian widow who “prays for his soul, and requests refreshment for him meanwhile, and fellowship (with him) in the first resurrection; and she offers (her sacrifice) on the anniversaries of his falling asleep” (On Monogamy, chapter 10). Catholic and Orthodox Christians have kept the practice ever since.
The Protestant churches of the Reformation divided over it. The Lutheran Apology of the Augsburg Confession (1531) says of the early Christian writers: “we know that the ancients speak of prayer for the dead, which we do not prohibit.” What they rejected was applying the Lord’s Supper on behalf of the dead. The Presbyterian Westminster Larger Catechism (1648) is firmer. Christians are to pray “for all sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter; but not for the dead” (question 183).
The Scripture passages are part of the disagreement. The Catechism of the Catholic Church cites 2 Maccabees 12:46: “Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.” Protestant churches do not count 2 Maccabees as Scripture. The Westminster Confession says the books “commonly called Apocrypha” are “no part of the canon of the Scripture” (chapter 1, section 3). Some readers also see a prayer for the dead in Paul’s words about his friend Onesiphorus: “The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day” (2 Timothy 1:18). The letter does not say whether Onesiphorus had died.
Both sides hold to the hope Paul gave the church at Thessalonica: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” (1 Thessalonians 4:13–14).
Prayers of thanks and remembrance
These prayers ask nothing for the person who has died, so Christians of any church can use them. Put the person’s name where [Name] appears.
When you hear that they have died
Lord, [Name] has died, and I cannot take it in yet. You knew [Name] before anyone else did, and you know [Name] now. Thank you for every year we had. Hold what I cannot hold tonight. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. (Romans 14:8)
Thanksgiving for their life
Father, thank you for [Name]: for the work of those hands, for the things only [Name] would say, for every kindness we were shown. All the good in that life came from you. Let none of it be wasted in the people who are left.
At the grave
Lord Jesus, you were buried too, and you rose. We leave [Name]’s body here in that hope. I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. (John 11:25)
On the anniversary or their birthday
God, the date has come round again. Some years it passes quietly and some years it knocks me flat. Thank you for [Name], and keep the memory clear and true in this family. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
Prayers commending them to God
These prayers ask God’s mercy for the person who has died, in the way Catholic, Orthodox and some Anglican Christians pray.
For someone you loved
Merciful God, I give [Name] back to you. Forgive what [Name] did wrong, the sins that were regretted and the ones never noticed. Give [Name] rest and light, and bring [Name] with all your saints to the resurrection.
When things were left unfinished between you
Lord, we never settled it. There are words I did not say and words I wish I had heard. I cannot reach [Name] now, but you can. Have mercy on [Name], and on me, and take the anger and the guilt I am still carrying.
When you do not know where they stood with God
Jesus, I do not know what passed between [Name] and you at the end. The criminal crucified beside you asked only, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Remember [Name]. I leave [Name] with you, and your mercy is greater than mine.
Prayer for Their Eternal Peace and Rest
When we lose someone we love, our deepest hope is that they are finally at peace. This prayer is an appeal to God, asking Him to welcome our loved one into His eternal, peaceful kingdom, free from all earthly pain.
Heavenly Father, we come before you with heavy hearts, grieving the loss of our beloved [Name or Relationship, e.g., my dear friend]. We thank you for the life they lived and the love they shared. Lord, we entrust them completely into Your loving care.
We pray that You would welcome them into Your arms, into the place You have prepared for them. We ask that all their earthly struggles, pain, and worries would be washed away in the light of Your presence. As Your word in Matthew 11:28 promises, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Please grant them this divine rest.
Let them experience the fullness of Your endless peace, a peace that surpasses all understanding. May they be surrounded by Your glory and light, dwelling in Your house forever. Comfort our hearts with the assurance that they are safe and at peace with You, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
This act of surrendering our loved one to God is an expression of ultimate trust. It is a comforting thought to know they are no longer in pain but are experiencing the perfect peace that only God can provide.
Prayer for Comfort for Those Left Behind
The pain of grief can feel overwhelming for those who remain. This prayer asks for God’s comforting presence to surround the family and friends of the departed, giving them strength and hope in their time of deep sorrow.
O Lord, the God of all comfort, we are heartbroken. The space left by our loved one feels vast and empty, and our sorrow is deep. We ask that you draw near to us in our pain and wrap us in Your loving arms.
Your Word in Psalm 34:18 tells us, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” We are brokenhearted, Lord, and we need Your closeness now more than ever. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us, bringing a peace that calms our anxious thoughts and soothes our aching souls.
Be our rock when we feel weak and our light in this darkness. Help us to find comfort in each other and to lean on You for the strength to face each new day. Mend our broken pieces and fill the emptiness with Your unfailing love, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
In our darkest hours, we are not alone. This prayer is a reminder that God promises to be with us, especially in our grief. He is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in times of trouble.
