Eternal Rest (Prayer for the Dead)
The Church's short prayer for the souls of the faithful departed.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
About this prayer
The words come from the Church's ancient funeral liturgy and echo 4 Esdras 2:34-35. Praying for the dead is "a holy and pious thought" (2 Maccabees 12:45). November is traditionally devoted to praying for the souls in purgatory.