Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory by St. Gertrude the Great (2026 Guide)

Every time you pray this simple prayer, tradition holds that 1,000 souls are released from Purgatory. Our Lord Himself revealed this promise to St. Gertrude the Great, a 13th-century Benedictine mystic whose intercession for the dead changed Catholic devotional life forever.

This is that prayer — and everything you need to know to pray it with faith.

Who Was St. Gertrude the Great?

St. Gertrude the Great was born on January 6, 1256, in Thuringia, Germany. As a young child, she was placed in the care of the Monastery of St. Mary at Helfta, where she was taught by St. Mechtilde.

At age 25, Our Lord Jesus Christ began appearing to her in a series of mystical visions that continued for the rest of her life.

St. Gertrude died on November 16, 1301. Her feast day is November 16. She is the Patron Saint of the West Indies.

She had a profound and tender love for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. She would offer every Mass for their relief — and God responded with extraordinary mercy.

The Full Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great for Holy Souls in Purgatory

Our Lord promised St. Gertrude that each time this prayer is recited with devotion, it would release a vast multitude — traditionally said to be 1,000 souls — from their suffering in Purgatory.

St. Gertrude herself reportedly witnessed souls entering Heaven from Purgatory as a direct result of her faithful, frequent recitation of this prayer.

More Post: 50 Most Effective Saint Francis Prayers 2026 — For Peace & Healing

The Complete Text of St. Gertrude’s Prayer for Holy Souls

“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, for those in my own home and in my family. Amen.”

The Divine Promise Behind This Sacred Prayer

Eternal Father, I come before You trusting in the promise You gave to St. Gertrude — that this offering of Your Son’s Most Precious Blood would release souls from their suffering. I believe in Your mercy. I believe in Your Word. Release, O Lord, every soul for whom I pray today and bring them swiftly into Your eternal light. Amen.

Why This Short Prayer Carries Infinite Spiritual Power

Lord Jesus, Your Precious Blood is the price paid for every human soul. Though this prayer is small in words, it carries the infinite weight of Your sacrifice. Unite it with every Mass offered on earth today. Let no soul be forgotten. Let Your mercy reach further than any human prayer alone could ever reach. Amen.

What the Vatican Says About This Prayer?

Here is the honest, balanced truth.

This prayer is not an officially indulgenced prayer. The Vatican has clarified that promises attached to releasing a specific number of souls through a specific prayer should not be taken as formal Church doctrine.

The Church’s Official Position on St. Gertrude’s Prayer

Heavenly Father, I do not come to You with formulas or guarantees. I come with a humble heart, trusting not in numbers but in Your boundless mercy. Whatever the Church teaches and whatever You permit, I offer this prayer with sincerity and faith. You alone know how many souls need relief. Have mercy on them all. Amen.

What the Catholic Church Teaches About Praying for the Dead

Lord, Your Church has always believed in the Communion of Saints — that we on earth are connected to those being purified and those already in Heaven. I embrace this teaching with my whole heart. Let my prayers today reach every soul in Purgatory who has no one praying for them. In Your mercy, forget no one. Amen.

How to Pray With Faith When No Guarantee Is Given

Eternal Father, I do not need a promise attached to a number to motivate my prayer. The souls in Purgatory are real. Their suffering is real. Your mercy is real. I offer this prayer not because I am certain of the count, but because I am certain of Your love. Receive it as an act of pure faith and trust. Amen.

What Is Purgatory? The Catholic Teaching Simply Explained

Purgatory is not Hell. It is not eternal punishment.

It is a state of final purification for souls who die in God’s grace but still carry the stain of temporal punishment due to sin. Think of it as a holy cleansing — painful, yes, but leading directly to the beatitude of Heaven.

The Mystical Body of Christ includes the Church Militant (us on earth), the Church Suffering (souls in Purgatory), and the Church Triumphant (saints in Heaven). We are all connected.

Praying for the Holy Souls is a Spiritual Work of Mercy. It is one of the most loving things a Catholic can do.

Saints like St. Teresa of Avila, St. Margaret Mary, St. Bridget of Sweden, and the Curé of Ars all spoke powerfully about the reality of Purgatory and the urgent need to pray for those suffering there.

Fr. F. X. Schouppe, S.J., in his landmark book Purgatory Explained, documents countless accounts of souls appearing to request prayers from the living. The faithful departed are real. Their need is real.

Why This Prayer Offers the Most Precious Blood of Jesus?

