02/11/2016
All Souls Day is a holy day set aside for honoring the dead.
The day is primarily celebrated in the Catholic Church, but it
is also celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and a few
other denominations of Christianity. The Anglican church is
the largest protestant church to celebrate the holy day. Most
protestant denominations do not recognize the holiday and
disagree with the theology behind it.
According to Catholic belief, the soul of a person who dies
can go to one of three places. The first is heaven, where a
person who dies in a state of perfect grace and communion
with God goes. The second is hell, where those who die in a
state of mortal sin are naturally condemned by their choice.
The intermediate option is purgatory, which is thought to be
where most people, free of mortal sin, but still in a state of
lesser (venial) sin, must go.
Purgatory is necessary so that souls can be cleansed and
perfected before they enter into heaven. There is scriptural
basis for this belief. The primary reference is in 2
Maccabees, 12:26 and 12:32. "Turning to supplication, they
prayed that the sinful deed might be fully blotted out... Thus
made atonement for the dead that they might be free from
sin."
Additional references are found in Zechariah, Sirach, and
the Gospel of Matthew. Jewish tradition also reinforces this
belief as well as the tradition and teaching of the Church,
which has been affirmed throughout history.
Consistent with these teachings and traditions, Catholics
believe that through the prayers of the faithful on Earth, the
dead are cleansed of their sins so they may enter into
heaven.
The belief in purgatory has not been without controversy.
Certainly, some flagrant abuses of the doctrine were used to
raise money for the Church during the renaissance.
Famously, Martin Luther argued with the monk, Johan
Tetzel, over the sale of indulgences. Indulgences were sold
as spiritual pardons to the poor and applied to the souls of
the dead (or the living) to get people into heaven. The abuse
of indulgences and the blatant, sometimes fraudulent
practice of selling indulgences for money, led to Luther's
protest.
When Martin Luther translated the Bible into German, he
omitted the seven books of the canon which refer to prayers
for the dead. He then introduced the heretical belief that
people are simply saved, or not, and argued that there is no
need to pray for the dead to get them into heaven.
The Church reeled from Luther's accusation, and reformed
its practice of selling indulgences. However, it reemphasized
the Biblical and traditional practice of praying for the
departed and the importance of such prayers.
All Souls Day is celebrated in much of the western world on
November 2. Other rites have their own celebrations. The
Eastern Orthodox Church has several such days throughout
the year, mostly on Saturdays. All Souls Day is not a holy day
of obligation. It should not be confused with All Saints' Day,
which is a holy day of obligation.
Many cultures also mark the day differently. In North
America, Americans may say extra prayers or light candles
for the departed. In parts of Latin America, families visit the
graves of their ancestors and sometimes leave food
offerings for the departed. May the souls of all the fateful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen
