R.I.P. - a prayer for the dead?

[JurisPrudens]

I suddenly thought of this. The gravestones at Protestant cemeteries often contain the R.I.P. acronym. But I wonder, isn’t “Rest in Peace” frase a “prayer for the dead” in some sense?

 

[Wannano]

I suddenly thought of this. The gravestones at Protestant cemeteries often contain the R.I.P. acronym. But I wonder, isn’t “Rest in Peace” frase a “prayer for the dead” in some sense?

 

[Wannano]

I suddenly thought of this. The gravestones at Protestant cemeteries often contain the R.I.P. acronym. But I wonder, isn’t “Rest in Peace” frase a “prayer for the dead” in some sense?

Yes in some sense as in nonsense.

 

[TimothyH]

Maybe it isn’t a prayer but just a “sentiment”.

I had a friend say, “I’ll keep your daughter in my heart.” It was really nice of him to say but I had no idea what it meant or what good it would do.

-Tim-

 

[ComplineSanFran]

A sentiment, yes, perhaps. A hope. I’m sure it came from early times when it was a prayer, but these days it’s just what one writes.

 

[RPRPsych]

True. The origin of the phrase is probably from the “may his/her soul rest in peace” prayer, but it’s probably not understood that way; it’s probably a hope, as Tim said. Besides, even in Protestant soteriology, we can’t say for sure if someone is saved or not (“last minute repentance” is always possible!), so it’s a founded hope.

 

[detoutcoeur]

I suddenly thought of this. The gravestones at Protestant cemeteries often contain the R.I.P. acronym. But I wonder, isn’t “Rest in Peace” phrase a “prayer for the dead” in some sense?

Yes! It’s the English translation of Requiscat in pacem, meaning “May he/she rest in peace” (or in the plural, Requiscant in pacem:“May they rest in peace”).

preces-latinae.org/thesaurus/Varia/Requiem.html

Here it is in the prayer for the repose of the soul of someone who has died, from the Requiem Mass:
+*
Réquiem æternam dona ei, Dómine, **et lux perpétua lúceat ei. Anima eius, et ánimæ

ómnium fidélium defunctórum, per misericórdiam Dei requiéscant in pace. Amen.*

• Eternal rest grant unto him/her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him/her.*
• May his/her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.*

 

[PJM]

I suddenly thought of this. The gravestones at Protestant cemeteries often contain the R.I.P. acronym. But I wonder, isn’t “Rest in Peace” frase a “prayer for the dead” in some sense?

Precisely!