The Burial of the Dead — Blessing of the Grave
O God, whose blessed Son was laid in a tomb in the garden: Bless, we pray, this grave, set apart for the repose of your servant N., that he whose body is buried here may rest from his labors in peace and quietness, until the resurrection on the last day, when the New Jerusalem comes down, the dead are raised, and the righteous are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Draft — AI-assisted research under editorial review.
A prayer for blessing a grave outside consecrated ground, first appearing in the 1979 Episcopal prayer book and significantly expanded in the 2019 ACNA revision with scriptural imagery of the resurrection and the marriage supper of the Lamb.