One of the worst events that can happen in life is the death of a child. It is extremely difficult to survive such grief, maintaining faith in the Lord’s providence and not destroying your family. However, the Lord never sends people an excessive burden. Every test given to them, even as severe as the death of a child, is able to endure. But it’s a difficult time to live through, reconcile with the loss, not to be discouraged and not to lose faith in the Lord, prayer for the departed child helps.
How and where to pray?
Parents' prayers for deceased children, like any other, can be said in their own words. You can ask God for mercy for the soul of the deceased at any time of the day or night; the church does not impose any restrictions on the manifestation of grief.
But, although many prefer to remain alone with their grief, in the home walls, you need to find the strength to visit the temple and prayer in front of the icons. A special atmosphere reigns in the churches, this energy has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, it helps to calm and pacify. Praying in the church before the image, a person fills his heart with grace. Despair gives way to light sadness and eternal memory. In addition, in the temple you can always file a note asking for the remembrance of the deceased and put a candle in front of the image.
When is prayer necessary?
Of course, a prayer for the deceased children by their relatives is read daily, and sometimes several times a day. Each person turns to the Lord, asking him for mercy for the soul of the deceased with the frequency that his heart tells him.
However, in Orthodoxy there are traditions associated with the commemoration of the deceased. It is necessary to pray for the deceased child on the third, ninth and fortieth days after his death.
Who should I contact in prayer? How to pray for those who are not baptized?
Parents' prayers for deceased children are traditionally addressed to the Lord himself. Only God can ease the ordeal of the soul of the deceased and allow it to go to the kingdom of heaven. However, in addition to the Lord, motherly prayer can be addressed to the Virgin.
Our Lady is the patroness and heavenly patroness of all women who grieve over their late children. Prayer brings comfort to her and gives her strength to live on. A prayer is addressed to her for deceased children who did not accept the sacrament of baptism, for babies who died when they were born or who died before birth, in the womb. Although the church commemoration, as well as the funeral service for children who did not accept the sacrament of baptism, is not held. But nothing can stop parents from praying for them to the Almighty or the Mother of God.
A mother’s prayer for deceased children who were not baptized could be:
“Lord God, our Heavenly Father! Do not leave me thy servant (proper name) without your mercy! I ask you, God, for the soul of my child, whom you were called before the beginning of the earthly path. Have mercy, Lord, accept him into your kingdom and put on eternal joys. Amen"
How to pray for a dead son?
The death of the boy, especially the first-born, is invariably experienced more sharply than the death of his daughter. This is due to the fact that subconsciously it is the sons who are perceived as heirs, successors of the clan.
You can pray for the soul of a deceased son as follows:
“Lord Jesus, the Almighty is the Most Almighty!” Your craft is inscrutable, but you sent me a difficult test! Do not leave me, Lord, in a terrible grief, help me endure it. I pray you, God Almighty, not only about myself, but about the soul of my son, who was called by you. Take his soul into the host of angels, for it is sinless and pure. He had no ill intentions during his lifetime, he did not commit bad deeds. Have mercy, God Almighty, have sent consolation and accept the soul of my son in your kingdom, give him eternal joys! Amen"
Of course, prayer for the departed children brings relief to the parents. But not everyone finds strength for long prayers, not everyone comes to mind the right words. In this case, a short memorial prayer helps to cope with grief. It can be like this:
“Lord merciful! Remember the soul of your slave (the name of the child) who has died prematurely. Do not leave my son with your mercy, grant him eternal life in your kingdom! Amen"
How to pray for a dead daughter?
Of course, prayer for the deceased children, or rather its content, does not depend on the inconsolable parents asking the Lord for the soul of their son or daughter. However, it is often important for mothers and fathers to find in prayer books a text that mentions the gender of the child. The designation of this nuance in the finished text makes the prayer less impersonal, closer to the grieving people, as if expressing the terrible grief of loss they are experiencing.
Of course, you can avoid the search for the most perceived text by turning to the Almighty with a petition for mercy for the soul of the deceased child in his own words. All prayers were once composed by people, so it is not unusual to ask God the way you want, without resorting to ready-made options.
You can pray for the deceased daughter before the image of the Mother of God as follows:
“The Most Holy Theotokos, a comforter, filled with compassion! I ask you for intercession and help. Pray our Lord for mercy for the soul of my daughter (name of the child), called by him. Endowed her with the joys of the Kingdom of Heaven and deliverance from all sorrows and tribulations. Do not allow the abyss in eternal torment, but grant joys. I ask you, Mother of God, and for myself, a slave (proper name). Send me great comfort, die my sorrow and terrible longing. Do not let me be discouraged and strengthen my faith. Grant me strength and humility. Amen"