The anniversary of a death can feel harder than you might expect. Even years later when it comes around you can be taken right back to that week.
For a lot of us prayer is where we turn on that day. It helps us find a way to express our sadness. It also gives you a way to say thank you for the person and not just miss them.
If you’re looking for prayers to help with the day then below you’ll find death anniversary prayers you can say at home, read at a graveside, share with family or write in a card. There are short prayers, longer ones for a mom, dad, spouse, child and friend, prayers for the first anniversary and a few Bible verses to read alongside them.
Change any of the wording so it works for you. Adding their name makes a big difference. And if you’d rather have something non-religious to share our death anniversary quotes might be better.
Short Death Anniversary Prayers
These are short enough to be said in a moment of quiet if go write on a candle card or just post with a photo.
- Lord, today we remember [Name] with love. Hold them close and hold us close too. Amen
- Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of [Name]’s life. Grant them eternal peace
- God, on this hard day, give me the strength to remember without falling apart
- Lord, it’s been a year and I still miss them every day. Please keep them safe with you
- Thank you, God, for the years we had. Help me carry their love forward
- Lord, let [Name] rest in your light and let their memory be a blessing to all of us
- Father, I don’t have many words today. Please hear the ones I can’t say
- God of comfort, be near to everyone who misses [Name] today
- Lord, may [Name] know peace and may we know your peace too. Amen
- On this day we lift [Name] up to you, Lord, with grateful and aching hearts
- Jesus, keep my loved one in your care until we’re together again
- God, turn our tears into thankfulness for a life well loved
- Lord, another year has passed. Thank you for carrying us through it
- Today I light a candle and say a prayer for [Name]. Rest gently, my love
Prayers to Say on the Anniversary of a Death
These longer prayers work well said out loud with family, read at the grave or maybe even used to open a small memorial or memorial meal.
A Prayer of Remembrance
Loving God,
Today marks another year since [Name] left this life.
We remember their laugh, their kindness
and all the small things that made them who they were.
Thank you for the time we shared.
Comfort every heart that still aches for them
and give us peace in knowing they are held by you.
Amen
******************
A Prayer of Thanks for Their Life
Heavenly Father,
We could spend this day only counting what we lost.
Help us also count what we were given.
Thank you for the years, the meals, the phone calls
and the love [Name] poured into our lives.
Let us honor them by loving others the way they loved us.
Amen
******************
A Prayer When the Day Feels Heavy
Lord,
I woke up today and the grief was right there waiting.
I thought it would be easier by now. It isn’t.
Please sit with me in this.
Give me what I need to get through the hours
and let me feel your comfort in the quiet moments.
Keep [Name] safe with you.
Amen
******************
A Graveside Prayer
God of all comfort,
We stand here once again to remember [Name].
This place holds their body but you hold their soul.
Grant them eternal rest
and grant us the hope of meeting again one day.
Bless these flowers, these tears and these memories.
Amen
******************
A Prayer Before a Memorial Meal
Lord, bless this food and bless this family.
We gather today because we love and miss [Name].
Let our stories be full of laughter as well as tears.
Thank you for bringing us together around this table
just as they always did.
Amen
Death Anniversary Prayers by Relationship
The anniversary can feel different depending on who you lost. These prayers are written for some of the most common relationships but you can easily adapt them for other situations.
For a Mother
If you’re looking for more we have a full page of prayers for the loss of a mother.
- Lord, thank you for my mom. Tell her I’m still trying to make her proud. Keep her close to you today
- Heavenly Father, my mother cared for everyone around her. Now please care for her. Amen
- God, I miss my mom’s voice so much today. Let me hear it in my memories and feel her love in my heart
- Lord, Mom taught me how to pray. Today I pray for her. Grant her eternal peace
For a Father
- Lord, thank you for my dad, his steady hands and his patient heart. Let him rest in your peace
- Father in heaven, please look after my father. He spent his life looking after us
- God, on the anniversary of Dad’s passing, help me carry the lessons he taught me. Amen
- Lord, I still reach for the phone to call him. Hold him for me today
For a Husband or Wife
A Prayer for My Spouse
Lord,
Another year without the person I chose to share my life with.
The house is quieter and some days are very long.
Thank you for every year you gave us together.
Hold my husband (or wife) in your love
and give me the courage to keep living the life we built.
Until we meet again.
Amen
- God, you gave me a partner and a best friend. Thank you. Please keep them safe until I come home
- Lord, I still set out two cups some mornings. Comfort me today and give my love eternal rest
- Heavenly Father, bless the one I married and still love. Let them know I’m okay, even on hard days
For a Child
It’s hard to comprehend losing a child so these prayers just try to find a way of saying how loved they were. You may also find comfort in our Bible verses about loss.
