Why you should visit a cemetery this week

“An indulgence, applicable only to the Souls in Purgatory, is granted to the faithful, who devoutly visit a cemetery and pray, even if only mentally, for the departed.

The indulgence is plenary each day from the 1st to the 8th of November; on other days of the year it is partial.”

There are two types of indulgence:

Plenary (removes all temporal punishment) and partial (removes some punishment).

A partial indulgence can be for a specific number of days or years.

Catholics believe that when a person sins, they have two punishments to suffer – eternal (Hell) and temporal (punishment by suffering on earth or in Purgatory). Indulgences are special actions that a person can perform in order to reduce or remove the temporal punishment they are owed. The idea behind it is that certain acts of holiness can take the place of punishment. Indulgences must be declared by the Pope.

Order For Visiting A Cemetery - iBreviary

PROCESSION

GREETING

READING

LITANY OF THE SAINTS

PRAYER

CONCLUDING RITE

Prayer For One Person When Visiting A Cemetery

Almighty God and Father,

it is our certain faith that your Son,

who died on the cross,

was raised from the dead,

the first fruits of all who have fallen asleep.

Grant that through this mystery your servant (Name),

who has gone to his/her rest in Christ,

may share in the joy of his resurrection.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Blessing Of A Gravestone or Monument

O God,

by whose mercy the faithful departed find rest,

bless this gravestone

with which we mark the resting place of (Name).

May he/she have everlasting life 

and rejoice in You with Your saints forever.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

(Holy Water is then sprinkled on the gravestone.)