The Requiem Aeternam, also known in English as the Eternal Rest prayer, is one of the shortest and most widely used Catholic prayers for the dead. In only two lines, it asks God to grant the souls of the departed eternal rest and perpetual light, and it is prayed around the world in November, at funerals, at cemetery visits, and whenever the faithful remember someone who has died.
Related for this season: Day of the Dead altar: meaning and what to put on it
What Does “Requiem Aeternam” Mean?
Requiem aeternam is Latin for “eternal rest.” The opening words give their name to the whole prayer and also to the traditional Requiem Mass, the Mass offered for the dead, which took its name from this same phrase. When Catholics speak of “praying a Requiem” for someone, they are referring to this tradition of asking God for the eternal rest of a departed soul.
Origin of the Prayer
This short prayer comes from the opening (the Introit) of the Mass for the Dead in the Roman Missal, where it has been sung or recited for centuries at the start of the liturgy offered for a deceased person. Over time, Catholics began praying the same words privately and devotionally, outside of Mass, as a simple way of interceding for any soul who has died. Today it is also used as a closing antiphon in the Liturgy of the Hours for the dead and in the Catholic funeral rite.
Requiem Aeternam in Latin and English
The Latin text below is the traditional form of the prayer. The English translation given here is literal and was made for this page; it is not taken from any published Bible or missal.
| Latin | English translation |
|---|---|
| Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, | Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, |
| et lux perpetua luceat eis. | and let perpetual light shine upon them. |
| Requiescant in pace. | May they rest in peace. |
| Amen. | Amen. |
A Version for One Person
The prayer is most often said for several souls at once, but it can easily be adapted for a single departed person by changing the pronouns, as shown below.
Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace. Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto him (or her), O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him (or her). May he (or she) rest in peace. Amen.
When and How Is This Prayer Used?
The Requiem Aeternam can be prayed at any moment, with no special ritual required: in silence beside a grave, at the news of someone’s death, during the month of November, which the Church dedicates in a special way to the souls of the faithful departed, or simply whenever a person comes to mind. Many Catholics also add it after each decade of the Rosary when the Rosary is offered for the dead, or recite it together with the All Souls’ Day prayer on November 2.
Because it is so short, it is also a prayer that can be taught easily to children and repeated from memory at a wake, a funeral, or a visit to a cemetery, without needing a prayer book.
A Prayer for the Faithful Departed in General
Besides naming a specific person, the Requiem Aeternam is also prayed in a general way for “the faithful departed” as a whole — that is, for all the souls who have died in the faith of Christ and may still be in need of prayer, including those whom no one on earth remembers to pray for by name. In this general form, it is often prayed as a brief closing line after other prayers, such as the Rosary, a litany, or a visit to a cemetery, without naming any single soul.
The Verse That Follows in the Traditional Requiem Mass
In the Introit of the traditional Requiem Mass, the Requiem Aeternam is followed by a verse drawn from a psalm, which in the Vulgate numbering is Psalm 64 (Psalm 65 in most modern Bibles). It praises God in Zion before returning to the petition for the dead.
| Latin | English translation |
|---|---|
| Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion, | A hymn, O God, befits you in Zion, |
| et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem. | and a vow shall be fulfilled to you in Jerusalem. |
| Exaudi orationem meam; | Hear my prayer; |
| ad te omnis caro veniet. | to you all flesh shall come. |
After this verse, the Requiem Aeternam is usually repeated, which is why the two short lines of the prayer are so often found standing on their own, detached from the rest of the Introit, as a complete prayer in themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Requiem Aeternam Prayer
It is Latin for “eternal rest” and refers to the short prayer that asks God to grant the souls of the departed eternal rest and perpetual light.
It comes from the Introit, or opening text, of the traditional Mass for the Dead (the Requiem Mass) in the Roman Missal, and it is also used in the Liturgy of the Hours and the Catholic funeral rite.
No. The English is a literal translation made for this page and is not taken from any published Bible or missal; official liturgical books may render the Latin slightly differently.
Yes. The Latin text above (“eis,” “they”) is the traditional plural form, used for several souls at once; a singular version for one person is given further above.
It can be prayed at any time, but it is especially common at funerals, at cemetery visits, after the Rosary when offered for the dead, and throughout November, the month the Church dedicates to the souls of the faithful departed.
Read it in Spanish
Read More
- All Souls’ Day Prayer: Prayers for the Faithful Departed (November 2)
- Day of the Dead Prayer: Text for Your Ofrenda
You can also see all the prayers.