Losing a brother takes away someone who has been there for most of your life. It doesn’t matter if he was older or younger he was a huge part of your life and him not being there anymore is something hard to come to terms with.
When grief is this big it can be hard to find words. Sometimes a prayer is the thing we look to when nothing else makes sense.
So here we have prayers for the loss of a brother that you can say on your own, read at his funeral or share with your family. There are short prayers, longer ones for different kinds of brothers and situations, prayers for his birthday and anniversary and some Bible verses to read alongside them.
If you’re here for someone else who has lost their brother there’s a section near the end with prayers you can send them. Our sympathy messages for the loss of a brother can help with the rest of the card.
Change any of the wording so it sounds right for what you want. Adding his name can make a prayer feel a lot more personal.
Short Prayers for the Loss of a Brother
These are short enough to say when the grief hits you or to write in a card or share with a photo of him. Put his name in wherever it fits.
- Lord, my brother is with you now. Please look after him the way he always looked after me. Amen
- Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me [Name] as my brother. I wish we’d had longer
- God, keep my brother safe until we’re together again
- Jesus, I don’t know how to do life without him. Show me the next step
- Lord, grant [Name] eternal rest and give our family your peace. Amen
- Father, he was my brother and my friend. Please hold him close
- God, I keep reaching for my phone to text him. Comfort me every time I remember
- Lord, let my brother rest in your light and let his memory make us smile again one day
- Jesus, I’m too tired to find the words tonight. Please hear my heart anyway
- Heavenly Father, let him laugh in heaven the way he laughed here
- God of comfort, be close to everyone who loved [Name]
- Lord, thank you for every fight, every joke and every hug. I’d take any of them back right now
- Father, let him know how much he was loved. Amen
- God, I miss my brother. That’s all I can say today, and I know you understand
- Lord, he’s home now. Help me find my way through the days without him
A Sister’s Prayer for Her Brother
Many sisters feel a mix of things after losing a brother. He may have been the one who teased you, protected you or drove you crazy, sometimes all on the same day. These prayers are written in a sister’s voice.
A Prayer from a Sister
Lord,
He pulled my hair and stole my snacks
and then turned around and stood up for me when it mattered.
He knew me before I knew who I was.
Now there’s a quiet where his voice used to be.
Please keep my brother close to you.
Tell him his little sister (or big sister) misses him every single day
and that I’ll keep his memory safe until I see him again.
Amen
- God, he was the first boy who ever looked out for me. Please look out for him now
- Lord, I’ll always be his sister. Let him know that today
- Heavenly Father, help me be there for his kids the way he would have been there for mine
- Jesus, give me the strength to hear his favorite song without falling apart. And if I do, hold me
- God, thank you for a brother who made me laugh until it hurt. I hold onto that now
A Brother’s Prayer for His Brother
Brothers don’t always say how they feel out loud. Losing one can leave you carrying a lot of grief around with nowhere for it to go. These prayers can be a release.
A Prayer from a Brother
Father in heaven,
We grew up sharing a room, a bike and every bit of trouble we could find.
We didn’t always say it, but we had each other’s backs.
I keep thinking of things I want to tell him.
Please tell him for me.
Tell him I’m proud of him.
Tell him I’m sorry for the times I let him down.
And help me carry this without shutting out the people who need me.
Amen
- Lord, he was my brother and my best friend. I don’t know how to replace either one
- God, help me grieve him honestly and not just keep busy so I don’t have to feel it
- Heavenly Father, give me the courage to talk about him so his kids keep hearing his stories
- Jesus, I never told him I loved him enough. Please make sure he knows
Prayers for an Older Brother
A big brother can feel like a fixed point in your life. He went first through school, jobs and growing up and now he’s gone first here too.
A Prayer for My Big Brother
Lord,
He was always a few steps ahead of me
showing me how things were done and warning me when they weren’t.
I never imagined a world where I’d have to figure things out without him.
Thank you for the brother who walked in front of me.
Please let him rest now
and help me carry on the good he started.
Amen
- God, he was my big brother and my hero. Let him rest in your care
- Lord, he looked out for me my whole life. Now I’m asking you to look out for him
- Heavenly Father, help me be strong for the family the way he always was
- Jesus, I still feel like his kid brother (or sister). Comfort me like he used to
Prayers for a Younger Brother
When a younger brother dies it can feel so wrong. You may have spent years watching out for him and grief can come with guilt that you couldn’t protect him this time.
