O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, look down upon the souls who are detained in Purgatory, who are filled with sorrow because they have departed this life in your displeasure. Grant them relief from their pains, release them from their sufferings and grant them eternal rest.
Remember O Lord those who have gone before us with the sign of faith and rest in their graves. Give them consolation and peace.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior of the world who has suffered for us sinners, hear our prayers for all those who have died in the communion of your Church; grant them indulgence and remission of all their sins through your infinite mercy, which you freely grant to all who ask it steadfastly. In this way may we be able to pray for each other through your intercession before the throne of God; so that we may come together with unclouded minds to celebrate the glory of your resurrection on Easter Sunday and praise you forever through all ages. Amen
Seven Day Prayer for Souls in Purgatory
Day One – Monday
On Monday, pray for the Holy Souls during your daily prayers. Pray for them when you are doing your daily chores, or when you are in the car.
Day Two – Tuesday
On Tuesday, we pray for the souls in purgatory.
Prayer is a spiritual practice that helps us grow closer to God and make progress on our journey to heaven. It helps us to better know and understand Him—and ourselves. The more we pray, the more receptive we become to His grace and strength. We can also ask our friends or family members who have died to pray with us as well!
For those of you who are suffering right now: Don’t give up hope! Remember that God never abandons anyone—He will never leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6). For those who are feeling completely alone in your struggles, remember Jesus’ words when He said “I am with you always.” You don’t have to do this alone—God has the ability and desire for all things good in your life (Romans 8:28).
Day Three – Wednesday
- Read the prayer
- Pray the prayer
- for the souls of the suffering,
- for your loved ones who have passed on before you.
Day Four – Thursday
On day four, we pray for those in purgatory who are being purified. We ask God to give them a holy fear of the justice of God, that they may be delivered from their faults and grow in faith. We also pray for our own death, asking that it be preceded by a great act of charity and followed by an increase in grace. Finally, we ask God to make us instruments of mercy for others (who have died) so that they may be delivered from their sins and saved.
Day Five – Friday
On Friday, we pray for the souls of our relatives and friends. We do so because they are dear to us, having been a part of our lives on earth. Since they have died in God’s grace and friendship, we ask Him to remember their souls in His mercy.
In addition to praying for your relatives and friends, you can choose whom else you would like to pray for at this time by considering other people who have helped you or supported you spiritually or emotionally throughout your life: benefactors (e.g., parents), mentors (e.g., teachers), counselors (e.g., Confessors) or anyone else who has been helpful in some way along your journey through life thus far.
Day Six – Saturday
Please pray for the souls of the faithful who have died in the past week and all those who have gone before us, that they may be counted among the blessed.
Pray especially for those who are in purgatory.
Day Seven – Sunday
The Seventh Day of prayer is for the souls of the faithful departed, who are in Purgatory. They are those who were baptized and have died in the grace of God. This includes your own family members and friends, as well as others you may know, like community members or even strangers. Pray especially for them on this day by saying these words: “Holy Mother Church prays for all who have fallen asleep before us in the hope of rising with them on the last day.”
You can also pray specifically for a particular person—a family member or friend—by saying these words: “Holy Mother Church prays for (name), whom we hold dear in our hearts, that he might rest in peace until his resurrection into eternal life.” You can also add other names to your list if you would like to include more people when you’re praying today!
Finally, if there’s anyone that you feel has been unjustly neglected by society at large (such as those incarcerated), then this is another occasion where it would be appropriate to pray specifically about them by saying these words: “Holy Mother Church prays for those suffering from grave injustice.”about:blankEmbed URLPaste a link to the content you want to display on your site.EmbedLearn more about embeds(opens in a new tab)Sorry, this content could not be embedded.Try again Convert to link
The prayers you say each day make a difference.
As you pray each day, you are helping the souls in purgatory. Your prayers are a comfort to them and they often hear your prayers. They need your help! As the Church teaches us, “The souls in Purgatory cannot do without our prayers for them, because their happiness will be incomplete if we do not intercede for them” (CCC 1030).
Your daily prayers also make a difference to those who are still alive on earth:
- You can save a soul from hell by praying for that person’s salvation.
- You can have an influence on someone’s life while they are here on earth, but it may take time before they actually convert or change their ways. Your prayer is like water seeping into hard ground; eventually it will grow into something beautiful!
- Your daily recitation of these devotions will help build up your own spiritual life so that you become more holy yourself—and everyone around you benefits from this holiness as well!