The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day)

Feast day: November 2

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day): the back of the card, with its short story, lesson and a QR code that opens it in the Catholic Information app. The full text is below.

Flip the card and scan the QR code on the back to open it in the app

The Church prays for the faithful departed, that they may soon see the face of God (02/11)

What is this feast?

On 2 November, the Church prays for the faithful who have died; Vietnamese Catholics usually call it the feast of the Holy Souls (Các Đẳng Linh Hồn). The day before, 1 November, the Church celebrates the Saints in heaven. Today, the Church remembers those who died in God’s friendship but still need to be purified, which is called purgatory, before they can see God (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 1030-1032). In Vietnam, the whole month of November is set aside to pray for the souls.

The story

Praying for the dead goes back to the Old Testament. The Second Book of Maccabees tells how Judas Maccabeus collected money and sent it to Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice of atonement for the soldiers who had fallen, so that they might be set free from their sin (cf. 2 Mc 12:43-46). Scripture calls this “a holy and pious thought” (2 Mc 12:45).

From the very first centuries, Christians prayed and offered Mass for those who had died. According to historical records, around the year 998, Saint Odilo, abbot of the monastery of Cluny in France, had his monasteries set aside 2 November to pray for the souls; little by little, the whole Latin Church came to keep this day.

The card shows a familiar scene in Vietnam: a grandmother and her grandchild kneeling at the grave of a loved one, the child holding a candle, the grandmother praying the Rosary, with a vase of chrysanthemums beside them. All over the cemetery, candles are glowing.

Why does the Church celebrate this feast?

Because we believe in the communion of saints: those still living, those being purified and the saints in heaven are one family in Christ. Our prayers, and above all the Mass, help the souls to come soon to see the face of God. This day also reminds you that death is not the end, because Jesus has risen, and he promises life to those who believe in him.

A lesson for you

Pray for your grandparents, parents, teachers and friends who have died, especially in November.
When you visit a cemetery, keep quiet, light a candle and pray from your heart.
With your family, you can ask for a Mass to be offered for those who have died, or offer one good deed each day for the souls.

Identifying marks

A grandmother and her grandchild kneeling by a white grave with a cross: the living stay united with the dead in Christ; love does not stop at the grave.
A Rosary in the grandmother’s hands: prayer is a precious gift we send to the souls.
A lit candle in the child’s hand and candles on all the graves: the candle recalls the risen Jesus and the hope he gives us; the whole parish prays together.
A vase of yellow and white chrysanthemums by the grave: a sign of gratitude for the grandparents and parents who gave us life and raised us.
Light breaking through the evening clouds: the hope that the souls will be purified and come into everlasting light.

The text on this page is the card in the Catholic Information app, word for word.