Litany for the Dead
“It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins.”
2 Maccabees xii. 46.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Jesus, receive our prayers.
Lord Jesus, grant our petitions.
O God the Father, Creator of the world, Have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed. O God the Son, Redeemer of mankind, Deliver the souls of the faithful departed. O God the Holy Ghost, perfecter of the elect, Accomplish the bliss of the faithful departed. Blessed Virgin Mary, who, by the special privilege of grace, was triumphantly assumed into the kingdom of thy Son, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed. Blessed angels, who, ordering aright the first act of your will, were fixed forthwith in unchangeable happiness, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed. Blessed patriarchs, who were filled with joy when the Desired of Nations put an end to your captivity, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed. Blessed prophets, who after patiently awaiting the arrival of the Messiah, were at length consoled by a visit from him in person, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed.Blessed saints, who at the glorious resurrection of our Saviour, were translated from Limbo to the visible presence of God, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed. Blessed apostles, who at the last day shall sit to judge the twelve tribes of Israel, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed. Blessed disciples of our Lord, who followed his steps in the narrow paths to perfection, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed. Blessed martyrs, who passed through the sea of your own blood, entering immediately into the land of promise, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed. Blessed confessors, who despised the vanity of the earth, and placed your affections on the joys of heaven, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed. Blessed virgins, who, with your lighted lamps, awaited the coming of the heavenly spouse, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed. O holy saints, who, being freed from all irregular attachment to creatures, were perfectly fitted for an immediate union with your Creator, Pray for the souls of the faithful departed. Be merciful, O Lord, and pardon their sins.
Be merciful, O Lord, and hear their prayers.
From the shades of death, where the light of thy countenance shineth not, Deliver them, O Lord. From the evils to which immortification in this world must expose them in the other, Deliver them, O Lord. From thy displeasure, provoked by negligence and ingratitude, Deliver them, O Lord. From the pains of purgatory, so justly inflicted upon unexpiated sins, Deliver them, O Lord.From the torments of purgatory, incomparably greater than the bitterest anguish of this life, Deliver them, O Lord. By the multitude of thy mercies, ever compassionate to human frailties, Deliver them, O Lord. By the virtue of thy cross, whereon thou reconciledst the world to thy Father, Deliver them, O Lord. By thy victorious descent into hell, to break the chains of death, Deliver them, O Lord. By thy glorious resurrection from the tomb, to open the kingdom of heaven, Deliver them, O Lord. By thy triumphant ascension into heaven, to lead captivity captive, Deliver them, O Lord. By thy dread coming to judge the world, Deliver them, O Lord. We sinners, Beseech thee to hear us. That it please thee to hasten the day when thy faithful shall be delivered from the mansions of sorrow, We Beseech thee to hear us. That it please thee to shorten the time of their expiation, and to admit them speedily into thy heavenly sanctuary, We Beseech thee to hear us. That it please thee through the prayers and good works performed in thy church, to receive them into thy eternal tabernacles, We Beseech thee to hear us. That it please thee to accept, in atonement for their sins, the infinite value of thy unbloody sacrifice, We Beseech thee to hear us. That the blessed view of Jesus may comfort them, and his unfading glory shine upon them, We Beseech thee to hear us.That the whole triumphant church may soon celebrate their deliverance and the choir of angels sing new hymns of joy, on their neverending happiness, We Beseech thee to hear us. That we ourselves may share in their triumph, and unite with all the citizens of heaven in eternal alleluias, We Beseech thee to hear us. Son of God, We Beseech thee to hear us. Lamb of God, who shalt come with glory to judge the living and the dead, Give rest to the souls of the faithful departed.
Lamb of God, at whose presence the heavens and the earth shall be moved, Give rest to the souls of the faithful departed.
Lamb of God, in whose book of life the names of
thy elect are inscribed,
Give rest to the souls of the faithful departed.