Funeral prayers

Although it is part of the natural cycle of every living being, death is usually a very hard blow, which unleashes feelings of great sadness, desolation and anguish. The finitude of life is proof that we are exposed to the rigors of destiny.

The time to bury the dead is also the time to give comfort to the living, relatives of those who leave this world in the physical sense, although not in the spiritual one. To mitigate pain and grief, man needs to remember and honor the person who leaves.

Almost all cultures and religions have followed guidelines that marked the way in which the deceased should be dismissed, even from very ancient times. Very old pre-Columbian civilizations such as Aztec, the inca wave Maya they have also left traces of their mortuary traditions.

In the big monotheistic religionsthere are traditional funeral prayers, which are said on the occasion of wakes, burials and visits to the cemetery. They pray for the entry of those who have departed to heaven and for the repose of their soul in Paradise, where God welcomes kind souls into eternal rest. Sometimes the funeral oration is pronounced by a religious official, other times the mourners themselves do it in conjunction with some religious authority.

Twelve funeral prayers are given below, as an example:

1. Lord, we entrust to you the soul of your servant … [here the name of the deceased is mentioned] and we beg you, Christ Jesus, Savior of the world, not to deny her entry into the lap of your patriarchs, since for her you mercifully descended from heaven to earth. Recognize her, Lord, as your creature; not created by strange gods, but by you, the only living and true God, because there is no other God besides you or anyone who produces your works. Fill her soul with joy, Lord, in your presence and do not remember her past sins or the excesses to which the impetus or ardor of lust led her. Because, although he has sinned, he never denied the Father, nor the Son, nor the Holy Spirit; rather, he believed, he was jealous of the honor of God, and he faithfully worshiped the God who made everything.
2. Oh good Jesus! The pain and suffering of others always touched your heart. Look with pity on the souls of my dear relatives in Purgatory. Hear my cry of compassion for them and make those whom you separated from our homes and hearts soon enjoy eternal rest in the home of your love in heaven.
3. O God, Creator and Redeemer of all the faithfulGrant to the souls of your servants the remission of all their sins, so that through the humble supplications of the Church, they may obtain the forgiveness they have always desired; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
4. Oh Jesus, only consolation in the eternal hours of pain, sole consolation support in the immense emptiness that death causes among loved ones! You, Lord, whom the heavens, the earth and the men saw crying in sad days; You, loving Father, also have compassion on our tears.
5. Oh God, that you commanded us to honor to our father and mother, be gracious and merciful to their souls; forgive them their sins and make one day I can see them in the joy of eternal light. Amen.
6. O God who grant forgiveness of sins and you want the salvation of men, we implore your clemency in favor of all our brothers, relatives and benefactors who left this world, so that, through the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary and all the Saints, you may make them participate in eternal bliss; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
7. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Brothers, let us ask God for forgiveness for our sins and for the faults of our deceased brother or sister… [here the name of the deceased is mentioned]. I confess before Almighty God and before you brothers that I have sinned much in thought, word, deed or omission. Because of me, because of me, because of my great fault, that is why I ask Holy Mary, always the Virgin, the Angels, the Saints and you brothers to intercede for me before God our Lord. Amen. [All present]. let's pray [Religious official or guide]. Lord Jesus Christ, You remained three days in the tomb, thus giving every grave a character of waiting in the hope of the resurrection. Grant your servant to rest in the peace of this sepulcher until you, resurrection and life of men, raise him up and lead him to contemplate the light of your face. You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen [All present].
8. I prostrate myself on this earth where the mortal remains of my dear parents rest, relatives, friends, and all my brothers in faith who have preceded me on the path of eternity. But what can I do for them? Oh divine Jesus, who, suffering and dying for our love, bought us eternal life with the price of your blood; I know that you live and listen to my prayers and that the grace of your redemption is very copious. Forgive, then, oh merciful God, the souls of these my beloved departed, free them from all sorrows and all tribulations, and welcome them into the bosom of your Goodness and in the joyful company of your Angels and Saints so that, free from all pain and all anguish, praise you, enjoy and reign with you in the Paradise of your glory for all the centuries and centuries. Amen.
9. Do, oh almighty GodMay the soul of your servant (or servant) who has passed from this century to the next, purified with these sacrifices and free from sins, obtain forgiveness and eternal rest. Amen. I put my hope in You, Lord, and I trust your word. From the depths I invoke you, Lord; listen to my voice, let your ears be attentive to the cry of my prayer.I put my hope. If you keep accounts of the faults, who will be able to subsist? But You forgive, Lord: I fear and hope.
10. Eternal Father, I offer you the Precious Blood of Your Divine Son, Jesus Christ, in union with all the Masses that are celebrated throughout the world on this day, for all the Blessed Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, for those in my house and in my family.
11. May the rise of the road find you. May the wind always blow behind your back. May the sun shine warm on your face. May the rain fall softly on your fields and until we meet again, may the Lord keep you in the palm of His hand (Irish funeral prayer).
12. Oh great NzambiWhat you have done is good, but you have brought us great sadness with death. You should have planned it so that we weren't subject to death. Oh Nzambi, we are afflicted with great sadness (Congo's funeral prayer).