The 9 Day Novena Prayers for the Poor Souls in Purgatory
The entire month of November, is dedicated to honoring the dearly departed. The month begins with All Saints Day, November 1st, followed by All Souls Day, November 2nd. On these days, Catholics recite prayers in private and at mass, that honor the dead, while seeking to help free souls from purgatory.
St. Gertrude The Great, through her meditations in prayer, was told by Jesus, that 1000 souls would be released from purgatory every time the Prayer of St. Gertrude is invoked. St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696–1787), is another saint that sought to help the souls of those trapped in purgatory. St. Alphonsus Liguori composed the Novena Prayers for the Poor Souls in Purgatory, specifically to help release the souls that are being tormented in purgatory.
1 The Novena Prayer for the Poor Souls in Purgatory
On each of the nine days of prayer during the novena, we meditate on the suffering that each and every soul must endure in purgatory. Every soul that remains tainted by venial sin at the time of death, will need to pass through purgatory in order to be cleansed of their sins, and be granted entry into heaven.
We recite the Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Souls in Purgatory, Hail Mary and Our Father, on each day of the novena, in conjunction with an additional prayer specific to the coinciding day.
Prayer to our Suffering Savior for the Souls in Purgatory
“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, O Lord.
O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel scourging, have mercy on them.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Have mercy on them, O Lord.”
(As you pray for the Souls in purgatory, state your intention(s) here, as you can request that they pray for you. Meditate on the favor you hope to obtain from God during this novena.)
Blessed Souls, I have prayed for thee; I entreat thee, who are so dear to God, and who are secure of never losing Him, to pray for me a miserable sinner, who is in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever.
Amen.
When Can the Novena be Invoked?
Being a novena (9 days of prayer), this prayer can be invoked at any time of the year. Ideally, it would be best to commence the novena on October 24th. This will allow the novena to coincide with the November 2nd All Souls Day feast.
How to Perform the Novena Prayer for the Poor Souls in Purgatory
Each day of the novena, does not coincide with any particular day of the week. This means that any prayers that happen to fall on the same day, are invoked independently of the novena.
