This is a prayer to be said each day of the 40 days of Lent. The prayer is particularly effective if you are praying for a particular person, or if you have a particular need which you would like God to grant. You can use any other prayers as well, but this one is particularly helpful if you do not know how to pray, or if you feel that it is too late for your prayers to be heard.
The novena is usually prayed before meals, but it can also be said at any time during the day (e.g., when waiting in line).If you’re looking for a way to pray for the dead, look no further: We have a 40-day novena prayer that you can use. It’s a Catholic tradition, and it’s simple. You just say this prayer nine times each day for 40 days in a row. The 40-day period is symbolic of Christ’s time in the desert, but it’s also meant to give those who are suffering time to reflect on their lives and make peace with God.
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40 Days Novena Prayer For The Dead Pdf
When a loved one passes away, it is a time of great sorrow and mourning for those left behind. It is a time when we turn to our faith for comfort and solace, knowing that our departed loved one is now in the loving arms of our Lord. One powerful way to honor and remember the deceased is through the 40 Days Novena Prayer for the Dead.
Prayer 1:
Dear Lord, we lift up to you the soul of our departed loved one. We pray that you grant them eternal rest and peace in your kingdom. May they bask in your eternal love and glory forever. Amen.
Prayer 2:
Heavenly Father, we entrust the soul of our departed loved one into your loving hands. May they find comfort and solace in your presence for all eternity. Grant them the grace to be with you in paradise. Amen.
Prayer 3:
Lord Jesus, we pray for the soul of our departed loved one. May they find eternal rest and happiness in your heavenly kingdom. Let them feel your love and mercy surrounding them always. Amen.
Prayer 4:
Almighty God, we pray for the soul of our departed loved one. Grant them the peace and joy of your eternal kingdom. May they find rest and comfort in your presence forever. Amen.
Prayer 5:
Dear Lord, we ask for your mercy and forgiveness for our departed loved one. May they find eternal rest and peace in your presence. Let them feel your comforting embrace for all eternity. Amen.
Prayer 6:
Heavenly Father, we pray for the soul of our departed loved one. Grant them eternal rest and happiness in your kingdom. May they experience the fullness of your love and grace forever. Amen.
Prayer 7:
Lord Jesus, we lift up the soul of our departed loved one to you. Grant them eternal peace and joy in your heavenly kingdom. May they find solace and comfort in your presence for all eternity. Amen.
Prayer 8:
Almighty God, we entrust the soul of our departed loved one into your care. May they find eternal rest and happiness in your loving embrace. Grant them the grace to be with you in paradise forever. Amen.
Prayer 9:
Dear Lord, we ask for your mercy and compassion for our departed loved one. May they find eternal peace and joy in your presence. Let them feel your love and comfort surrounding them always. Amen.
As we pray for the souls of the departed, let us remember the words of Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” May our prayers bring comfort and peace to the souls of the departed and may they find eternal rest in the arms of our Lord.
Download The Prayer Pdf Here
40 Days Liturgy for the Dead
The 40 Days Novena prayer is a powerful and time-honored way of praying for the souls of those who have died. It can be said in any language, but it’s most common to say the prayer in English. The novena is a nine-day prayer; you’ll say it for nine consecutive days at the end of each day. The first day, you will pray for your loved one’s eternal rest. Then on each subsequent day, you will pray for their peace and happiness in heaven until it’s time to move on with your life again.
Forty days of mourning for the dead are mentioned in the Bible. They are deeply rooted in Eastern Orthodox practices and traditions.
Forty days of mourning for the dead are mentioned in the Bible. They are deeply rooted in Eastern Orthodox practices and traditions. The forty days’ novena prayer for the dead is a traditional prayer said by Catholics to commemorate a person who has died and is believed to help them enter heaven. The faithful recite this novena prayer on each day for nine weeks following a death, either publicly or privately (the latter being most common). It can be recited at any time during these forty days, although many Catholics choose Sunday evenings as their preferred time because it’s less disruptive at home than weekday evenings would be.
The idea behind this tradition stems from early Christian beliefs that Christ spent 40 days fasting just before his resurrection. As such, you can see why people might feel they should try and emulate this example by eating lightly or fasting themselves while praying for their loved ones who have passed away recently–especially if they’ve been sick or injured prior to dying–in order to help them ascend into heaven more quickly when they reach their own end-of-life transition point.
Traditionally, forty-day memorial services are held at the end of a forty-day period from the day of death, but it is not unusual for such services to be held on the Sunday following forty days from the day of death.
Traditionally, forty-day memorial services are held at the end of a forty-day period from the day of death, but it is not unusual for such services to be held on the Sunday following forty days from the day of death.
