A Widower’s Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, Almighty, with a pained and contrite heart I entreat Thee: give rest to the soul of Thy departed handmaid (name) in Thy heavenly kingdom.
O Master Almighty, Thou didst bless the marriage of man and woman when Thou saidst: “It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make him an help meet for him”; by Thee this our union too was blessed, after the likeness of the spiritual union of Christ and the Church.
I believe, O Lord, and confess that, as Thou didst bless my marriage union with Thy handmaid (name), so by Thine all-wise and good providence Thou hast willed to part me from that handmaid, who by Thy will was the helper and companion of my life. I bow my knees before Thy will concerning Thy handmaid, and fervently entreat Thee: accept this my prayer for Thy handmaid (name), and forgive her whatever she hath sinned in word, deed and thought, knowingly and in ignorance; if she loved the corruptible more than the incorruptible; if she cared more for the adornment of the clothing of her body than for the whitening of the garment of her soul; if she did not labour for her children as was meet; if in word or deed she angered anyone; if she murmured against her neighbour, or judged anyone, or did any other evil — forgive her all, O Lord, as Thou art good and the Lover of mankind, for there is no man who shall live and not sin. Condemn not Thy handmaid, for she is Thine own creature; render not unto her, O Lord, according to her sins, but be merciful and have mercy on her according to Thy great mercy.
I entreat Thee, O Lord, grant me strength with unceasing prayer, until the end of my life, to ask of Thee, the Judge of all the world, the forgiveness of the transgressions of Thy handmaid (name); and as “Thou didst set a crown of precious stone upon her head” and didst crown her upon this earth, so crown her with Thine eternal glory in Thy heavenly kingdom, where is the dwelling of all who rejoice, and the voice of the saints keeping feast, and everlasting festival, that together they may glorify Thine all-holy name with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