- Lord, you hold my child now. Please hold them gently and tell them how much they are loved
- God, it’s been another year and my arms still ache for them. Give me strength for today
- Heavenly Father, I don’t understand why. But I trust you to care for my baby until I can again
- Jesus, you welcomed the little children. Please keep mine close to you. Amen
- Lord, help me honor my child’s short life by loving the people still here with me
For a Grandparent
- Lord, thank you for Grandma’s stories, her kitchen and her endless love. Grant her peace
- God, Grandpa’s faith was so strong. Welcome him home and help me grow a faith like his
- Heavenly Father, bless the one who loved us all before we were even born. Amen
For a Brother or Sister
- Lord, you gave me my brother as a friend for life. Keep him safe until we’re together again
- God, I miss my sister’s laugh and her terrible jokes. Let her rest in your peace today
- Heavenly Father, comfort our whole family as we remember our brother (or sister) today. Amen
For a Friend
- Lord, thank you for the friend who felt like family. Let them rest in your love
- God, today I remember my friend with a full heart. Bless their family and grant them peace
- Jesus, my friend made the world brighter. Let them shine with you now. Amen
Prayers for the First Death Anniversary
The first anniversary is quite often the hardest. You’ve gone through every birthday and holiday without them for the first time and now the date itself comes around.
A Prayer for One Year On
Lord,
A whole year. I don’t know how we got through it
but I know you were with us when we couldn’t stand on our own.
Thank you for every friend who called and every meal that was dropped off.
Today we remember [Name] and all the love they left behind.
Grant them eternal rest
and help us step into this next year with hope.
Amen
- God, one year ago today my world changed. Thank you for carrying me this far
- Lord, this first year has been the longest of my life. Please keep [Name] safe and keep me going
- Heavenly Father, help us mark this first anniversary with love rather than only sadness
- God, I’m not sure the grief gets smaller. Please help me grow around it
Prayers for Strength and Comfort for Yourself
Sometimes the prayer you need on the anniversary isn’t for the person you lost but for yourself.
- Lord, give me grace for today. Just today
- God, I’m tired of being strong. Please be strong for me
- Heavenly Father, let me feel your peace when the memories come
- Lord, help me be kind to myself if I cry at strange moments today
- God, show me one small sign of hope before this day ends
- Jesus, I give you this sadness. Please give me your rest. Amen
Prayers to Send to Someone on Their Loved One’s Anniversary
If you know a friend or relative is facing an anniversary then a short prayer in a text or card tells them you remembered. That alone can mean a lot. For more ways to help see our guide on how to support someone who’s grieving.
- Thinking of you today and praying for peace as you remember [Name]
- I know today is a hard day. I’m praying that God surrounds you with comfort
- Lifting you and your family up in prayer on [Name]’s anniversary. They are not forgotten
- Praying that today brings you as many happy memories as sad ones
- May God give you strength today and every day. Remembering [Name] with you
- I lit a candle for [Name] this morning and said a prayer for you. Sending love
Dear ______,
I know this week marks a year since [Name] passed and I wanted you to know I haven’t forgotten. I’ve been praying for you and the whole family, asking God to give you peace and to fill the day with good memories as well as hard ones.
If you’d like company, a coffee or just someone to talk about [Name] with, I’m here.
With love and prayers,
________
Catholic Prayers for a Death Anniversary
Many Catholic families have a Mass said for their loved one on the anniversary. You can usually ask your parish office to offer a Mass intention for them. It’s common to make a small offering when you do but each parish handles this differently.
The traditional Eternal Rest prayer is often said at the grave, at home or after the Mass. It’s a lovely one to say together as a family.
Eternal Rest
Eternal rest grant unto [him/her], O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon [him/her].
May [he/she] rest in peace.
Amen.
May [his/her] soul and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
Traditional Catholic prayer
You’ll find more in our collection of prayers for the dead and if you’re planning readings for an anniversary Mass our page on Catholic funeral readings may help.
Bible Verses to Read on a Death Anniversary
Some people like to read a verse before or after their prayer. These are from the King James Version.
- “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4
- “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.” 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
- “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” John 11:25
- “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
How Other Faiths Mark the Anniversary
If you’re joining a friend from another tradition it helps to know a little about what the day might involve.
- Jewish families mark the yahrzeit, the anniversary of the death on the Hebrew calendar. A yahrzeit candle is lit at home and burns for about 24 hours, and the Mourner’s Kaddish is usually said at synagogue. A common thing to say is “May their memory be a blessing”
- Orthodox Christian families often ask for a memorial service on the anniversary. You’ll hear the words “Memory Eternal” said for the person who died
If you’re not sure what’s appropriate it’s always fine to simply say you’re thinking of them and remembering their loved one.
Ways to Use a Prayer on the Anniversary
- Say it at the grave when you bring flowers
- Read it aloud before a family meal of their favorite food
- Write it in a journal or on the back of a favorite photo
- Light a candle at home or at church and say it quietly
- Share a short one on social media with a picture of them
- Text it to family members who can’t be with you that day
- Ask your church to include their name in the prayers that week
Some years you may find you want everyone around you but others you prefer to sit with a cup of coffee and a prayer.
Whatever you choose I hope one of these prayers helps you feel a little less alone today. The love doesn’t stop just because they’re gone. Saying their name and praying for them is one way of keeping it going.