All Saints Day was instituted to honour all the saints, known and unknown, and, according to Pope Urban IV(c.1195-1264), to make up for any deficiencies in the faithful’s celebration of saints’ feast days during the year.

All Souls Day commemorates the faithful   departed, those baptized Christians believed to be in purgatory. Purgatory is ‘the state of those who die in God’s friendship, assured of their eternal salvation, but who still have need of purification to enter into the happiness of heaven’. The day purposely follows All Saints Day in order to shift the focus from those in heaven to those in purgatory.

It is good to know that a plenary indulgence may be gained for the dead, once only, by visiting a church on Wednesday 2nd November and praying the Lord’s Prayer and the Creed. Three conditions are required  for gaining the indulgence: sacramental confession (if you need to reconciled with God), Holy Communion and prayer for the Pope’s intentions. We encourage you to visit cemetery too.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let  perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen.