Holy Souls Novena 2025
Pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory: Join Our Free 9-Day Novena
The fall is one of the most powerful times to pray for the faithful departed. The Church teaches that our prayers and sacrifices can bring relief to the souls in Purgatory and hasten their entrance into the joy of Heaven.
Now, you can join a community of Catholics in a free 9-day novena for these precious souls. Together, we’ll pray daily from October 25th through November 2nd, asking God’s mercy for those who long to see His face.
Each day, you’ll receive a short reflection and the novena prayer straight to your inbox—making it easy to stay united in prayer no matter where you are.
Why Pray for the Holy Souls?
The souls in Purgatory can no longer pray for themselves—but your prayers can help them. As we consider the very real possibility of one day experiencing purgatory ourselves, let us be attentive to the needs of the holy souls and cultivate a devotion to them. Our prayers can truly make a difference, hastening their entrance into the eternal joy of heaven, where they will surely intercede for us in turn.
What is purgatory, really? What is happening to the souls there? What do they experience? What can we do to help them?
The Catechism provides a simple definition of purgatory:
All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.
The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect…
Catechism of the Catholic Church 1030-1031
Learn more about praying for the Holy Souls and grow in your devotion with this Holy Souls Book, Bracelet, and Prayer Card Set. Shop now.
According to the writings and visions of countless saints and theologians, most people who die in a state of grace are not yet fully purified. Their souls are not ready to see God face-to-face or to embrace perfect union with Him.
St. Teresa of Avila, who saw an astonishing number of visions of deceased souls, said: “[A]mong all souls I have seen, there are only three who totally escaped purgatory.”
It seems, then, that most people who die in a state of grace do not go directly to heaven, but rather undergo a period of purification that accords with the precise state of their souls.
Be Part of a Powerful Spiritual Work of Mercy
Now that we better understand the suffering of the poor souls, what can we do to help them? Doing so is a great act of charity. It benefits our own souls, as well.
One way to truly help the souls in purgatory is to pray the Novena for the Holy Souls. This 9-day prayer is extremely powerful in interceding for our brothers and sisters in suffering in purgatory.
Sign up to join us in this spiritual work of mercy.
Your prayers make a difference. As we intercede for the Holy Souls, they in turn will intercede for us—strengthening our hope of Heaven and uniting the Church on earth, in purgatory, and in glory.