A novena is a Catholic prayer service that consists of nine consecutive days of prayer. The novena may be prayed in honor or thanksgiving for an answered prayer, as consolation in mourning or suffering and as an act of reparation (asking God to pardon our sins and grant us His grace). This particular version was written by St. Alphonsus Liguori with special intentions for those who have passed away.
How Do You Pray The 9 Day Novena For The Dead
The nine-day novena for the dead is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a series of prayers recited over a period of nine days in honor of someone who has passed away. Here, we’ll break down the steps that go into this novena:
1. Select the prayer(s) you wish to use
When praying any novena, it is important to do with intention. You need to have a clear intention in mind when you are praying.
If you’re praying a preparation novena, for example, you might be intending to express your joy. If you’re praying a mourning novena, you are outwardly expressing sorrow and grief. Pick prayers that will help you to clearly state your intention.
2. Schedule some time for prayer every day
Praying a novena is a commitment. Will anything terrible happen if you can’t finish? No. But when people start praying a novena, it’s because it’s important for their spiritual health. Adhering to a schedule will help make sure you can complete this task. It is also best to try and pray the novena at the same time every day.
Putting it on a schedule will prevent you from scheduling anything else during your prayer time. It will also give you the time and space you need to give your prayer your full attention. Some people like to pray the novena at 9 a.m. because the number nine feels significant in context, but pick the time that will consistently work best for you.
Remember though: even if you miss a day, all is not lost. You can simply complete your novena a day behind schedule, or you can say your novena twice one day to get caught back up.
3. Decide who you’re directing your novena to
When people pray a novena, there are different entities they can pray to. God, Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the saints are all options.
St. Joseph is the patron saint of departing souls, and as such would be an appropriate saint to pray to in regards to a deceased loved one. St. Gertrude wrote prayers for souls trapped in purgatory: she would also be a great saint to pray to. If there is an upcoming Feast day associated with a saint, you could tie your novena to tie into that.
Once again, there’s a great deal of personal connection and influence in your decision.
4. Speak your prayer out loud or in your mind
There is a form of prayer in the Catholic church called vocal prayer. It is not, as you might guess, a prayer that is said out loud. It is instead the act of reciting a prepared prayer either out loud or within your own mind.
You can recite the prayer from memory, or write it down ahead of time so you don’t forget it. You can even read it from a book. The important thing is knowing the words you’re going to use, and saying them with intention.
5. Recite your daily novena
Sometimes when people pray the novena, they use a different prayer for each day. Other people like to repeat the same prayer each day for nine days.
There is no real right or wrong way to do it. Once again, it comes down to a manner of personal preference.
History of 40 Days After Death
If you’re not from a tradition that practices the 40th-day memorial after death, you might wonder where it came from. The answer lies in the Bible. In the Bible, the number 40 is of great significance. The Flood lasts 40 days and 40 nights. Moses was on Mt. Sinai for 40 days. Jesus fasted for 40 days after his Baptism. and so on.
Those from Eastern Orthodox traditions use this framework for their own memorials. In Russian funerals, this 40 number also relates to pagan traditions. The 40 days is an opportunity for judgment before God.
It’s believed in Eastern Orthodox religions that the soul completes many obstacles known as the aerial toll houses. The soul passes through the aerial realm, which is home to evil spirits. These spirits attempt to drag the soul into hell, and the soul needs to find the strength to stay with God. This is a judgment of the soul’s sins. At the end of the 40 days, the soul finds its place in the afterlife.
Modern Traditions and Practices in Each Religion
Like most funeral practices, no two cultures have the same beliefs. Let’s take a closer look at modern traditions and practices for each religion.
Roman Catholic
The Roman Catholic doctrine rejects the 40th-day belief, despite this belief being so widespread in other sects of Catholicism. According to Roman Catholic beliefs, judgment occurs at the time of death. The soul will either travel directly to Heaven, Purgatory, or Hell. There are no toll houses or evil spirits.
In Roman Catholic tradition, the soul does not wander the Earth for any period of time. That being said, Catholicism mixed with local cultures and customs around the world to create the 40th-day tradition that is still in practice today.
Filipino Catholicism
In Filipino Catholicism, the 9th and 40th days are significant after the death of a loved one. For 9 days after the death, the family recites prayers. In Filipino tradition, the name for this is “pasiyam” which means “that which is done for 9 days.”
Where did these beliefs come from, especially considering how many Catholics don’t believe in the 40th-day tradition? Because the Spanish colonized the Philippines, there was a lot of mixing of beliefs and traditions. Today, most Filipino families follow Catholic funeral traditions.