Prayer for Cherished Memories to Bring Joy
Memories of our loved one can bring both tears of loss and smiles of love. This prayer asks God to help us focus on the beautiful, joyful memories, allowing them to become a source of comfort and warmth, not just sorrow.
Gracious God, we thank You for the precious gift of memory. We hold so many cherished moments with our loved one in our hearts, but right now, even the happy memories can hurt. We ask You to heal our perspective, Lord.
Help us to remember the laughter more than the loss. Let the memories of their kindness, their smile, and their love wash over us like a gentle wave of peace. Turn our tears of sorrow into tears of gratitude for the time we were given with them. As Psalm 30:5 says, “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”
We pray that these beautiful memories will not be a source of pain, but a treasure that brings us comfort and inspires us to live with the same love they showed us. Thank you for the gift of their life and the joy they brought to ours, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Honoring someone we’ve lost means carrying their light forward. By focusing on the joyful memories, we celebrate the beautiful mark they left on our lives, a gift that death can never take away from us.
Prayer of Gratitude for Their Life and Love
Even in the midst of grief, we can find a space for gratitude. This prayer shifts our focus from what we lost to what we were given: the priceless gift of our loved one’s life, love, and unique presence.
Lord of all Creation, thank You. In the middle of our sadness, we want to pause and thank you for the incredible gift of our loved one. Thank You for every year, every day, every moment we were blessed to share with them.
We are grateful for their unique spirit, for the lessons they taught us, and for the unconditional love they gave. Their presence in our lives was a direct reflection of Your goodness to us. We hold onto the truth from 1 Thessalonians 5:18, to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Even in this circumstance of loss, we thank You for the time we had. Help our gratitude to grow stronger than our grief. Let the thankfulness in our hearts be a testament to the beautiful life they lived and the profound impact they had on us, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Cultivating a heart of gratitude helps to heal our sorrow. By thanking God for their life, we affirm that their existence was a blessing that will forever be a part of who we are.
Prayer for the Hope of Reunion in Heaven
For Christians, death is not the end of the story. This prayer is centered on the powerful hope and promise of an eternal reunion with our loved ones in heaven, through the salvation offered by Jesus Christ.
Hopeful Father, our hearts ache with missing our loved one, but we do not grieve without hope. We cling to the promise that You have conquered death and prepared an eternal home for those who believe in You.
We find our strength in Your Word. Jesus said in John 14:2-3, “My Father’s house has many rooms… I am going there to prepare a place for you… I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” We hold onto this promise with all our might.
Fix our eyes on this blessed hope—the day when we will see You face to face, and we will be reunited with those who have gone before us in faith. Let this future promise bring us comfort and strength for today. Thank you for this incredible hope that anchors our souls, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
This eternal hope does not remove the pain of our present loss, but it gives it a purpose and a limit. We can endure the “goodbye” of now because we trust in the “hello” of eternity.
Prayer for Forgiveness and Healing of Past Hurts
Sometimes, with death, come regrets or unresolved issues. This prayer is for releasing any past hurts, forgiving ourselves and our loved one, and asking God to bring healing to any broken places in our relationships and memories.
Merciful God, You see the hidden corners of our hearts. You know the “what ifs” and the regrets that can surface when we lose someone. Lord, we lay any unresolved hurts or unspoken words at Your feet right now.
We choose to release any pain from the past. We ask for Your help to forgive our loved one for any way they may have hurt us, and we ask for grace to forgive ourselves for our own shortcomings. As Colossians 3:13 instructs us, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
We pray that You would cover all our memories with Your grace, washing away the pain and leaving only the love. Heal these wounds, Lord, so we can remember them with a heart that is whole, peaceful, and free, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
True peace in remembrance comes from a place of forgiveness. By releasing past hurts, we honor our loved one’s memory in the purest way and allow our own hearts to fully heal in God’s grace.
Prayer for Strength During Times of Deep Grief
Grief can exhaust us—mentally, emotionally, and physically. This prayer is a simple request for God’s supernatural strength to carry us through the moments, hours, and days when we feel we have no strength of our own.
Almighty God, our strength is gone. The weight of this grief is heavy, and we feel like we cannot carry it. We are tired, weary, and feel completely overwhelmed. We come to you, our source of all strength, and ask for Your help.
Please, Lord, be our strength when we have none. Carry us when our legs feel too weak to stand. We lean on your promise in Isaiah 40:29, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” We are weary and weak, Lord, so we claim this promise for ourselves right now.
