Reflecting on All Souls Day

All Souls Day is a date that is observed by the Western Christian Community to honour family and friends that have passed away. It is a time of reflection and remembering loved ones that are no longer with us. This date is celebrated across the world with different traditions and rituals that make this is a sacred and honoured day.

History and Significance

According to the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, the history of All Souls day can be traced '...back to the early Church, when communities would gather and celebrate the anniversary of the martyr’s death.'* The persecution under the emperor Diocletian at the beginning of the 4th Century, there were so many martyrs that a separate day could not be assigned to each saint, so the Church established a common feast day for all the martyrs.†

Although days existed to remember loved ones, it was Odili, Abbot of Cluny (France), who designated a specific day for remembering and praying for those in the process of purification in 998AD to follow All Saints Day.‡

Traditions and Rituals

As Catholisim spread around the world, the traditions and rituals surrounding this sacred day changes based on where it is celebrated. For example:

• In Mexico, el Día de los Muertos incorporates indigenous Mexican culture with Catholicism. Families create altars in the home or at the cemetery with flowers and food as a way to honour their passed loved ones. There is also a carnival where people dress in costumes and paint their faces. In fact, el Día de los Muertos is such a significant event that it is protected by UNESCO as part of the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
• In Northern and Eastern Europe, families gather at the cemetery at night and place candles on the graves. In Poland, All Souls Day, also known as Zaduszki, families come to the cemeteries and light candles at the grave. This custom came about to be as it was though that the departed souls needed light to find their way home through the darkness.§
• Attending special Mass services dedicated to remembering and honouring those that have passed away.
• Gathering with family sharing meals together and remembering loved ones that have passed.

References

* 'Celebrating All Saints' Day and All Souls’ Day', Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne

† Ibid

‡'All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day', BBC

§ 'Zaduszki: the Most Mystical Night of the Year', by Staś Kmieć, Polish American Journal