Every soul that has ever left this earth carries with it a story, a longing, and a need for God’s mercy. Catholic teaching holds that the souls in purgatory are saved, yet still in need of purification before they can stand fully in the presence of God. They cannot pray for themselves. But you can pray for them, and those prayers carry real, eternal weight.
This collection of 20+ prayers for the souls in purgatory is written to help you intercede with faith, compassion, and biblical grounding. Whether you are praying for a recently departed loved one, honoring All Souls Day, or simply responding to the call of Christian charity, these prayers will guide your heart and words before God.
What Does the Bible Say About Praying for the Dead?
Scripture affirms the power of intercession across the boundaries of life and death. In 2 Maccabees 12:46, the sacred text declares that it is “a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins.” This passage, honored in Catholic and Orthodox traditions, forms the scriptural foundation for praying for souls in purgatory. God’s mercy is not limited by our earthly clock.
The Apostle Paul himself prayed for a departed friend. In 2 Timothy 1:18, he writes, “May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day,” referring to Onesiphorus, who many scholars believe had already died. Paul’s act was not fruitless sentiment. It was active faith in God’s ongoing mercy toward souls still journeying toward Him.
Jesus spoke of a purification after death in Matthew 12:32, suggesting there is a state where sins can be forgiven “in the age to come.” Combined with 1 Corinthians 3:15, which speaks of being “saved, but only as through fire,” the biblical picture of purgatory becomes clear. Your prayers are not wasted. They are acts of love that echo into eternity.
Prayers for Souls Who Died Without Final Sacraments
Some souls depart this world suddenly, without the comfort of last rites, confession, or anointing of the sick. The Church teaches that God’s mercy is not bound by sacraments alone, and your intercessory prayer reaches even those who left without visible preparation. These prayers speak directly to that gap between human limitations and divine grace, trusting that God’s love covers what we could not provide in their final moments.
Prayer for a Soul Who Died Suddenly
Lord of all mercy, I come before You on behalf of the soul who was taken from this earth without warning. You alone knew the state of their heart in that final breath. Your Word says in Romans 8:38-39 that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. I trust that love to reach this soul now. Purify what remains imperfect. Wash away whatever clings to them and keeps them from the fullness of Your presence. You are the God who hears the cry of the living for the dead. I lift this soul to You with confidence, not in my own righteousness, but in the blood of Jesus shed for all. Receive them, Father, into Your eternal rest. Amen.
Prayer for a Soul Who Died Without Confession
Merciful Father, Your Word declares in 1 John 1:9 that You are faithful and just to forgive all sin when we confess with a sincere heart. This soul could not speak those words to a priest in their final hour. Yet You read every heart, and You know their deepest longing for reconciliation. I stand in the gap for them now. I ask You to apply the merits of Christ’s passion to any unconfessed sin that lingers. Your mercy triumphs over judgment, as James 2:13 reminds us. Do not let an earthly inability become an eternal barrier. Let Your grace accomplish what human hands could not. Bring this soul through the purifying fire of Your love and into the peace of Your eternal kingdom. Amen.
Prayer for a Soul Who Died in Spiritual Uncertainty
Heavenly Father, I pray for the soul who left this world questioning, doubting, or unsure of Your love. You know the wrestlings of every heart. Your Psalm 139:7-8 reminds me that even in the depths, Your hand is there. If this soul cried out to You in even a whisper of desire, I trust Your mercy to have heard it. Purify them now from every weight of sin, confusion, and unbelief. Let the light of Christ pierce through whatever darkness they carry. I intercede for them not because I know all the answers, but because I know You are good. You desire all to be saved, as 1 Timothy 2:4 declares. Work in this soul what could not be completed in life. Bring them home to You. Amen.
Prayer for a Soul Who Died Estranged from the Church
Lord Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to search for the one who wandered. In Luke 15:4, You reveal a God who does not give up easily. I pray now for the soul who drifted from the Church, who may have felt unwelcome, wounded, or simply lost. Their distance from the community of faith does not place them beyond Your reach. Your blood was shed for the wandering sheep as much as for those who stayed close. Purify this soul of whatever barriers separated them from full communion with You. Apply Your mercy generously. Let the intercessions of the saints and the prayers of the faithful on earth work together to draw this soul into Your eternal embrace. Father, bring them home. Amen.
