Prayers for the Departed
I offer a song for those who have fallen asleep in faith
Through the prayers of our holy fathers, O Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us.
Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.
O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, who art everywhere present and fillest all things with Thy grace, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: come and abide in us, and cleanse us from every stain, and save our souls, O Good One. *
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, deliver us and release us from our sins; O Master, pardon our iniquities; O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities, for Thy name’s sake.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (Twelve times)
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
O come, let us worship God our King. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and God. O come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
He that dwells in the help of the Highest, shall sojourn under the shelter of the God of heaven. He shall say to the Lord, Thou art my helper and my refuge: my God; I will hope in him. For he shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunters, from every troublesome matter. He shall overshadow thee with his shoulders, and thou shalt trust under his wings: his truth shall cover thee with a shield. Thou shalt not be afraid of terror by night; nor of the arrow flying by day; nor of the evil thing that walks in darkness; nor of calamity, and the evil spirit at noon-day. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou observe and see the reward of sinners. For thou, O Lord, art my hope: thou, my soul, hast made the Most High thy refuge. No evils shall come upon thee, and no scourge shall draw nigh to thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge concerning thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up on their hands, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread on the asp and basilisk: and thou shalt trample on the lion and dragon. For he has hoped in me, and I will deliver him: I will protect him, because he has known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will hearken to him: I am with him in affliction; and I will deliver him, and glorify him. I will satisfy him with length of days, and shew him my salvation.
O Thou who by the depth of Thy wisdom orderest all things in love for mankind, and grantest unto all that which is profitable, O only Creator of all: give rest to the souls of Thy servants (names), for they have placed their hope in Thee, the Creator of all and God who loveth mankind.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Remember, O Lord, as Thou art good, Thy servants (names) in mercy, and forgive whatever they have sinned in this world; for none is without sin save Thee alone, who canst give rest to the departed.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Thou art our wall and haven, and an intercessor well received before Him whom thou didst bear, O Theotokos unwedded, the salvation of the faithful.
With the saints give rest, O Christ, to the souls of Thy departed servants, where there is no pain, no sorrow, no grief, no sighing, but joy and life everlasting.
Thou alone art immortal, O Almighty, who didst create and fashion men; and we men were fashioned from the earth, and unto earth and dust shall we return, as my Creator said and commanded me: Earth thou art, and unto earth shalt thou return; whither all we mortals go, making our funeral lament, and crying in song this divine hymn: Alleluia.
For our sake Thou didst endure crucifixion and death, and didst despoil the power of hell, and didst raise with Thee the men who had died before; so now also give rest to those who have departed from us, as God who lovest mankind; and at Thy fearful and dread coming, O Giver of life, be merciful to Thy faithful peoples according to Thy great mercy, and make them worthy of Thy kingdom.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
What delight of this world remaineth without sorrow? What glory standeth on earth unchanged? All things are feebler than a shadow, all more deceptive than dreams: one moment, and death taketh all these away. But in the light of Thy countenance, O Christ, and in the delight of Thy beauty, give rest to those whom Thou hast chosen, as Thou art the Lover of mankind.
Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Give rest, O our Saviour, with the righteous, to Thy servants (names), and make them dwell in Thy courts, as it is written; overlook, as Thou art good, their transgressions, voluntary and involuntary, and all committed in knowledge and in ignorance, O Lover of mankind.
Open the doors of our prayers and grant us Thy mercy, and remember, O Lord, the souls whom Thou hast taken to Thyself.
Thou art Light in the Spirit, O Christ, and art glorified by the saints: accept worthily this our prayer today; for Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, O God who lovest mankind and art most merciful: remember the souls of the departed (names) and give them rest in the dwellings of the righteous.
Give rest to the souls of Thy servants (name) with Thy righteous and elect, O Christ God; glory to Thee.
Through the transgression of the commandment death gained dominion over Adam, but by Thy Resurrection Thou didst raise him from his fall. We entreat Thee, O Saviour: grant to the souls of the departed (names) rest in Thy kingdom, and forgive whatever they have sinned against Thee, as Thou alone art good and the Lover of mankind.
At Thy dread coming, when Thou renderest to each according to his deeds, then be gracious to the souls of Thy servants and give them rest.
In a place of light and among the choir of the righteous give rest, O Saviour, to those who have departed to Thee and trusted in Thee, O Lover of mankind. Accept the supplication for the fathers and children whose memory we keep, and justify them as the Most Merciful.
Remember, O Lord, the souls of the departed in Thine eternal delight, and give them rest.
Though by the transgression of the commandment of the tree death came upon the race of men, yet by the power of the Cross life shone forth for the faithful. For Thou art King of the living and the dead, O Christ God: grant to Thy servants (names) life eternal and give them rest.
