History, importance of All Souls Day

Speaking about his deceased friend Onesiphorus, Saint Paul in 2 Timothy 1:16-18, expresses gratitude for Onesiphorus's loyalty while imprisoned in Rome and prays that he will receive mercy from the Lord on the Day of Judgment. The prayer and the mention of his “household” imply that Onesiphorus was dead when Paul wrote the letter, leading to the conclusion Paul was praying for his dead friend.

That’s what Catholics do, particularly on All Souls Day – Nov. 2 – a holy day set aside for honoring the dead, first celebrated in 993 AD in Cluny, France, with prayers dedicated to all the dead, particularly those in purgatory. All Souls Day follows All Saints Day on Nov. 1.

For non-Catholics, days like All Souls Day and the idea of purgatory and praying for the dead can be divisive. Catholics, however, can point to some biblical references from the Old Testament and New Testament.

Saint Paul emphasizes holding fast to the authentic teachings passed down from the apostles, both through their oral preaching and written letters (2 Thessalonians 2:15). These apostolic traditions, guided by the Holy Spirit, provide guidance and endurance against error. This concept of tradition is about the divine message entrusted to the apostles and to be preserved by the Church.  

Although praying for the dead can be traced back to the apostolic days, it wasn’t until the eighth century when Pope Gregory formally declared All Saints Day and the following day All Souls Day. 

“We should always remember how important this day is,” said Father Zachary Boazman, director of the Secretariat for Divine Worship and Episcopal Master of Ceremonies. “The upcoming date even supersedes the Sunday liturgy this year on Nov. 2.

“In 1915, Pope Benedict XV encouraged all priests to celebrate three Masses on All Souls Day, with the intention of one for a particular person who has died, a second for all the deceased, and a third for the Holy Father. The following week after All Souls’ Day gives Catholics an opportunity to earn indulgences by visiting a cemetery.”

As for purgatory, Father Boazman further explained: “Due to the ancient penitential system, many people thought of purgatory in the same sense of earthly time; however, through the revision of the Enchiridion of Indulgences in 1968, there has been a reemphasis on purgatory as a place of purification to meet our Lord and Savior.

“One of the best ways to follow our Lord’s admonition in Matthew 25, ‘whatever you did to the least of my brothers and sisters, you did to me,’ is to help bury the dead and support the bereaved.”  

Branden Seid, executive director of Resurrection Memorial Cemetery for the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, offers more on All Souls Day.

“As Catholics, we are taught the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,” Seid said. “For the deceased, the consecrated ground of the Catholic grave site is a continuation in the Catholic Church. The cemetery with perpetual care is a wonderful and sacred place for family pilgrimage, a place to pay respect to members of their families.”

There are approximately 21,000 people buried at Resurrection Memorial Cemetery. On All Souls Day, a Mass for unclaimed homeless individuals is celebrated at the cemetery at Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel with Archbishop Coakley.

“Once the Mass is completed,” Seid said, “we entomb those unclaimed homeless individuals into one of our crypts. This event is in partnership with Sister Barbara Joseph of Sister BJ’s Pantry. This year I will be at the Night of the Dead in Pátzcuaro, Mexico experiencing Dia De Muertos.”  

In Mexico and Central America, Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a joyful occasion. This comes from the ancient Mesoamericans, who believed that death was part of the journey of life. It's a true celebration of life, marked by traditional attire and makeup, festive foods, parades, humor and decorative tributes to the dead.  

Deacon Juan Jimenez of Saint Mary Catholic Church in Ardmore, fondly remembers his youth and family celebrations of Dia de Muertos.  

“It required advanced preparation, months in advance, since the flowers that will be used for the altar have to be planted,” he said. “Clean the house very well, as if you were expecting a visitor. One of the things that was part of my job from a very young age was to have enough firewood to cook. All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day were days of observance; people did not work; they dedicated themselves to being at home.”

One of the most frequent visitors to Blessed Stanley Rother’s parish in Guatemala was Doctor John and Mrs. Mary Garber of Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Ada.  They made three to four missionary trips per year at their own expense.  

“To really grasp what All Souls Day is all about, you need to visit Blessed Stanley’s parish in Guatemala during All Souls Day,” John Garber said. “You will see joy, the all-night prayer vigils, singing, the parades, the decorating of the grave markers, foods, the tributes to the deceased.

“You can see why Blessed Stanley never feared death.”  

Charles Albert is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.


Photo: (Above) Fr. Christopher Hai Tran, pastor and rector of the National Shrine of the Infant Jesus, celebrated an All Souls’ Day Mass in 2024 at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery in Prague. Photo provided.

Sr. Barbara Joseph held a thurible at Resurrection Memorial Cemetery in Oklahoma City after a Mass for unclaimed homeless individuals in 2022. Photo Avery Holt/Archdiocese of Oklahoma City.