Infuse us with Your power to get through this day. Help us to breathe. Help us to take the next step. Sustain us with Your mighty hand and remind us that even in our weakest moments, You are strong within us, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Admitting our weakness is the first step to receiving God’s strength. This prayer acknowledges our human limitations and invites God’s limitless power to sustain us through the most difficult journey of grief.
Prayer to Surrender Them to God’s Loving Care
Letting go is one of the hardest parts of grief. This prayer is an act of faith, a conscious choice to release our grip and surrender our loved one completely into the safe, perfect, and loving hands of God.
Loving Father, it is so hard to let go. Our hearts want to hold on tight to our loved one, but we know we must release them to You. In an act of faith and trust, we surrender them into Your eternal, loving care.
You loved them even more than we did. You knew them before they were born, and You have now called them home. We trust Your timing, Your wisdom, and Your plan, even when we do not understand it. We find peace in Psalm 139:16, which says, “all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
You are their loving Father, and they are now completely and perfectly in Your presence. We release our worry, our questions, and our desire for control, and we place our trust fully in Your goodness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
This prayer of surrender is not about giving up, but about giving them over to the One who is a more perfect keeper of their soul than we could ever be. It brings peace to our hearts.
Prayer for God’s Light to Guide Them Home
The journey from this life to the next can feel like a mystery. This prayer uses the powerful imagery of light to ask God to guide our loved one’s soul home and to shine His light into our own darkness.
Lord, You are Light, and in You there is no darkness at all. We pray that Your brilliant and glorious light guided our loved one on their final journey from this world into Your eternal presence.
Please banish any fear or confusion and let them be led by the pure, warm light of Your love straight into heaven. We also ask that this same light would shine into our own hearts. The darkness of grief feels so heavy, and we need Your light to show us the way forward. As it says in Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Light our path through this sorrow, Lord. Remind us that because of Jesus, the Light of the World, the darkness of death has been defeated. Bathe our loved one in your eternal light and fill our hearts with its hope, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Light represents hope, safety, and God’s presence. Praying for light for our loved one and for ourselves is a powerful way to combat the darkness of grief and to affirm our faith in God’s victory over death.
Prayer to Honor Their Legacy of Faith and Kindness
Every life leaves a legacy. This prayer is about recognizing the positive impact our loved one had on the world and asking for God’s help to honor and continue their legacy of faith, kindness, and love.
Lord God, we thank you for the beautiful legacy our loved one has left behind. We saw your character reflected in their acts of kindness, their words of encouragement, and their steady faith. Their life was a testament to Your goodness.
Now, we pray for the strength and wisdom to carry that legacy forward. Help us to love others as they loved us. Inspire us to be more generous, more patient, and more faithful because of the example they set. Let their life inspire us to fulfill the words of Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
May the good seeds they planted in our lives continue to grow and bear fruit, bringing You glory. Help us to make our lives a tribute to theirs, honoring their memory by living out the values they cherished, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A legacy of love never truly dies. By choosing to live out the virtues we admired in our loved one, we ensure that their positive influence continues to ripple through the world, becoming a living memorial.
Prayer for Healing a Broken Heart
The loss of a loved one literally feels like a broken heart. This prayer is a direct plea to Jesus, the Great Physician, to come and gently mend the deep wounds of our grief and make us whole again.
Lord Jesus, the Great Physician, my heart is broken. The pain of this loss is a physical ache, a wound that feels too deep to ever heal. I come to you just as I am, with all my shattered pieces.
I ask you to do what only you can do: heal my broken heart. Gently tend to my wounds with your grace and mercy. Pour your healing love into every crack and empty space. Your Word promises in Psalm 147:3 that “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” I claim that promise for myself right now.
I know this healing will take time, so please give me patience. When the waves of grief wash over me, be my anchor. Slowly and gently, Lord, put the pieces of my heart back together, making it stronger and more compassionate than before, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Healing from great loss is a process, not an event. This prayer is an invitation for God to begin that divine work in us, trusting that He is able to restore even the most broken of hearts.
Prayer of Trust in God’s Perfect Plan
In the face of death, it’s natural to question why. This prayer is an affirmation of trust in God’s sovereignty, choosing to believe in His perfect, loving plan, even when it is painful and we cannot understand it.
Sovereign Lord, we confess that we do not understand Your ways. This loss is painful, and it makes no sense to us. Our hearts are full of questions, but today, we choose to trust you instead of our own understanding.
We hold onto the truth of Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Lord, our hearts are broken but we lay them at your feet and choose to trust you with all of them.
We trust that you are good. We trust that you are loving. We trust that our loved one is safely home with you, and that you are working all things together for good for those who love you. Help our unbelief and increase our faith to trust Your perfect plan, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Trusting God doesn’t mean we won’t have questions or pain. It means we have a safe place to take our questions and pain, believing that a wise and loving God holds our lives in His hands.
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