Memorial Day Novena with Prayers

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” (NRSVCE)

About the Novena for the Holy Military Souls in Purgatory

We honor the dead. We honor their memory and sacrifice. We honor them for the love they showed for their fellow Americans. What can we do to thank these souls for their service?

Together let’s pray a Rosary Novena for their heavenly homecoming. God alone knows who among these brave men and women are still waiting for complete union with Him in eternity. Our Lord is giving us a great opportunity this year to storm Heaven on their behalf, as they stormed beaches, deserts, and all manner of terrain on our behalf.

This year, Memorial Day is the Monday before the Feast of the Ascension, so we’ll be finished with our novena before the great Pentecost Novena begins, to pray once more for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Earth.

The Structure of this Rosary Novena

This Novena begins with a special prayer asking God to release the holy souls of our military into Heaven. Following that prayer, every day we will ask one of the nine choirs of angels, in ascending order, to assist our beloved dead on their journey, so that by the ninth day, the Seraphim are ushering the souls into God’s throne room. (God-willing, that’s the plan!)

With each decade of the rosary we will pray for a particular branch of service. Five branches, 5 decades. It works!!

The rest of the rosary will be prayed in the usual fashion. On Memorial Day, there will be a prayer of thanksgiving to God for hearing our prayers, and for His sovereignty and love for these dear souls.

Novena Calendar

We’ll follow the Novena Calendar below, with everyone praying the Rosary and the specified Angel intentions on the same day. If you find this novena in a future year, simply alter the dates to lead up to Memorial Day.

You may use the regular daily rotation of the Mysteries of the Rosary (Monday-Joyful, Tuesday and Friday-Sorrowful, Thursday-Luminous, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday-Glorious). If you prefer to pray the Suffering, Death and Resurrection Mysteries, then concentrate on the Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries for this novena. It will be fine.

(It is taken for granted that you know the structure of the Rosary. For instructions on how to pray the Rosary, scroll to the bottom of the home page of FreshRosary.com, and download a copy.)

May 18 – Guardian Angels and Angels

May 19 – Archangels

May 20 – Principalities

May 21 – Powers

May 22 – Virtues

May 23 – Thrones

May 24 – Dominions

May 25 – Cherubim

May 26 – Seraphim

May 27 – Memorial Day

First Mystery: Army

Second Mystery: Navy

Third Mystery: Air Force

Fourth Mystery: Marine Corps

Fifth Mystery: Coast Guard

Create a list here of souls you wish to remember in prayer: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Daily Novena Prayer
Recite this prayer as you begin your Rosary

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Heavenly Father, As Memorial Day approaches, our thoughts turn toward the many brave men and women of the Armed Forces who are now counted among the faithful dead, who gave of themselves to protect and serve the United States of America.

With this Rosary Novena, we ask you to look with mercy upon all Holy Souls in Purgatory, especially those military souls. We ask you to complete the work of their purification, that they may soon enjoy total union with You and with the Saints in Heaven. For there is no greater human love than to lay down one’s life for a friend, and there is no greater Heavenly Love than to be united with You, Triune God, Who are Love, and the Source of all Love, in time and in eternity.

We pray especially for the souls of (mention names here), that you will look kindly on the merits of their service “for God and country,” and that your mercy and justice would triumph, securing their purification and entrance into their Heavenly reward.

In praise and thanksgiving for your goodness and glory, we make this prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with You, in union with the Holy Spirit, reigns as King of the Universe, now and forever.

Amen.

Daily Intentions to the Nine Choirs of Angels

Day 1

Holy Angels and Guardian Angels, we ask you to shed your light upon the military souls in purgatory, and to recommend them to the care of the Archangels on their journey to God’s throne.

Day 2

Holy Archangels, we ask you to shed your light upon the military souls in purgatory, and to recommend them to the care of the Principalities on their journey to God’s throne.

Day 3

Holy Principalities, we ask you to shed your light upon the military souls in purgatory, and to recommend them to the care of the Powers on their journey to God’s throne.

Day 4

Holy Powers, we ask you to shed your light upon the military souls in purgatory, and to recommend them to the care of the Virtues on their journey to God’s throne.

Day 5

Holy Virtues, we ask you to shed your light upon the military souls in purgatory, and to recommend them to the care of the Dominions on their journey to God’s throne.

Day 6

Holy Dominions, we ask you to shed your light upon the military souls in purgatory, and to recommend them to the care of the Thrones, on their journey to God’s throne.

Day 7

Holy Thrones, we ask you to shed your light upon the military souls in purgatory, and to recommend them to the care of the Cherubim on their journey to God’s throne.

Day 8

Holy Cherubim, we ask you to shed your light upon the military souls in purgatory, and to recommend them to the care of the Seraphim on their journey to God’s throne.

Day 9

Holy Serpahim, you who constantly worship God, we ask you to usher into God’s throne room the purified souls of the military men and women who have completed their journey to God.

How to add the Daily Intentions:

Immediately after the Daily Novena Prayer, and before starting the Apostles’ Creed, pray the above prayers, one each day, according to the list on Page 1, and continue your rosary in the usual manner.

For example, Day 1: Pray the Daily Novena Prayer

Then pray the first Daily Intention: “Holy Angels and Guardian Angels, we ask you to shed your light upon the military souls in purgatory, and to recommend them to the care of the Archangels on their journey to God’s throne.” Days 2 through 9 continue in the same fashion, using the calendar on Page 2.

“I believe in God the Father Almighty… “Our Father, who art in Heaven… “Hail Mary, full of grace…(3 times) “Glory be to the Father…

Begin with the First Mystery, and announce the following: “With this decade, we remember the Holy Souls who served in the United States Army, especially those who have no one to pray for them.”

Begin each remaining mystery as follows:

The Second Mystery: With this decade, we remember the Holy Souls who served in the United States Navy, especially those who have no one to pray for them.

The Third Mystery: With this decade, we remember the Holy Souls who served in the United States Air Force, especially those who have no one to pray for them.

The Fourth Mystery: With this decade, we remember the Holy Souls who served in the United States Marine Corps, especially those who have no one to pray for them.

The Fifth Mystery: With this decade, we remember the Holy Souls who served in the United States Coast Guard, especially those who have no one to pray for them.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Blessed are You, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave his earthly life for us so that we may may have eternal life with You. We thank You for Jesus’ promise, that, “My Father who has given them to me is greater than all, and no one can snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:29) By this word we have confidence in Your power to save all souls, knowing that those for whom we prayed this novena are securely in your hand. We humbly ask for the grace of a sign that they are now united with you, Saints among the Saints in Heaven, enjoying this Memorial Day as the ultimate celebration, praising you in Heaven for all eternity. In Jesus’ Name, we give you our praise and thanks.

Amen.

If you have any questions about how to pray this novena, please contact me through this website and I’ll get back to you!