Give rest, O Saviour, to the souls of Thy servants, and inscribe them in the book of the living.
As Thou alone art merciful, O Good One, establish those who have departed to Thee in faith in the heavenly inheritance, where there is ineffable delight and the holy choir of martyrs rejoiceth.
Establish Thy departed servants in the land of the living, O Saviour, and make them worthy to praise Thee with thanksgiving, O Son of God.
Thou alone didst become man without sin, and Thou alone in mercy didst take away the sins of the world; wherefore we ask: give rest, O Good One, to the departed with the saints in the delight of Paradise.
Make us, unworthy servants, worthy to enter and dwell in Thy kingdom, and remember, O Lord, the souls whom Thou hast taken.
With the radiance of Thy light, O Lord, make radiant those who have departed to Thee from the storms of this world, and establish them with Thy martyrs, to sing to Thee, O Christ, unto the ages.
Thee, who by the angels didst send the souls of the departed into the delight of Paradise, God and Lord, we magnify in song.
Thou didst truly appear as the second Adam, the Creator of Adam, and Thou alone didst abolish the curse of men; now also, O Good One, grant to the souls of the departed the delight of Paradise.
Thou who hast authority over the living and the dead, give rest to the souls of those who have fallen asleep in faith.
By death Thou didst slay death, when Thou, the only One, becamest alone free among the dead; and now, O Master, deliver Thy servants from the death of sin and make them dwellers in the kingdom of heaven.
Behold, behold the Lord our God, the Son of God, the Saviour of the world and the resurrection of the departed.
As Thou didst grant Paradise to the believing thief, O Saviour, so make the souls of Thy faithful worthy of rest with the firstborn, and grant them remission of their faults.
O only Good One, establish the souls of Thy servants with Thine elect, and give them rest, as Thou art the Lover of mankind, O Lord.
O Christ, who camest as our Deliverer, in mercy make the souls of the departed to dwell with Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham, for they had their hope in Thee.
Set in the light, O Saviour, the souls of Thy servants, as Thou alone art good, the almighty eternal King.
Thou didst become the mediator and messenger of Thy peace, O Master, and didst loose our long enmity against Thee; and now in mercy give rest to Thy servants.
O Christ the Saviour, give rest to the souls of the departed (names) in the Paradise of delight with Thy saints.
With the dew of Thy mercies, O Christ, wash away every stain from Thy servants who have departed to Thee, O Good One, and number them with the divine hosts of heaven, that they may bless Thee.
Remember, O Lord, the souls of the departed and make them dwell in the kingdom with Thy saints.
Make the departed worthy of the delight of Thy goodness and radiance, O Christ God; strip away the last ugliness of sin and cleanse them from sins, as the Lord who loveth mankind; for Thou alone wast shown forth a stranger to sin.
O Good One, grant rest to the souls whom Thou hast taken by Thy command, as Thou art merciful.
We entreat Thee, O Christ, make the souls of the departed worthy of Thy sweet communion, and in Thy mercy make them dwell in the abode of the righteous, the heavenly dwelling in the mansions of the saints; forget their transgressions and grant them rest, O Saviour.
O mighty and immortal Lord, set in the everlasting light those who have fallen asleep in faith (names).
O God, Lover of mankind and merciful, be merciful to the work of Thy hands, and give rest in the heavenly mansions to those who have departed to Thee in faith, and make them partakers of the glory of the martyrs.
O Lord, disregard not the work of Thy hands, but give rest to the souls of the departed, as Thou art merciful.
From the river of delight Thou givest drink to Thine elect for ever, O Lord: now also establish these departed (names) with them, and nourish them by the waters of forgiveness, O Christ.
Those who have departed to the land of the living make worthy of rest, O Lord.
Thou rulest over the living and the dead, O Master, and raisest from the earth those who sleep: now also make the departed dwell in Thy courts and give them rest.
Thou who didst rise from the tomb on the third day and trample down death, give rest, O Lord, to the souls of the departed.
We entreat Thee, O Word: those whom Thou hast taken from us number with the choir of Thine elect, and show them partakers of the most exalted life.
Thou who art the life of mortals, give rest, O Lord, to the souls of the departed (names).
Thou didst put on our corruption, O Good One, and didst adorn it with Thine incorruption, and didst lift it up to the immortal and thrice-blessed delight; make worthy to dwell there those whom Thou hast taken.
Righteous and holy is the Lord, who rose from the dead and saved man.
As a flower withereth and as a dream passeth away, so is every man dissolved; and again, when the trumpet soundeth, as at an earthquake all the dead shall rise to meet Thee, O Christ God: then, O Master, establish the souls of those whom Thou hast taken from us in the dwelling of Thy saints, O Good One.