A Prayer for My Little Brother
Heavenly Father,
I remember the day he came home from the hospital.
I remember teaching him things he probably never needed me to teach him.
He was supposed to outlive me.
I couldn’t keep him safe from this, Lord,
so please keep him safe now.
Take away the guilt that isn’t mine to carry
and help me remember him with love instead of what-ifs.
Amen
- Lord, he’ll always be my little brother, no matter how grown up he got. Hold him close
- God, I couldn’t protect him. Please help me let go of the blame I keep putting on myself
- Heavenly Father, he had so much life ahead of him. Let him live it fully with you
- Jesus, comfort our parents. They should never have had to bury their son
Prayers for a Twin Brother
Losing a twin is losing someone you’ve been next to since before you were born. Many twins describe it as losing half of themselves.
A Prayer for My Twin
Lord,
We came into this world together.
We shared a birthday, a face (or not) and a hundred secrets nobody else knew.
I don’t know who I am without him beside me.
Please hold my brother until I can see him again.
And on our birthday, when the day feels split in two
help me celebrate the life we shared.
Amen
- God, he was with me from the very beginning. Please be with me now that he’s gone
- Lord, help me find my own way forward without feeling like I’m leaving him behind
- Heavenly Father, keep him close until we’re together again. Amen
Prayers When You Weren’t Close
Not every brother relationship is easy. Maybe you’d drifted apart, argued or hadn’t spoken in years. Grief can be just as bad in those cases, sometimes more so.
A Prayer for Words Left Unsaid
Lord,
We weren’t as close as I wanted us to be.
There was distance and stubbornness on both sides
and I always thought there’d be time to fix it.
Now there isn’t.
Please let my brother know I loved him underneath it all.
Forgive what went wrong between us
and give me the peace to forgive too.
Amen
- God, I wish I’d picked up the phone. Please tell him I’m sorry
- Lord, help me hold onto the good years and let go of the hard ones
- Heavenly Father, heal what we couldn’t heal ourselves. Amen
- Jesus, I’m grieving the brother I had and the one I hoped we’d get back. Comfort me in both
Prayers After a Sudden Loss
If there was no warning and no goodbye the shock can knock everything out of you. These prayers are for those first raw days.
A Prayer When There Was No Goodbye
Lord,
I talked to him like it was any normal week.
I didn’t know it would be the last time.
Please tell him everything I didn’t get to say.
Help me trust that he knew how much I loved him
and quiet my mind when it keeps replaying everything.
Amen
- God, I can’t make sense of this. Stay with me while I try
- Lord, I’m angry and I’m hurting. Please don’t let go of me
- Heavenly Father, I trust he wasn’t alone. Thank you for being with him
- Jesus, give me enough strength for today. I’ll ask again tomorrow
Prayers for His Funeral
You can read these to open the service, at the graveside, print them in the program etc. Our funeral prayers have more choices and if you’ve been asked to speak our eulogy examples for a brother may help.
A Prayer to Open His Service
Loving God,
We come together today to remember [Name].
We remember his laugh, his loyalty and his terrible jokes
and all the ways he made our lives fuller.
Thank you for the gift of his life.
Comfort his family and everyone here who loved him
and welcome him home into your peace.
Amen
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A Graveside Prayer for a Brother
Lord,
We lay our brother’s body to rest in this place
but we trust that he is already home with you.
Grant him eternal rest.
Grant us the hope of seeing him again.
And each time we come back here
let us bring stories and laughter along with our tears.
Amen
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A Closing Prayer for His Service
Heavenly Father,
As we leave here today, go with us.
Help us keep [Name]’s memory alive in the way we look after each other.
When the casseroles stop coming and life gets busy again
remind us to keep saying his name.
Amen
If you’d like to read a poem as well there are some lovely ones in our funeral poems for brothers.
Prayers for His Family
When a brother dies a lot of people lose someone. Parents lose a son. A wife or partner loses their person. Children lose their dad. These prayers ask for help holding everyone together.
