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.

The Novena Prayer for the Poor Souls in Purgatory

Everyone sins, and even if we’re not committing mortal sins, we still need to seek absolution and repent for our own wrong doings. For more information on how to repent and be absolved of sins, please see our article on Confessions.

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.

First Day

Meditation/Reflection – Contemplate on how each soul in purgatory, must endure their current state of torment. Without their suffering, these poor souls can not be cleansed of their sins in life.

Prayer:

“O Jesus, my Savior, 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.”

Followed by:

• 1 x Our Father
• 1 x Hail Mary
• 1 x Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Second Day

Meditation/Reflection – Every soul in purgatory, is tormented by how they have lost the chance to confess their sins before they died. They are pained with the knowledge that if they had repented for their sins. They would have been absolved of the very sins that have landed them in purgatory, and would have been granted entry into heaven.

Prayer:

“Woe to me, unhappy being, so many years have I already spent on earth and have earned naught but hell! I give Thee thanks, O Lord, for granting me time even now to atone for my sins. My good God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. Send me Thy assistance, that I may apply the time yet remaining to me for Thy love and service; have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.”

Followed by:

• 1 x Our Father
• 1 x Hail Mary
• 1 x Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Third Day

Meditation/Reflection – Contemplate  on one of the greatest torments suffered by those in purgatory. Each soul has to endure the hideous visions of their guilt, reliving each moment of their sinful act. In purgatory each sin feels like a burning flame within our very soul.

Prayer:

“My God! because Thou art infinite goodness, I love Thee above all things, and repent with my whole heart of my offenses against Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. And thou, Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.”

Followed by:

• 1 x Our Father
• 1 x Hail Mary
• 1 x Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Fourth Day

Meditation/Reflection – The grief of having offended and betrayed God and Jesus, is so over whelming that it tears at the very soul. In purgatory, this truth can not be ignored, as each soul sees firsthand, the anguish that their sins have put God through.

Prayer:

“My God! because Thou art infinite goodness, I am sorry with my whole heart for having offended Thee. I promise to die rather than ever offend Thee more. Give me holy perseverance; have pity on me, and have pity on those holy souls that burn in the cleansing fire and love Thee with all their hearts. O Mary, Mother of God, assist them by thy powerful prayers.”

Followed by:

• 1 x Our Father
• 1 x Hail Mary
• 1 x Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Five Day

Meditation/Reflection – As we invoke the novena it becomes clear that without our assistance, the souls of purgatory could languish in torment even longer. Knowing that release will come one day keeps them hopeful, but not knowing when only adds to their torment.

Prayer:

“Woe to me, unhappy being, if Thou, O Lord, hadst cast me into hell; for from that dungeon of eternal pain there is no deliverance. I love Thee above all things, O infinite God and I am sincerely sorry for having offended Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.”

Followed by:

• 1 x Our Father
• 1 x Hail Mary
• 1 x Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Six Day

Meditation/Reflection – Our prayers for the salvation and release of those in purgatory, now brings them even more pain. They now struggle greatly with guilt. Guilt born of their ingratitude for the love and passion bestowed upon them, by Jesus Christ during their life. Guilt, that his love for them still prevails, even in purgatory. While they are grateful that we pray for them. They feel unworthy of the love and compassion we’ve shown them through our prayers. As they endure for their own sins. They are now racked with the guilt of needing our help to set them free.

Prayer:

“My Divine Redeemer, Thou didst die for me on the Cross, and hast so often united Thyself with me in Holy Communion, and I have repaid Thee only with ingratitude. Now, however, I love Thee above all things, O supreme God; and I am more grieved at my offences against Thee than at any other evil. I will rather die than offend Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession.”

Followed by:

• 1 x Our Father
• 1 x Hail Mary
• 1 x Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Seventh Day

Meditation/Reflection – Slowly and painfully, the moments of their purgatorial confinement begin to pass. As they are nearing the end of their torment. Their desire to be delivered from their suffering, makes way for their need to praise God forever, and to love him even more deeply.

Prayer:

“God, Father of Mercy, satisfy this their ardent desire! Send them Thy holy Angel to announce to them that Thou, their Father, are now reconciled with them through the suffering and death of Jesus, and that the moment of their deliverance has arrived.”

Followed by:

• 1 x Our Father
• 1 x Hail Mary
• 1 x Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Eighth Day

Meditation/Reflection – Souls that have been cleansed of sin by the flames of purgatory, are well aware that their sins could have condemned them to an eternity of suffering. Only through the divine grace and loving mercy of God, have they been pardoned, and spared from the Hell that they deserved.

Prayer:

“Oh my God! I also am one of these ungrateful beings, having received so much grace, and yet despised Thy love and deserved to be cast by Thee into hell. But Thy infinite goodness has spared me until now. Therefore, I now love Thee above all things, and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I will rather die than ever offend Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in Purgatory. Mary, Mother of God, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession.”

Followed by:

• 1 x Our Father
• 1 x Hail Mary
• 1 x Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Ninth Day

Meditation/Reflection – Neither the pain and torment caused by fire, grief, darkness, nor the uncertainty of when their suffering would end. Could ever compare to they pain they felt, by being kept away from God’s loving embrace. Deprived of his divine brilliance, any soul that makes it free of purgatory is welcomed into heaven, where they need not suffer ever again.

Prayer:

“My God! How was it possible that I, for so many years, have borne tranquilly the separation from Thee and Thy holy grace! O infinite Goodness, how long-suffering hast Thou shown Thyself to me! Henceforth, I shall love Thee above all things. I am deeply sorry for having offended Thee; I promise rather to die than to again offend Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance, and do not permit that I should ever again fall into sin. Have compassion on the holy souls in Purgatory. I pray Thee, moderate their sufferings; shorten the time of their misery; call them soon unto Thee in heaven, that they may behold Thee face to face, and forever love Thee. Mary, Mother of Mercy, come to their aid with thy powerful intercession, and pray for us also who are still in danger of eternal damnation.”

Followed by:

• 1 x Our Father
• 1 x Hail Mary
• 1 x Prayer to Our Suffering Savior for the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Concluding With

At the end of the ninth day’s prayers, conclude with the following prayer:

Out of the Depths Prayer (De Profundis)

Out of the depths I cry to You,
O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication:
If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?
But with You is forgiveness, that You may be revered.
I trust in the Lord; my soul trusts in His word.
My soul waits for the Lord,
more than sentinels wait for the dawn.
More than sentinels wait for the dawn,
let Israel wait for the Lord;
For with the Lord is kindness
and with Him is plenteous redemption;
And He will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.