In the Catholic tradition, one of the most common and longstanding prayers offered for the souls in purgatory is the “Eternal Rest” prayer (also known as “Requiem Aeternam” in Latin). This simple yet profound invocation asks God to grant peace and light to the departed, and it’s often recited at funerals, during the month of November (dedicated to the Holy Souls), or as part of daily devotions. The prayer is:

“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.”

This can be extended to include: “May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”

Another widely revered prayer specifically for releasing souls from purgatory is the Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great, a 13th-century mystic. Tradition holds that Jesus promised her this prayer would free 1,000 souls from purgatory each time it is devoutly recited (though the Church does not officially endorse the numerical claim, it encourages the prayer for its focus on Christ’s Precious Blood):

“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, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.”

Catholics also often pray novenas or other invocations for the poor souls, such as this one drawing from the Passion of Christ: “My Jesus, by the sorrows Thou didst suffer in Thine agony in the Garden, in Thy scourging and crowning with thorns, on the way to Calvary, in Thy crucifixion and death, have mercy on the souls in purgatory, and especially on those that are most forsaken; do Thou deliver them from the terrible torments they endure; call them and admit them to Thy most sweet embrace in paradise.”

These prayers stem from the Church’s teaching on purgatory as a state of purification for those who die in God’s grace but still need cleansing from venial sins or temporal punishment. Offering Masses, indulgences, or acts of charity on their behalf is also encouraged, as the souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves but can intercede for us once freed.