Most Powerful Holy Souls Prayer By St. Alphonsus Ligori
The month of November is dedicated to the most Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Church has always commemorated all her faithful children who have departed from this life, but who have not yet attained the joys of Heaven. St. Paul warns that we must not be ignorant concerning the dead, nor sorrowful, saying: “For the Lord Himself shall come down from heaven … and the dead who are in Christ shall rise.”
Thus, the Church has always taught that the Church militant — you and I — must pray for those who have passed from this brief life into the next of eternity. Even in Old Testament times, prayers and alms were offered for the souls of the dead by those who thought “well and religiously concerning the resurrection.” It was believed that “they who had fallen asleep with godliness had great grace laid up for them” and that “it is therefore a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” We know well that a defiled soul cannot enter into Heaven.
Because it is our duty as faithful Catholics to pray for the dead, let us pray this most powerful prayer for the holy souls by Saint Alphonsus Ligori. It’s an incredibly powerful traditional Litany called the “Litany of the Dead.” Remember that as you pray for the souls of the faithful departed, so those souls shall one day pray for you when you are most in need.
Litany of the Dead
Let us begin in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost …
Lord have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord 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, wast 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, *
Blessed Patriarchs, who were filled with joy when the Desired of Nations put an end to your captivity, *
Blessed Prophets, who, after patiently awaiting the arrival of the Messias, were at length consoled by a visit from Him in person, *
Blessed Saints, who, at the glorious Resurrection of Our Savior, were translated from Limbo to the visible Presence of God, *
Blessed Apostles, who at the last day shall sit to judge the twelve tribes of Israel, *
Blessed Disciples of Our Lord, who followed His steps in the paths of perfection, *
Blessed martyrs, who passed through the sea of your own blood, entering immediately into the Land of Promise, *
Blessed Confessors, who despised the vanity of the earth, and placed your affections on the joys of Heaven, *
Blessed virgins, who, with your lighted lamps, awaited the coming of the heavenly Spouse, *
O Holy Saints, who, being freed from all irregular attachment to creatures, were perfectly fitted for immediate union with your Creator, *
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, **
From Thy displeasure, provoked by negligence and ingratitude, **
From the pains of purgatory, so justly inflicted upon unexpected sins, **
From the torments incomparably greater than the bitterest anguish of this life, **
By the multitude of Thy mercies, ever compassionate to human frailties, **
By the virtue of Thy Cross, whereon Thou reconciledst the world to Thy Father, **
By Thy victorious descent into hell, to break the chains of death, **
By Thy glorious Resurrection from the tomb, to open the Kingdom of Heaven, **
By Thy triumphant Ascension into Heaven, to lead captivity captive, **
By Thy dread coming to judge the world, **
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, ***
That it please Thee, through the prayers and good works performed in Thy Church, to receive them into Thy eternal tabernacles, ***
That it please Thee to accept, in atonement for their sins, the infinite value of Thy unbloody Sacrifice, ***
That the blessed view of Jesus may comfort them, and His unfading glory shine upon them, ***
That the whole Church Triumphant may soon celebrate their deliverance; and the choirs of angels sing new hymns of Joy, on their never-ending happiness, ***
That we ourselves may share in their triumph, and unite with all the citizens of Heaven in eternal alleluias, ***
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.
Antiphon: Deliver us, O Lord, from eternal death, in that tremendous day when the heavens and the earth shall be moved, whilst Thou shalt come to judge the world by fire. We tremble and are sore afraid at the discussion which shall take place, and at Thy future wrath, when the heavens shall be moved, and the earth, when Thou shalt come to judge the world by fire. That day is a day of wrath, of calamity, of misery: a great and most bitter day: when Thou shalt come to judge the world by fire.
V: Give them, O Lord, eternal rest:
R: And let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.
Let us pray.
Grant to Thy servants departed, O Lord, we beseech Thee, Thy mercy that they who prayed that Thy will be done, may not receive punishments for their misdeeds but that, even as here below the true faith united them to the ranks of the faithful, so in Heaven by Thy mercy they may have fellowship with the choirs of angels. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
God bless you!
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