Editor,
All Saints’ Day, celebrated on November 1, is a joyous Christian festival commemorating all the saints in heaven, while All Souls’ Day on November 2 is a solemn day of prayer and remembrance for the faithful departed, particularly those in purgatory.
In Roman Catholicism, All Souls’ Day is a day for commemoration of all the faithful departed, those baptised Christians who are believed to be in purgatory because they died with the guilt of lesser sins on their souls. Both All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are a part of the “Day of the Dead” observance, which encourages reflecting on lives, death, and the community of the church.
November is a month dedicated to honouring the Holy Souls in purgatory. During this time, the Church remembers and prays for all the faithful departed who have not yet entered the joy of heaven. St. Paul reminds us to be hopeful and not sorrowful about the dead, for Christ will come again, and those in Christ will rise. Praying for the souls in purgatory has been a longstanding tradition, rooted in the belief that such prayers and alms can help cleanse their souls from sin, allowing them to enter heaven. A soul stained by sin cannot enter into eternal life, underscoring the importance of prayer and devotion for the departed.
Jubel D’Cruz
Mumbai
Via e-mail