Prayer for a Soul Who Died Young or Unexpectedly
Father God, the loss of a young life or a life cut short by accident or illness leaves hearts broken and questions unanswered. Yet Your Word in Isaiah 57:1-2 tells me that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil, and they enter into peace. I trust that plan even when I cannot see it. I pray now for the soul who left before their time seemed complete. Purify them swiftly and fully. Their youth was not a barrier to sin, but neither is it a barrier to Your love. Apply the merits of Christ’s suffering to every imperfection in their soul. Receive them into the eternal life that was always meant for them. Let them rest in the light of Your face forever, Lord. Amen.
Prayers for Departed Parents and Ancestors
The bond between a child and a parent does not dissolve at death. Praying for a departed mother, father, or grandparent is one of the most personal forms of intercession a person can offer. These prayers honor the gift of life given through them while trusting God to complete the work of sanctification in their souls. Catholic tradition strongly encourages prayers for deceased family members, believing that the love that bound you in life can become a powerful spiritual channel for their purification.
Prayer for a Departed Mother
Lord, my mother carried me, loved me, and sacrificed in ways I will never fully know. Now I carry her before You in prayer. Your Word in Proverbs 31:28 speaks of children who rise and call their mothers blessed. Today, I rise before Your throne and call her blessed, entrusting her soul to Your mercy. Whatever she left unresolved, whatever sins remained unconfessed, whatever wounds she carried silently into death, I ask You to heal and purify them all. She was human, and she was loved. Let Your mercy be the final word over her life. Bring her through any remaining purification swiftly. Let her see Your face, Father. Let her know the fullness of the peace she sought and sometimes struggled to find in life. Amen.
Prayer for a Departed Father
Heavenly Father, You are the perfect Father, and I entrust my earthly father’s soul into Your hands. Whatever strengths he had, they were gifts from You. Whatever weaknesses he carried, they are now under the light of Your mercy. Your Word in Psalm 103:13 says You have compassion on those who fear You, as a father has compassion on his children. Apply that compassion to him now in a way no earthly father could experience in this life. Purify him of every remnant of sin. Heal what was broken in him. Let him experience the fatherhood of God in its fullness. I pray with love for the man who gave me life, and I ask You to grant him eternal life in return. May he rest in Your peace. Amen.
Prayer for Deceased Grandparents
Lord, my grandparents carried faith, family stories, and sacrifices across generations. Many of them endured hardships I will never face, and they laid foundations I now stand on. Your Word in Proverbs 17:6 says that grandchildren are the crown of the aged. I honor them now by bringing their souls before You. Purify whatever imperfections remain. Apply the blood of Jesus to every sin, spoken or unspoken, known or forgotten. They lived in an imperfect world and did the best they knew how. Let Your perfect mercy cover the distance between their best efforts and Your perfect standard. Bring them into the fullness of Your presence, Lord. Let them behold the glory they could only glimpse in this life. May they rest eternally in Your love. Amen.
Prayer for All Souls in My Family Line
Father, I do not know the names of every soul in my family line, but You do. From generation to generation, Your mercy endures, as Psalm 100:5 declares. I lift up every ancestor, every relative, every person whose blood or bond connects them to me, who may still be in need of purification. I cannot reach back through history to pray for each one by name. But I ask You, who exist outside of time, to receive this single intercession on behalf of all of them. Let the merits of Christ’s passion flow backward and forward through my family line. Heal generational wounds. Release generational sin. Bring all who have died in Your grace into the fullness of eternal life. May Your mercy triumph across every generation. Amen.
Prayer for a Deceased Spouse
Lord, love like ours does not disappear when one of us crosses from this life into the next. Your Word in Song of Solomon 8:6 says that love is as strong as death. I hold onto that truth as I pray for my beloved. I knew their heart, their struggles, their faith, and their failures. I loved them through all of it. Now I ask You to love them into completion. Purify what I could not fix. Heal what no human love could reach. Apply the fullness of Christ’s redemptive work to their soul. They are not forgotten, not unloved, and not abandoned in death. I stand here as a witness to the love we shared and ask You, in Your perfect mercy, to bring them swiftly into Your eternal presence. Amen.