- Lord, comfort our mom and dad. No parent should have to say goodbye to their child
- God, be close to his wife (or partner) tonight. Fill the empty side of the bed with your peace
- Heavenly Father, watch over his children as they grow. Let them always know how much their dad loved them
- Lord, help us brothers and sisters lean on each other instead of pulling apart
- God, help us be patient with each other. We’re all grieving in different ways
- Jesus, bless his friends who are hurting too. They’ve lost a brother in their own way
- Lord, keep our family together when it feels like it’s coming apart. Amen
Prayers for His Birthday and Anniversary
His birthday, the anniversary of his death and holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving can be some of the hardest days. A prayer can be just right for one of these days. Our page of happy birthday in heaven messages has more ideas for marking his birthday.
A Prayer on My Brother’s Birthday
Lord,
Today [Name] would have turned [age].
I should be calling him to sing badly down the phone
or teasing him about getting old.
Instead I’m asking you to celebrate him for me.
Thank you for the day he was born.
My life is better because he was in it.
Amen
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A Prayer on the Anniversary of His Death
Heavenly Father,
Another year has gone by without my brother.
Some days it feels like yesterday and some days like forever.
Thank you for carrying me this far.
Today help me remember how he lived
and not only how he died.
Keep him in your light.
Amen
- Happy birthday in heaven, brother. Lord, give him the best day up there
- God, the holidays don’t feel right without him. Help us make room for him in new ways
- Heavenly Father, I light this candle for [Name] today. Keep him in your light. Amen
- Lord, save him a seat at the table. We’ll be there one day
- Jesus, it’s his birthday and I don’t know what to do with it. Sit with me through it
Prayers to Send to Someone Who Lost a Brother
If a friend or coworker has lost their brother a short prayer in a card or text lets them know you’re thinking of them. Keep it simple and don’t try to explain why it happened.
- I’m praying for you and your family as you grieve [Name]. I’m so sorry
- May God surround you with comfort and give you strength for each day
- Holding you up in prayer. I’m so sorry about your brother
- Praying that God carries you through the days when it all feels like too much
- I’m asking God to give you peace and fill your heart with good memories of [Name]
- Praying for your whole family tonight. I’m only a phone call away
- May the Lord be near to your broken heart. I’m remembering your brother with you
- There are no words for this, so I’m praying instead. Sending you so much love
- Praying [Name] is at peace and that you feel his love around you
- May God give your parents strength and comfort, and you too
Dear ______,
I’ve been thinking about you constantly since I heard about [Name]. I know nothing I say can make this hurt less, so I’ve been praying for you every night instead. I’m asking God to give you rest, to keep your family close and to let you feel your brother’s love even on the hardest days.
I’ll bring dinner over on Wednesday unless you tell me not to. No need to reply.
With love and prayers,
________
******************
Dear ______,
We were so sad to hear about your brother. [Name] always had a way of making everyone feel welcome and we’ll miss him.
Please know you’re in our prayers. We’re praying for comfort for you, strength for your family and peace for [Name].
Thinking of you,
________
A Catholic Prayer for a Brother
Many Catholic families say the Eternal Rest prayer at the funeral, at the grave and on anniversaries. You can also ask your parish to offer a Mass for your brother. For more traditional prayers, see our prayers for the dead.
Eternal Rest
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
Amen.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
Traditional Catholic prayer
Bible Verses for the Loss of a Brother
Some people like to read a verse before or after they pray. These are from the King James Version. There are more in our Bible verses about loss.
- “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Proverbs 17:17
- “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1
- “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalm 34:18
- “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3
- “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
- “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
- “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
- “Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.” John 11:23
- “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” John 11:25
- “Jesus wept.” John 11:35
- “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” Revelation 21:4
The verses from John 11 come from the story of Martha and Mary, two sisters grieving their brother Lazarus. I’ve always found “Jesus wept” one of the most comforting lines in the Bible, because it shows he grieved too. Some people find hope in the rest of the story, where Lazarus is raised. Others find it too hard to read right now, and that’s okay.
Ways to Use These Prayers
- Say one each night before bed or first thing in the morning
- Print one in his funeral program or on funeral prayer cards
- Write one in a journal next to a memory of him
- Read one aloud at his grave on his birthday
- Light a candle at church and say it quietly
- Share a short one with a favorite photo of the two of you
- Ask your church to include his name in the prayers that week
I hope one of these prayers brings you a little comfort and reminds you that he’s still your brother and always will be.