Mercy & Contrition

Prayer of St. Gertrude for the Holy Souls

This short prayer is widely attributed to St. Gertrude the Great, a thirteenth-century Benedictine nun and mystic known for her devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the souls in purgatory. It circulates in Catholic devotional collections as an offering of Christ’s Precious Blood for the faithful departed and for sinners. Catholics often pray it during November, after Mass, at cemeteries, or as part of their daily prayers for the dead. The Church has always encouraged prayer and sacrifice for those undergoing purification, especially the offering of the Eucharistic Sacrifice on their behalf, as taught in CCC 1032.

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

When to pray it: Pray it at any time for the souls in purgatory, especially during November or after the death of a loved one.

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