The Burial of the Dead — Opening Collect (for the mourners)
Most merciful God, whose wisdom is beyond our understanding: deal graciously with those who mourn [especially _________]. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss, but have confidence in your goodness, and strength to meet the days to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
This prayer appears in more than one place in the 2019 Book of Common Prayer.
Draft — AI-assisted research under editorial review.
A modern prayer for the bereaved, composed for the Episcopal Church's 1979 prayer book to comfort those who mourn, especially at the burial of a child. It asks God to surround the grieving with love and give them strength for the days ahead.