All Souls' Day: Prayers for the Poor Souls

On All Souls' Day, Roman Catholics commemorate the faithful departed or those baptized Christians believed to be in purgatory. It is celebrated on November 2 unless this date falls on a Sunday. When this happens, All Souls' Day is celebrated on November 3.

In the early days of Christianity the names of the departed brethren were recorded on tablets. Later, in the sixth century,the Benedictine monasteries comemerated their deceased during Pentecost. In Spain there was such a day on Saturday before before Pentecost, at the time of St. Isidore (d. 636). In Germany there existed a ceremony of praying to the dead on 1 October. St. Odilo of Cluny (d. 1048) ordered the commemoration of all the faithful departed to he held annually in the monasteries of his congregation. From there, it spread among the other congregations of the Benedictines and among the Carthusians to various dioceses.

On this day, three requiem masses are celebrated: one for the celebrant, one for the departed, and one for the Holy Father.

Prayer for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

English

V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
R. And let the perpetual light shine upon them.

And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Latine

V. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine.
R. Et lux perpetua luceat eis.

Fidelium animae, per misericordiam Dei, requiescant in pace. Amen.

Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most precious blood of Thy
Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout
the world today for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

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