S
SHJIHM
Guest
On one Orthodox website I found what appears to be a fairly long set of prayers for the dead. The title is: Akathist for the Repose of Those Who Have Fallen Asleep. Apparently these prayers are said in order to ask God to lesson the torment of those there. Does the Roman Catholic Church have a similiar liturgy or set of prayers for those in Hell. I am not spekaing about having souls released as I know this is impossible.
I will quote those prayers that specifically refer to Hell.
(1) Kontakion 2: Enlightened by the Most High, Saint Macarius heard a voice from a pagan skull, “when you pray for those suffering in Hell, there is relief for the heathen”. O, wonderful power of a Christian prayer, by which even the infernal regions are illuminated. Both believers and unbelievers receive comfort when we cry for the whole world: ALLELULIA!
(2) Ikos 5: (This does not refer to Hell, but I am thowing it in for VERY APPARENT REASONS. I will capitalize said sections!) O Father of all consolation and comfort, thou brightenest with the sun, delightest with fruits, and gladdenest with the beauty of the world both thy friends and enemies. And we believe that even beyond the grave Thy loving kindness, which is merciful even to all rejected sinners, does not fail. We grieve for hardened and wicked blasphemers of Thy holiness. May thy saving and gracious will be over them. FORGIVE O LORD THOSE WHO HAVE DIED WITHOUT REPENTANCE. SAVE THOSE WHO HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE IN THE DARKNESS OF THEIR MIND, THAT THE FLAME OF THEIR SINFULNESS MAY BE EXTINGUISHED IN THE OCEAN OF THY GRACE. O, Lord, of unutterable love, remember thy servants who have fallen asleep.
(3) Kontakion 6: Terrible is the darkness of a soul separated from God, the torments of conscience, the gnashing of teeth, the unquenchable fire and the undying worm. I tremble at the thought of such a fate, and I pray for those suffering in Hell as for myself. May our song descend upon them as refreshing dew as we sing: ALLELUIA.
(4) Okos 6: Thy light, O Christ, our God, has shone upon those sitting in the darkness and shadow of death and those in Hell who cannot cry to Thee. Descend into the infernal regions of the Earth, O Lord, and bring out into the joy of grace Thy children who have been separated by sin, but have not rejected Thee. For they suffer cruelly. Have mercy upon them. For they sinned against Heaven and before Thee, and their sins are infinitely grevious, and Thy mercy is infinite. Visit the bitter misery of souls separated from Thee. Have mercy, O Lord, on those who hated the truth out of ignorance. May thy love be to them not a consuming fire, but the coolness of Paradise. O, Lord of unutterable love, remember thy servants who have fallen asleep.
(5) The final long prayer is actually entitled, Prayer for Those Who Have Fallen Asleep. It is quite long, so I will only quote sections that seem to address the issue in this thread: "Give rest, O Lord, to the souls of … all who died suddenly without repentance and had no time to be reconciled with the Church and with their enemies; and all who took their lives in a moment of mental imbalance… and all who died without a Christian burial.
I will quote those prayers that specifically refer to Hell.
(1) Kontakion 2: Enlightened by the Most High, Saint Macarius heard a voice from a pagan skull, “when you pray for those suffering in Hell, there is relief for the heathen”. O, wonderful power of a Christian prayer, by which even the infernal regions are illuminated. Both believers and unbelievers receive comfort when we cry for the whole world: ALLELULIA!
(2) Ikos 5: (This does not refer to Hell, but I am thowing it in for VERY APPARENT REASONS. I will capitalize said sections!) O Father of all consolation and comfort, thou brightenest with the sun, delightest with fruits, and gladdenest with the beauty of the world both thy friends and enemies. And we believe that even beyond the grave Thy loving kindness, which is merciful even to all rejected sinners, does not fail. We grieve for hardened and wicked blasphemers of Thy holiness. May thy saving and gracious will be over them. FORGIVE O LORD THOSE WHO HAVE DIED WITHOUT REPENTANCE. SAVE THOSE WHO HAVE COMMITTED SUICIDE IN THE DARKNESS OF THEIR MIND, THAT THE FLAME OF THEIR SINFULNESS MAY BE EXTINGUISHED IN THE OCEAN OF THY GRACE. O, Lord, of unutterable love, remember thy servants who have fallen asleep.
(3) Kontakion 6: Terrible is the darkness of a soul separated from God, the torments of conscience, the gnashing of teeth, the unquenchable fire and the undying worm. I tremble at the thought of such a fate, and I pray for those suffering in Hell as for myself. May our song descend upon them as refreshing dew as we sing: ALLELUIA.
(4) Okos 6: Thy light, O Christ, our God, has shone upon those sitting in the darkness and shadow of death and those in Hell who cannot cry to Thee. Descend into the infernal regions of the Earth, O Lord, and bring out into the joy of grace Thy children who have been separated by sin, but have not rejected Thee. For they suffer cruelly. Have mercy upon them. For they sinned against Heaven and before Thee, and their sins are infinitely grevious, and Thy mercy is infinite. Visit the bitter misery of souls separated from Thee. Have mercy, O Lord, on those who hated the truth out of ignorance. May thy love be to them not a consuming fire, but the coolness of Paradise. O, Lord of unutterable love, remember thy servants who have fallen asleep.
(5) The final long prayer is actually entitled, Prayer for Those Who Have Fallen Asleep. It is quite long, so I will only quote sections that seem to address the issue in this thread: "Give rest, O Lord, to the souls of … all who died suddenly without repentance and had no time to be reconciled with the Church and with their enemies; and all who took their lives in a moment of mental imbalance… and all who died without a Christian burial.