When someone you love has passed away a prayer card is a small keepsake that family friends will want to hold onto for years. They’re usually handed out at the funeral, wake or memorial service and people will keep them in their bedside drawer or Bible so they can come back and look at them whenever they want to feel close to the person again.
But knowing what to put on one isn’t always easy. You want the wording to feel personal and like it’s a fitting tribute to the life being remembered. But you have to try and get all of that in a few short lines.
So if you’re trying to decide what to write this guide will help you through what a prayer card is, what to include on it as well as prayer card wording examples you can choose from.
What Is a Prayer Card?
A prayer card, also sometimes called a memorial card, funeral prayer card or holy card, is a small keepsake card that gets given out in memory of someone who has died. They’re usually around the size of a bookmark or a standard playing card and this makes them easy to keep and carry.
The front of the card often features a photo of your loved one, a religious image, a peaceful scene such as a sunset, flowers or a landscape. The back is where the wording goes and that will usually include the person’s name, their dates, and a prayer, verse, poem or short tribute.
Prayer cards have long been part of the Catholic and wider Christian tradition but they’ve now become a popular way to remember loved ones across all faiths and for those who weren’t religious at all.
What to Include on a Prayer Card
Before you decide on the wording it helps to know what usually make up a prayer card. You don’t have to include all of these but most cards have some combination of the following:
- The full name of your loved one (and a nickname if it suits them)
- Their date of birth and date of passing
- A favorite photo or an image that means a lot to you/them
- A prayer, verse, poem or short reading
- A line of dedication such as “In Loving Memory of”
- Sometimes the details of the funeral or memorial service
Keep in mind that space is limited so the wording needs to be short and easy to read. The examples below all take that into account.
Prayer Card Wording Examples
Below you’ll find prayer card wording examples that cover different styles. They range from a traditional prayer, a short verse, something that will work for faith or just a more personal tribute. There should be something here to suit whatever it is you need.
Feel free to use any of them word for word or adapt them so they work better for your loved one.
Traditional Prayers for a Prayer Card
These well known prayers have brought comfort to families for generations and are still some of the most popular choices for prayer cards.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen.
******************
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul…
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
******************
The Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection,
implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence I fly unto you,
O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.
To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions,
but in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
******************
A Traditional Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you,
may the wind be always at your back,
may the sun shine warm upon your face,
and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
For more like these take a look at our full list of funeral prayers and prayers for the dead.
Short Prayer Card Verses
If you want something that isn’t as long as a full prayer then a short verse can say just as much in a few lines and fits very well on a smaller card.
they walk beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
still loved, still missed, and very dear.
******************
A gentle heart that touched so many,
a love that time will never fade.
Forever in our hearts you’ll stay,
in every memory that we made.
******************
Not gone, just resting,
your work on earth is done.
Now safe in loving arms,
your peaceful rest begun.
******************
We hold you close within our hearts,
and there you will remain,
to walk with us throughout our lives
until we meet again.
Religious Prayer Card Wording
For a card that needs to be based around faith these examples will work.
when a cure was not to be.
So He wrapped His arms around you
and whispered, “Come to me.”
******************
Safe in the arms of our loving God,
your spirit is finally free.
No more pain, no more sorrow,
just peace for all eternity.
******************
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
may His light shine upon your soul,
and may you rest forever
in the comfort of His love.
******************
Heaven has gained a beautiful soul,
and though our hearts are aching,
we find peace in knowing
you are safely in God’s keeping.
You’ll find more faith wording in our guides to comforting Bible verses and sympathy verses.
Non Religious Prayer Card Wording
Not every prayer card needs to be religious. These secular examples look more at the legacy a person leaves behind.
is never to be gone.
And so you’ll stay with us forever,
your memory living on.
******************
Some people come into our lives
and leave footprints on our hearts.
You were one of those rare souls,
and we will never be the same.
******************
A life beautifully lived,
a heart that gave so freely,
a memory we’ll forever treasure,
and a love that lives on deeply.
******************
You may be out of sight,
but never out of mind.
The love you gave so freely
is the love we leave behind.
For more in this style try our in loving memory quotes.
Personalized Prayer Card Wording
A few personal words can help make a prayer card become something that really reflects the person you’ve lost. All you have to do is add their name and adapt these examples to suit.
[Date of Birth] – [Date of Passing]
A devoted [mother/father/friend], a gentle soul,
and a light in the lives of everyone who knew [him/her].
Forever loved, forever remembered.
******************
Remembering [Name]
with all the love in our hearts.
[He/She] filled our days with laughter,
our home with warmth, and our lives with love.
Though [he/she] has gone, that love remains.
******************
In memory of a wonderful [husband/wife],
[Name].
Your kindness, your strength and your smile
will live on in all who loved you.
Until we meet again.
Prayer Card Wording for the Front
The front of the card usually keeps things simple with just a line or two above or beneath the photo. Here are some short examples that work well.
- In Loving Memory of [Name]
- Forever in Our Hearts
- Cherished Memories of [Name]
- Always Loved, Never Forgotten
- In Celebration of a Beautiful Life
- Treasured Memories of [Name]
- Gone Yet Never Forgotten
- Loved Beyond Words, Missed Beyond Measure
For more short lines like these our memorial plaque wording examples are a great place to find some inspiration.
Popular Poems for Prayer Cards
If you’d like a slightly longer reading then a poem is a good choice. They can make a really lovely addition to a prayer card.
Some of the most requested choices are “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep” and “Footprints in the Sand”.
Because poems take up more room they generally suit larger cards that file out rather than the standard single panel size. You can find lots of options along with poems for specific relationships in our funeral poems.
Tips for Choosing Prayer Card Wording
With so many options to choose from try to keep in mind these few things as you decide:
- Think about your loved one. Use wording that is a reflection of their faith and what mattered most to them.
- Keep it short. Prayer cards are small so a brief prayer or verse is usually better than a longer passage.
- Make it personal. Even adding their name or a single line about who they were can make the card feel more than your usual prayer cards.
- Match the front and back. An image that’s more peaceful will pair well with a verse and a religious image suits a traditional prayer.
- Read it aloud. Hearing the words helps you decide that they feel right before the cards are printed.
Choosing the wording for a prayer card may not be the most important job around a funeral but it’s not easy when you’re dealing with a loss. It doesn’t matter if you choose to use one of the examples here exactly as it is or adapt it to better suit your loved one – the most importwnt thing is that it comes from the heart.
The right few words will give comfort to everyone who keeps the card and become a lasting reminder of a life that was deeply loved.