O Lord, who with the true hope of resurrection hast given delight to the departed, now also make Thy servants who have gone forth from this world dwellers in life eternal.
O Thou who as God rulest over all the living and the dead, Giver of life with authority, accept the supplication of Thy servants; show Thy mercy, O Lover of mankind, and grant remission to the souls who have departed to Thee in hope, for the sake of Thy tender compassion, as Thou art good.
Give rest, O Lord, in the Paradise of delight to Thy servants (name), and grant them forgiveness of sins, as Thou art the Lover of mankind.
O Christ the Saviour, who by Thy death didst deliver men from death, make the souls of Thy faithful servants dwell in the divine dwelling of the saints, whence all pain hath fled away.
O Lord, Thou didst break the sting of death; and now by our supplication grant life to the souls of the departed (names).
With the blood of Thy side, O Almighty, Thou didst purchase the world; now also, by the power of Thy passion, save the souls of Thy faithful, O Thou who becamest the ransom of all.
O Lord, where is the dwelling of all Thy rejoicing saints, there make worthy of delight the faithful who have fallen asleep from the ages, and remember not their sins.
Thou who art King of all didst save men for their sake by Thy crucifixion; therefore we entreat Thee, O Merciful One: grant rest to the departed and bestow on them remission of sins.
Thy servants who trusted in Thy Cross have departed to Thee, O Lover of mankind: in Thy mercy save their souls.
In places of rest, as Thou art merciful, in the bosom of Thy chosen Abraham, make the departed worthy of delight, that they may cry to Thee, O only One: for there is none holy but Thee, our God.
O Lord, grant forgiveness of sins to the departed (names), give them rest, and show them cleansed by Thy grace.
Thou didst become the Saviour and Deliverer of men by Thy holy passion, O Lord; therefore those whom Thou hast chosen from among us make to dwell in eternal delights, and pour upon them the radiance of the Godhead.
O Lord, who knowest the weakness of our nature, O Good One, establish the souls whom Thou hast taken where the divine, unsetting light of Thy countenance shineth.
There is none among men wholly without sin, there is none, save Thee alone, the immortal King; therefore set Thy servants in the light, O Good One, with the assembly of the angels, in Thy mercy, and grant them remission of sins.
Thou who by Thy death didst break the gates and strong bars of death, O Deliverer, open the gates of life and immortality to the souls of the departed (names).
With the dew of Thy mercies, O Christ, wash away every stain from Thy servants who have departed to Thee, O Good One, and number them with the divine hosts of heaven, that they may bless Thee.
Being reckoned among the dead with the lawless, Thou didst bestow immortal life on mortals: now also grant rest to Thy servants who have gone forth from this world.
From the unquenchable fire and the outer darkness, from the gnashing of teeth and the venomous, bitter worm, and from all the other manifold torments, deliver, O Deliverer, the souls of the faithful.
When Thou judgest all who stand naked before Thy face, then, O Most Merciful, have mercy on those who served Thee in faith (names), and give them rest.
O Judge of things unseen and hidden, when Thou revealest the works of darkness and the counsels of hearts, then, O Almighty, search not out my deeds, neither require word and answer of the faithful who have departed to Thee in faith, but grant them forgiveness of their faults.
O Lord, accept the memorial of the departed and grant them rest, who await Thy divine Second Coming.
O Thou who art by nature sweet and most merciful, set in Thy divine light those whom Thou hast taken from this vain world and from the shadows of death, and grant them forgiveness of sins.
Thee, who hast given rest in the light with Thy saints to those who have fallen asleep in faith, Christ God and Saviour, we magnify in song.
Great and exceeding is Thy mercy, a measureless abyss, a sea of Thy love for mankind: grant forgiveness of sins to the departed, and by Thy grace, O Christ, show them cleansed.
Thee, O King of heaven and of glory, who hast numbered the souls of the departed (names) with Thine elect, God and Lord, we magnify in song.
It is truly meet that we should magnify thee, O Theotokos, who art ever-blessed and all-immaculate and the Mother of our God. Thee, more honourable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without corruption gavest birth to God the Word, the only Theotokos, we magnify in song.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)
O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, through the prayers of Thy most pure Mother, of our venerable and God-bearing fathers and of all the saints, have mercy on us. Amen.
Stichera for the souls — the commemoration of the departed. Selected from the Saturday service for the departed in the Parakletike and from the most ancient Iadgari (a liturgical and hymnographic collection of the 7th–9th centuries).
The text was selected and prepared for publication by Tinatin Mchedlishvili
