All Souls’ Day is a day we stop to remember those who have died, especially deceased friends and relatives. On this day, you may offer up prayers for your loved ones, and visit their grave. Catholics can also attend a Requiem mass, a special mass given for the dead.
All Souls’ Day is also known as Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, Day of the Dead and the Feast of All Souls.
* All Souls’ Day Message *
Receive a message from your loved one or friend on this day.
When is All Souls Day Celebrated?
All Souls’ Day is observed by Catholics and other Christian denominations on 2 November, every year.
What is All Souls’ Day?
All Souls’ Day, in Roman Catholicism, is a day to commemorate the faithful departed. The faithful refers to Christians who have been baptized. It is a day dedicated to the faithful who have died, but have not yet been allowed into heaven. People who are ‘waiting’ for entry to Heaven are said to be in purgatory.
If you pray for a loved one on All Souls’ Day, it is meant to help cleanse their soul. This supposedly make it easier for them to pass into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Priests who celebrate Requiem mass, on this day, often wear black to signify mourning, violet to symbolize penance and white to symbolize the hope of resurrection.
Is All Souls’ a sad day? Perhaps, in one way, as you are remembering people who are no longer with you. But at the same time, you are celebrating their life and saying: I look forward to seeing you again one day.
Purgatory
According to Catholicism, when we die, our soul can go to one of three places. The first is Heaven, where a person who dies without sin can go. The second place is hell, and this where those who have committed mortal sins are condemned forever. The third, and intermediate place, is purgatory. This is where most people are thought to be sent initially, to wait until their soul is cleansed.
How This Day Connects to Halloween
All Souls’ is connected to paganism and falls on Halloween. Ancient Celts celebrated Samhain, or what we now know as Halloween on 31 October. Samhain marked the beginning of winter and at some stage Celts made the connection between winter, life and death. The eve of Samhain was a time when the souls of the dead were allowed to return to their earthly homes for an evening.
Sometimes the spirits of those you once harmed, could return to you on this eve as a goblin, ghost, elf or witch to harm you. People extinguished the fires in their homes to ward off evil for the night. The druids burnt sacrifices, including human sacrifices, and examined the remains to predict fortunes for the year ahead.
What is The Difference Between All Souls Day and All Saints Day?
All Saints’ Day is celebrated on 1 November, the day before All Souls’ Day. The first is to celebrate the Saints who have walked the earth, and the second is to commemorate those who have passed within the faith.
What is The Tradition of All Souls’ Day?
How is this day celebrated, and what is the tradition? It is often celebrated with candle vigils, and the decoration of graves with crosses and mementoes. Some people also like to sprinkle holy water over the grave of their loved one.
In Mexico, on the morning of All Soul’s, relatives leave flower wreathes, garlands and crosses of paper flowers on the graves of deceased relatives. Some families spend the day at the cemetery, and the priest will visit the cemetery to celebrate and offer prayers for the dead.
Food on All Souls’ Day
In the Middle Ages, superstitious belief, influenced from Celtic paganism, held that the
souls in purgatory appeared on All Souls Day as ghosts, witches and toads to avenge persons who committed wrongs against them during their lives on earth. For this reason, some groups started cooking food offerings in order appease the spirits on this day.
Typically, All Souls’ Day food packs lots of sugar, as a ‘sweet’ offering. These include cakes, cookies and any other baked goods or candies. If you want to ‘ward off evil’ or celebrate the lives of loved ones who have passed over, then treat yourself to something sweet on All Souls’ Day and say the prayer below.
All Souls’ Day Prayer
Here is a prayer to say on All Souls’ Day for your loved one:
I pray for my friends and relatives who have died,
May God lead them to the joy of Heaven,
And may He send us His comfort and peace.
I pray to the Lord, Lord hear my prayer.
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Karina, author of Tarot in 5 Minutes.