According to ancient beliefs, the deceased’s soul stays on Earth for up to 9 days after the death. During this time, the family gathers for prayers and a celebratory meal in honor of the deceased. On the 40th day, a rosary is said. This is a way to protect the soul of the departed as they finalize their place in the afterlife. All of these traditions are a way to help with mourning the loss of a loved one and you’ll see them displayed at some Filipino funerals.
Russian-Orthodox
The Russian-Orthodox tradition has strict beliefs around the days following a death. It is important for memorial prayers to be said on the 1st, 3rd, 9th, and 40th days after the death of a loved one. It’s also tradition to host a memorial on every anniversary of the family member’s death. Why are these numbers significant for Russians in particular?
- 1st day – After the death of a loved one, the family says special prayers to ensure their loved one’s soul has safe travels from the body. The soul spends the first three days traveling to places of significance, such as relative’s homes.
- 3rd day – On the 3rd day after death, the soul passes through the toll-houses.
- 9th day – The soul completed the toll-house journey. Now, it wanders between both Heaven and Hell. It doesn’t know where it belongs just yet.
- 40th day – On the 40th day, the soul finds its final place in Heaven or Hell.
In the Russian funeral tradition, families gather on these days to say prayers and enjoy a meal. Families enjoy a delicacy known as kolyva. This is a dish made of fruit and wheat. It’s often decorated with sweets and other local favorites.
Because many Russian traditions have their basis in folk traditions, other unique practices go along with the 40th day tradition. First, candles are placed in the koylva, then blessed before meals. Next, the family leaves a towel and a cup of water by the window. This is because the deceased’s soul visits the home during the 40 days, and this gives them a space to rest. At the end of the mourning period, the family shakes the towel into the cemetery to release the soul from the home.
Finally, the family places bread and a glass of water in front of religious icons to help ancestors remember the deceased. The family replenishes this bread and water over the full 40 days. After this period of mourning is over, the family no longer visits the loved one’s grave. Though these traditions might sound unusual, they’re a way of bringing the family peace and comfort in a time of need.
Greek-Orthodox
Greek-Orthodox memorial services are similar to other Orthodox sects. The mourning process is strict in this tradition. The family will avoid social gatherings for at least 40 days after the passing of a loved one. During this time, the family wears all black. Close male relatives don’t shave for 40 days.
Throughout the mourning period, friends and family will bring flowers to the grave. The gravesite is cleaned and kept in perfect condition. Again, this is a way to show respect as the soul transitions to the afterlife.
There is a memorial service hosted close to the 40th day after death. This will be hosted on a Sunday, likely during mass. Many families in the Greek-Orthodox traditional also hold a “Trisagion Service.” This is a brief service performed by a priest specifically for a person who died. The family goes with the priest to perform this ceremony at the gravesite.
Many modern Greek-Orthodox individuals believe the soul lingers on Earth until the 40th day. Others simply believe it’s important to pay respects to the dead on these historic days. Either way, this tradition is a way to bring families and congregations together.
Islam
Believe it or not, Catholicism isn’t the only religion that practices the 40 day mourning period after death. In Islam, it’s traditional to have a 40 day long mourning period as well. This period could be shorter or longer, depending on the relationship to the deceased. For example, widows observe a longer mourning period of up to four months and ten days
Like in Catholic traditions, the Islamic funeral focuses on the separation of the soul from the body. Again, the soul is tested after death. There are some differing beliefs in how the soul is treated after death, but most believe there is some form of judgment. The righteous achieve peace and comfort in the afterlife while sinners face punishment. Life is merely a test in preparation for God.
In Islam, the soul is not believed to stick around in the Earthly realm. Judgment or trials are immediate after death. However, families typically mourn the death for up to 40 days. They do a number of things to reflect on their belief in God. Common practices are:
- Reading from the Qur’an
- Private meditation
- Reciting prayers
- Joining together with family and friends
- Quiet reflections of grief
Like other traditions, Muslims use this time of mourning to reflect on life and grow closer with those they love.
Paying Respects for 40 Days
It’s interesting to compare the post-funeral traditions across the globe. There are striking similarities in how people from a variety of cultures pay respects to those they love. Mourning is a time to come together, reflect, and focus on the importance of life. In many traditions, the 40 days after the death of a loved one are vital. The souls of loved ones are currently undergoing the biggest transition from Earthly life to the afterlife.
Families and friends use their customs and practices to aid the deceased during this transition. While these practices above all help the soul of the deceased, they also help the family find its own peace. Finding peace in the passing of loved ones is a part of life.