Holy Souls in Purgatory Novena · Day 1

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening prayer

Commend the faithful departed to Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially your relatives, benefactors, friends and enemies, and anyone for whom you are obliged to pray. Pray the distinct prayer for the day. The original novena directs an Our Father and Hail Mary before the concluding prayer.

Prayer for day 1

Jesus, my Saviour, I have so often deserved to be cast into hell. How great would be my suffering if I were now cast away and obliged to think that I myself had caused my damnation. I thank Thee for the patience with which Thou hast endured me. My God, I love Thee above all things and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee because Thou art infinite goodness. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of perseverance. Have pity on me and at the same time on those blessed souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

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

Traditional prayers

Our Father

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

Compendium of the Catechism · Common prayers

Closing prayer

O most sweet Jesus, through the bloody sweat which Thou didst suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane, have mercy on these Blessed Souls. Have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel scourging, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most painful crowning with thorns, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in carrying Thy cross to Calvary, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel Crucifixion, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most bitter agony on the Cross, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the immense pain which Thou didst suffer in breathing forth Thy Blessed Soul, have mercy on them. R. Have mercy on them, O Lord. (Recommend yourself to the Souls in Purgatory and mention your intentions.) Blessed Souls, we have prayed for thee; we entreat thee, who are so dear to God, and who are secure of never losing Him, to pray for us miserable sinners, who are in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever. Let us pray: O God, the author of mercy, the lover of the salvation of mankind; we address thy clemency, in behalf of our brethren, relations, and benefactors, who are departed this life, that by the intercession of blessed Mary, ever virgin, and of all the saints, thou wouldst receive them into the enjoyment of eternal happiness; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Source · Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, Novena for the Holy Souls in Purgatory: nine distinct daily prayers and the repeated Prayer to Our Suffering Savior. Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick (25 Oct 2024): https://dioceseofsaintjohn.org/news/alphonsus-liguori-novena-for-the-holy-souls-in-purgatory ; older edition: St Alphonsus, Visits to the Most Holy Sacrament... and a Novena for All Souls Day, New York, Catholic Publication Society (19th century) https://www.todayscatholicworld.com/most-holy-sacrament.pdf . Artwork Ludovico Carracci public domain: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carracci-Purgatory.jpg . The historical prayer for each day is preserved, with minor spacing and punctuation normalization.