Prayers for Forgotten and Neglected Souls in Purgatory
Among the most urgent prayers the Church encourages are those offered for souls who have no one left on earth to pray for them. These are the forgotten, the abandoned, the souls of strangers, the homeless, and those whose families have all preceded them in death. Praying for forgotten souls is an act of radical Christian charity, and tradition holds that such prayers carry special merit. No soul should remain in purgatory simply because they ran out of people who remembered them.
Prayer for the Most Forgotten Souls in Purgatory
Lord Jesus, You said in Matthew 25:40 that whatever we do for the least of Your brothers and sisters, we do for You. Today I pray for the least remembered souls in purgatory. No one lights a candle for them. No one whispers their name in prayer. They wait in purification without the comfort of earthly intercession. Let my prayer today fill that void. I offer whatever merit belongs to this act of love on their behalf. I ask the communion of saints to join me in advocating for these forgotten souls. You have not forgotten them, Lord. Your love is personal and relentless. Apply Your mercy generously. Release them from purgatory swiftly. Let them enter the celebration of heaven where they will no longer be unknown, but fully and eternally known by You. Amen.
Prayer for Souls of the Poor and Homeless
Merciful Father, many who lived without comfort on earth may also pass into purgatory without the comfort of prayer. Your Word in Luke 6:20 blesses the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of God. I claim that blessing now for the souls of those who died in poverty, homelessness, or social invisibility. They were seen by You even when the world looked away. Now I ask You to apply Your mercy to any purification they still need. They suffered much in life. Let that suffering, united with the cross of Christ, count toward their cleansing. Do not let them wait long. Bring them swiftly into the banquet of eternal life where every tear is wiped away and no one is counted poor again. Your mercy is their inheritance. Amen.
Prayer for Souls Who Died in War
Lord God, those who died in war faced horrors no human being should endure. They witnessed things that shattered their spirits and forced choices no person should ever have to make. Your Word in John 15:13 says that greater love has no one than this, that they lay down their life for their friends. I honor that sacrifice now as I pray for their souls. Purify whatever trauma, sin, or violence clings to them from their time in battle. Heal the wounds that war inflicted on their spirits. Apply the peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding, to every part of their being. They gave everything in life. Let Your grace give them everything in eternity. May they now rest in the peace they fought to protect. Amen.
Prayer for Souls of Children Who Died Young
Father, the loss of a child is among the deepest griefs a human heart can carry. Yet Your Word in Matthew 19:14 records Jesus saying, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” I rest in that promise as I pray for the souls of children who died young. If any purification remains, I ask You to complete it instantly in Your mercy. Their time on earth was brief, but their souls are precious. You formed them in love, and You receive them in love. Comfort the families they left behind with the assurance that these little ones are safe in Your arms. Let them be among those nearest to Your throne, Lord. Receive them fully and joyfully. Amen.
Prayer for Souls No Living Person Remembers
Eternal Father, time has erased the names of countless souls from human memory. No one alive today knew them. No one carries their story. Yet Your Word declares in Isaiah 49:15-16 that You cannot forget us, for You have engraved us on the palms of Your hands. These forgotten souls are written on Your palms, Lord. I pray for all of them today, every soul whose name has faded from every living memory but remains fully known to You. Purify them. Release them. Let the prayers of Your Church, offered across centuries, reach them through Your timeless grace. They are not lost to You. They are not forgotten in heaven, even if they are forgotten on earth. Bring them home, Father. Let eternity restore what time erased. Amen.
Prayers for Souls of Priests, Religious, and Church Leaders
Those who served the Church in ordained or religious life carried an extraordinary calling and an extraordinary responsibility. Scripture teaches that teachers and leaders will be judged with greater strictness, as James 3:1 declares. This means that priests, nuns, monks, deacons, and other church leaders may have a particular need for intercessory prayer. Praying for the souls of departed clergy is a deeply Catholic tradition, born from the recognition that those who served the altar were still human, still imperfect, and still in need of God’s mercy.
Prayer for the Soul of a Departed Priest
Lord Jesus, You called this priest to stand at Your altar, to speak Your words, and to offer Your body and blood to Your people. He gave his life to that sacred calling. Now I ask You to receive him with the same mercy he extended to countless others through Your sacraments. Your Word in Hebrews 5:1 reminds us that a priest is chosen from among humans and appointed to act on their behalf. He stood in that role imperfectly, as all humans do. Purify whatever failings accompanied his faithfulness. Let his years of service, united with the cross, count toward his swift release from any remaining purification. Bring him into the eternal priesthood of heaven, where he can worship You without the weight of human limitation. Receive him, Lord. Amen.
Prayer for the Soul of a Departed Nun or Sister
Father, this woman gave her life to You in vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. She served in schools, hospitals, missions, and prayer chapels. She carried the weight of religious life faithfully, though not without struggle. Your Word in Psalm 84:10 says that a single day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. She spent a lifetime seeking those courts. Now I ask You to welcome her fully into them. Purify whatever imperfections accompanied her devotion. Let the prayers she prayed, the sacrifices she made, and the lives she touched speak in her favor before Your throne. She was a vessel of Your grace for others. Be now a vessel of grace for her. Bring her into the fullness of the eternal life she always sought. Amen.
Prayer for Souls of Departed Deacons and Ministers
Merciful God, those who served Your Church in diaconal and ministerial roles gave their time, talents, and energy to build up the Body of Christ. They served at tables, proclaimed Your Word, and cared for the poor and the sick. Your Word in 1 Timothy 3:13 says that those who serve well gain a standing for themselves and great confidence in faith. I pray that their service now speaks to Your mercy on their behalf. Purify whatever remained imperfect in their lives and ministry. Let no act of genuine service go unrewarded in Your eternal economy. Receive them into the joy of their Master, as You promised to faithful servants in Matthew 25:21. May they now experience the fullness of the kingdom they spent their lives announcing to others. Amen.
Prayer for Souls of Missionaries and Martyrs
Lord of all nations, missionaries crossed oceans and mountains to bring Your name to places it had never been spoken. Many gave their lives. Many gave their health. Many gave their families. Revelation 12:11 declares that the saints “triumphed over the accuser by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Their testimony was written in sacrifice. I pray now for those missionaries and martyrs whose souls may still be in the process of purification. Their zeal was real, even when their methods were imperfect, and their faith was genuine, even when their humanity showed. Apply Your full mercy. Receive them into the eternal harvest they worked so hard to bring about. Let them see the fruit of their sacrifice in the faces of every soul they helped bring home to You. Amen.
Prayer for Souls of Popes, Bishops, and Church Fathers
Heavenly Father, the leaders of Your Church carried burdens of authority and responsibility that shaped the lives of millions. Some led with great holiness. Others led with great human failure. All of them stood before You as the same thing in the end: children in need of mercy. Your Word in Romans 3:23 declares that all have sinned and fallen short of Your glory. That includes the greatest names in Church history. I pray for the souls of all who held positions of spiritual authority and who may still be in purification. Apply the blood of Christ generously. Let their service to Your Church, however imperfect, not go without recognition in Your mercy. Bring them into the eternal glory they administered in Your name. May they lead Your people now from the courts of heaven. Amen.
Prayers to Release Souls from Purgatory Through the Mercy of God
The most powerful prayer for souls in purgatory is one that appeals directly to the infinite mercy of God and the merits of Christ’s passion. Catholic tradition teaches that offering indulgenced prayers, especially the Divine Mercy Chaplet and prayers united to the Mass, can release souls from purgatory entirely. These prayers approach God not with doubt, but with bold, faith-filled confidence in the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. They are prayers of release, not just petition.
Prayer for the Immediate Release of a Soul from Purgatory
Lord Jesus, I stand before You and appeal to the full weight of Your passion, death, and resurrection. You paid the complete price for sin on the cross. Your blood was not merely sufficient; it was superabundant. Hebrews 9:12 declares that You entered the holy place once for all by Your own blood, having secured eternal redemption. I claim that redemption now for the soul I hold before You. If their purification can be complete, let it be complete now. If any debt of temporal punishment remains, I offer every indulgence, every Mass, every prayer, and every act of charity I have ever performed in union with Your merit. Release this soul, Lord. Open the gates of heaven for them. Let them behold Your face today. Amen.