Why does this prayer work so powerfully? Because it offers the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ — the infinite price paid for all human sin — directly to the Eternal Father on behalf of the suffering souls.

This is not just a personal request. It joins itself to every Mass being celebrated around the world at that very moment. That is an extraordinary spiritual reality.

The Infinite Value of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

The Most Precious Blood of Jesus carries infinite worth because it is the blood of God Himself. No human prayer alone can match its power — which is why offering it to the Father transforms every petition into something eternal.

How Offering the Precious Blood Unites You With Every Mass on Earth

Every time you pray this prayer, it joins itself to every Mass being celebrated around the world at that very moment. This means your single prayer becomes part of the greatest act of worship on earth — the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Why the Precious Blood Is the Most Powerful Intercession for the Holy Souls

The souls in Purgatory cannot help themselves — they can only receive mercy through the intercession of the living. Offering the Most Precious Blood on their behalf gives them the greatest gift possible — the infinite price Christ already paid for their purification.

How and When to Pray This Prayer in 2026?

The best time to pray it is now — and often.

November is the Month of the Holy Souls. The Feast of All Souls falls on November 2nd. This is the most powerful time of the liturgical year to intensify your intercession for the dead.

Here are practical ways to use this prayer daily:

• After each decade of the Rosary — insert it between decades during November
• After morning or night prayer — takes less than 30 seconds
• After receiving Holy Communion — united with the Body and Blood of Christ
• When you think of a deceased loved one — offer it immediately for them

The St. Gertrude the Great Novena for Holy Souls in Purgatory

The St. Gertrude the Great Novena begins on November 7 and runs through her feast day, November 16.

Each day of the novena includes two prayers:

Prayer One — the famous short prayer for the Holy Souls (above)

Prayer Two — a deeper petition to Our Lord:

“Accept, O compassionate Jesus, this my prayer with that exceeding love wherewith Thou didst endure a bitter Death, and didst offer it, together with all the fruit of Thy most sacred Humanity, to God the Father on the day of Thine Ascension; and by the depth of those Wounds which scarred Thy Flesh and pierced Thy Hands and Feet and Heart, I beseech Thee, raise me up, who am steeped and sunk in sin, and render me well-pleasing to Thee in all things. Amen.”

What the Holy Souls in Purgatory Will Do for You?

This is what most blogs never tell you.

The Holy Souls are not passive. When finally released and welcomed into the beatitude of Heaven, their gratitude is overwhelming.

From the prayer card approved by Cardinal Pahiarca at Lisbon, Portugal on March 4, 1936:

Prostrate before the throne of God, they never cease to pray for those who helped them. By their prayers they shield their friends from many dangers and protect them from the evils that threaten them.

Final Words

St. Gertrude the Great gave us a gift that fits in your pocket and reaches Heaven.

Pray this prayer today. Pray it for your parents, your grandparents, your friends — for every soul who has gone before you marked with the sign of faith.

The Holy Souls in Purgatory are waiting. And when they reach Heaven, they will not forget you.

“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus…”

Say it now. Say it often. Trust God with the rest.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the prayer for St. Gertrude?

St. Gertrude’s most famous prayer begins: “Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus…” It is a short intercessory prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, and one’s own family.

What is a short but powerful prayer?

St. Gertrude’s prayer is one of the shortest yet most powerful in Catholic tradition — just two sentences. Other short powerful prayers include the Divine Mercy aspiration (“Jesus, I trust in You”) and the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”).

How to pray St. Rita’s prayer?

St. Rita is the patron of impossible causes. Her prayer is typically addressed directly to her, asking for intercession in desperate situations. It is prayed by stating your impossible need, invoking her wounds received from the crown of thorns, and trusting in God’s mercy through her intercession.

What is the miracle prayer that never fails?

Many Catholics refer to the Memorare — “Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary…” — as the miracle prayer that never fails. St. Bernard of Clairvaux composed it, and countless faithful have reported extraordinary answers to prayer through its recitation.

What is the instant miracle prayer for the impossible request?

The prayer to St. Joseph for impossible cases and the Novena to the Infant Jesus of Prague are both widely called upon for impossible requests. These prayers combine humility, trust, and perseverance — the three conditions for miraculous answers.

What are the three strongest prayers in the Catholic faith?

According to Catholic tradition and the testimony of saints, the three strongest prayers are: the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass (the highest act of worship), the Rosary (called by Pope Leo XIII the most excellent form of prayer), and the Divine Mercy Chaplet (revealed to St. Faustina with the promise of extraordinary mercy at the hour of death).