If Jesus’ Resurrection taught us anything, it is that love transcends death.
Though death physically separates us from our loved ones, their memory and our love for them endure. As humans, we continuously find ways to honor the deceased long after they are gone.
Each year, the Catholic Church dedicates a special feast day to remember and pray for all the faithful departed. This is known as All Souls Day.
Below, we’ve highlighted a few of the most important things to know about All Souls Day and how you can honor your loved ones in a meaningful way on this sacred day.
What is All Souls Day?
The Catholic Church celebrates All Souls Day every year on November 2. On this day, the Church remembers and prays for the souls of the faithful departed, especially for those still undergoing purification in purgatory as they await their heavenly rewards.
This great feast reflects the doctrine that the actions of faithful believers on Earth can assist souls who died in a state of sin and remain in purgatory, helping them undergo purification.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven” (CCC 1030).
St. Odilo, the Abbot of Cluny, brought this tradition into the mainstream when he decreed that all Cluniac monasteries offer prayers for the dead and sing the Office of the Dead for the Holy Souls on November 2, the day after All Saints Day. Soon after, the Benedictines and Carthusians adopted the same practice, and the Church followed and began observing the Feast of All Souls on November 2.
Relationship Between All Souls Day and All Saints Day
All Souls Day follows All Saints Day, a feast and Holy Day of Obligation during which the Church celebrates all the faithful who share in the full glory of heaven. All Saints Day honors martyrs who gave their lives for Christ and all saints who may not have an official feast day throughout the year.
These two closely connected days remind us to be inspired by the saints and strive for sainthood. At the same time, they encourage us to trust in God’s abundant mercy and his great desire for us to be with him in eternity.
Why Catholics Celebrate All Souls Day
Catholic tradition encourages praying for the dead to help the souls of those who are still undergoing purification in purgatory. Praying for the dead is a powerful way to tangibly help those who have passed on. Just as we pray for the intentions of the living, we are called to consider the needs of the entirety of the Body of Christ—both the living and the dead.
How to Celebrate All Souls Day: Ways to Honor a Deceased Loved One
-
Visit a cemetery or the grave of a loved one.
One of the most personal ways to celebrate All Souls Day is by visiting the resting place of a loved one. This allows you to remember and honor their memory, share what you loved about them, and pray for them. -
Recite a Catholic prayer for the dead.
Reciting a prayer for the dead serves as a meaningful way to remember those who have gone before us. Consider offering this prayer for the deceased from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:
In your hands, O Lord,
we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters.
In this life you embraced them with your tender love;
deliver them now from every evil
and bid them eternal rest.
The old order has passed away:
welcome them into paradise,
where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain,
but fullness of peace and joy
with your Son and the Holy Spirit
forever and ever.
Amen. -
Attend All Souls Day Mass.
Attending Mass on All Souls Day “reunites” you with your departed loved ones, as the Church believes that the celebration of the Holy Mass encompasses both the Church on Earth and the Church in Heaven.
-
Offer a Mass intention for a loved one.
Offering a Mass intention is a beautiful way to honor a loved one’s memory and impart valuable graces on them even after death.
Choose to Honor Your Loved Ones on All Souls Day
This All Souls Day, honor your loved ones who have passed away by offering a Mass intention in their memory. As Divine Word Missionaries, we would be honored to remember your intentions on this feast day. Request a Mass for your departed loved one today!
