It’s important, when we visit cemeteries, that we not only pay our respects to deceased loved ones, but that we also pray for their souls. We should offer a prayer each time we visit a cemetery, recognizing their final journey into the arms of the Lord.
Praying for the deceased is a biblical tradition and has roots in the early Christian Church. It corresponds with the Catholic belief in purgatory and that certain souls may still be in need of a final purification before reaching Heaven.
The next time you visit a cemetery, try offering a short prayer, like this prayer that is typically abbreviated on tombs with the letters R.I.P.
Requiem æternam dona ei, Domine
℟. Et lux perpetua luceat ei:
℣. Requiescat in pace.
℟. Amen.
℣. Eternal rest, grant unto him/her, O LORD,
℟. And let perpetual light shine upon him/her.
℣. May he/she rest in peace.
℟. Amen.
And today we celebrate...