Prayer for All Souls on All Souls Day
Father, today the Church gathers in the universal cry of intercession for all who have died. We do not pray only for those we knew. We pray for every soul in purgatory, every soul awaiting the fullness of Your presence. Your Word in 1 Timothy 2:1 calls us to make intercessions for all people. We take that call seriously today. Apply the merits of every Mass celebrated around the world today, every rosary prayed, every candle lit in remembrance. Let this day of prayer become a day of release for souls who have waited long. Let heaven receive a great multitude today because Your Church on earth prayed with faith and love. We unite our voices across every nation, every language, and every tradition and ask You: bring them home. Amen.
Prayer Offering the Holy Mass for the Souls in Purgatory
Lord, I unite this prayer to every Mass being celebrated across the world today. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith, and Your body and blood offered on every altar is the most powerful intercession possible for the souls in purgatory. Your Word in Hebrews 7:25 tells me that You always live to make intercession for those who draw near to God. I draw near now on behalf of the departed. Let the sacrifice of the Mass carry infinite weight into purgatory today. Release souls through its merits. Bring the suffering of the departed to an end through the eternal offering of Your Son. Nothing we pray is more powerful than this. Let the Eucharist accomplish in the departed what it accomplishes in us: total transformation into Your love. Amen.
Prayer for Souls Through the Intercession of Mary
Heavenly Father, I come before You through the intercession of Mary, the Mother of Mercy. Catholic tradition holds her as the Queen of Purgatory, whose maternal love reaches into that holy place to comfort and assist the souls who wait there. Your Word in John 19:27 gives her to us as our mother. I ask her now to bring my prayers before Your throne with her own maternal love. Through her intercession, I ask for the release of all souls in purgatory, especially those most in need of mercy. Let her who stood at the cross and witnessed the ultimate act of redemption now stand at the gate of purgatory and open it wide. Father, honor the intercession of Your Mother. Let her prayers accomplish what mine alone cannot. Bring the souls home. Amen.
Prayer for a Plenary Indulgence for a Departed Soul
Lord Jesus, the Church teaches that through the treasury of merit built by Your passion and the holiness of the saints, plenary indulgences can be applied to the souls in purgatory. I come to You today, having fulfilled the required conditions as best I am able, and I offer whatever spiritual merit this act carries entirely to the soul I love who has departed. Your Word in Colossians 1:24 speaks of filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of His body, the Church. I offer my prayers, my sacrifices, and every grace granted to me today for this soul’s benefit. Take everything, Lord. Leave nothing for myself. Release this soul through the fullness of Your mercy and the power of the indulgence the Church extends. Amen.
Prayers for Peace, Comfort, and Swift Passage to Eternal Life
Not all prayers for the souls in purgatory need to be lengthy or heavily theological. Sometimes the most faithful prayer is also the most tender. These prayers focus on the soul’s experience in purgatory, asking God for comfort, peace, and swift passage into the eternal light of heaven. They are also prayers for the living who grieve, knowing that interceding for the departed brings its own healing to broken hearts.
Prayer for Peace for a Suffering Soul in Purgatory
Lord, if this soul suffers in their purification, I ask You to bring them comfort even in the midst of it. Your Word in Psalm 34:18 tells me that You are close to the brokenhearted. Even in purgatory, You are near. The souls there are not abandoned; they are loved. They are not condemned; they are being prepared. Bring this soul the peace that comes from knowing they are safe in Your hands, even in the process of purification. Let them experience Your presence as warmth, not punishment. Let them know that the prayers of those who love them reach them there. Sustain them, Lord. Comfort them with the certain knowledge that they are moving toward You, not away from You. And bring them to You swiftly. Amen.
Prayer for the Swift Passage of a Soul to Heaven
Father, I do not want this soul to wait. Your mercy is infinite and Your desire is for all to come to the fullness of eternal life. Your Word in 2 Peter 3:9 tells me that You are patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but wanting all to come to repentance. Extend that same urgency of love now. Do not let this soul linger in purgatory any longer than is necessary. Apply every grace, every prayer, every merit that has ever been offered for them. Speed their journey. Clear their path. If Your justice requires purification, let Your mercy make it swift. I long for this soul to be with You in the fullness of eternal joy. I long for them to see Your face. Father, open heaven’s gate today. Receive this soul home. Amen.
Prayer for Comfort for Grieving Families While Praying for the Dead
Lord, grief is one of the heaviest burdens a human heart can carry. Those of us who pray for the departed do so not only out of theology but out of love and loss. Your Word in Revelation 21:4 promises that one day You will wipe every tear from our eyes. I am holding onto that promise today. As I pray for this soul in purgatory, I also ask You to comfort those of us left behind. Let this act of intercession become a salve for our grief. Remind us that death is not the end, that love crosses the threshold, and that our prayers reach them even now. Give us peace in our mourning. Give us hope in our loss. And let the assurance that we are doing something real and loving for the one we miss bring healing to our own hearts. Amen.
Prayer of Thanksgiving After a Soul Reaches Heaven
Father, I do not know the moment any soul passes from purgatory into heaven, but I trust that moment comes. Today I offer a prayer of anticipatory thanksgiving for the soul I have prayed for. Your Word in Philippians 4:6 tells me to present every request with thanksgiving. So I thank You in advance. I thank You for Your mercy that is always greater than our sin. I thank You for the prayers You allow us to offer on behalf of the dead. I thank You for the communion of saints that unites us across the boundaries of life and death. And I thank You that one day, in eternity, I will meet this soul again in the fullness of Your glory. Until that day, Lord, guard them, comfort them, and bring them swiftly home. Amen.
Prayer for All Souls to Reach Eternal Life
Eternal God, Your heart is that every soul You created would dwell with You forever. Your Word in John 17:24 records Jesus praying to His Father, “I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory.” That prayer of Christ is still active. It still carries infinite power. I join my small voice to that eternal prayer of the Son and ask: bring all souls in purgatory into the fullness of Your presence. Let none remain separated from the glory You intended for them. Let Your will be done in purgatory as it is in heaven. Let every soul You created for eternal life reach it. May the prayers of Your Church, united across centuries, accomplish on earth and in purgatory what You have always desired: that all would come home to You. Amen.
Short Prayers for the Souls in Purgatory
Sometimes a short prayer carries the deepest sincerity. These brief prayers are perfect for moments throughout the day when you want to lift the souls in purgatory to God without a lengthy devotion. Tradition encourages Catholics to pray for the departed often, even briefly, trusting that every prayer, no matter how short, reaches God’s throne and carries real spiritual power for the souls who need it most.
Short Prayer 1
Lord Jesus, by the merits of Your sacred passion, grant eternal rest to all the souls in purgatory. Your Word in John 11:25 declares that You are the resurrection and the life. Let that resurrection power reach every soul still in purification. Release them from what remains unfinished. Bring them swiftly into the light of Your face. May their suffering end today in Your infinite mercy. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.
Short Prayer 2
Merciful Father, I offer this prayer for every soul in purgatory, known and unknown to me. Psalm 116:15 reminds me that the death of Your faithful ones is precious in Your sight. Each of these souls was precious to You in life. They remain precious to You now. Purify them fully, release them swiftly, and receive them into the eternal rest You have prepared. Let no soul wait longer than Your mercy requires. Amen.
Short Prayer 3
Eternal Father, I unite this prayer to every Mass, every rosary, and every act of charity offered for the souls in purgatory today across the entire world. Romans 8:26 promises that Your Spirit intercedes for us in our weakness. Let the Spirit carry these prayers beyond what my words can accomplish. Release the souls who have been waiting longest. Bring them home to You, Lord. May they rest in Your eternal peace. Amen.
A Final Note
You began by recognizing that the souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves, and that your prayers for them carry real, eternal significance. That is not a small thing. Every prayer in this collection is an act of love that crosses the boundary between this life and the next, an expression of the communion of saints that binds the living and the dead together in Christ. Praying for the departed is one of the most selfless prayers you can offer, because you receive nothing immediate in return. You simply love.
Consider making these prayers a regular practice, not only on All Souls Day but throughout the year. Light a candle for a departed loved one. Offer a Mass for the soul most in need of prayer. Pray the rosary with the intention of releasing souls from purgatory. The Church has always believed that this kind of faithful intercession works, that heaven responds, that souls are released, and that one day, in eternity, those souls will stand before God and give thanks for the prayers you prayed when they could not pray for themselves. That is a legacy worth building.