All Souls' Day
All Souls' Day, also called The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, is a day of prayer and remembrance for the faithful departed, observed by Christians on 2 November. Through prayer, intercessions, alms and visits to cemeteries, people commemorate the poor souls in purgatory and gain them indulgences.
| All Souls' Day | |
|---|---|
All Souls' Day by William-Adolphe Bouguereau | |
| Also called | Feast of All Souls; Defuncts' Day; Day of Remembrance; Commemoration of all the faithful departed |
| Observed by |
|
| Liturgical color | Black, where it is tradition (otherwise violet or purple) |
| Type | Christian |
| Significance | For the souls of all the faithful departed |
| Observances | Prayer for the departed, visits to cemeteries, decking of graves, special pastries and food |
| Date | 2 November |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | Saturday of Souls, Thursday of the Dead, Day of the Dead, Halloween, All Saints' Day, Samhain, Totensonntag, Blue Christmas |
In Western Christianity, including Roman Catholicism and certain parts of Lutheranism and Anglicanism, All Souls' Day is the third day of Allhallowtide, after All Saints' Day (1 November) and All Hallows' Eve (31 October). Before the standardization of Western Christian observance on 2 November by St. Odilo of Cluny in the 10th century, many Catholic congregations celebrated All Souls' Day on various dates during the Easter season as it is still observed in some Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Catholic and Eastern Lutheran churches. Churches of the East Syriac Rite (Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Chaldean Catholic Church, Assyrian Church of the East, Ancient Church of the East) commemorate all the faithful departed on the Friday before Lent.