By Jacqueline Kelly.
As a man believes, so he lives.
As a man lives, so he dies.
As a man dies, so he stays.
Life is about the journey and not the destination. Death is a certainty, but most of us are caught unawares when faced with it. We have got to die because Adam, who was the first man, committed sin. [Romans 5:12] Our time of testing here on earth will end with death and a personal judgement for each of us. After that our soul will go to heaven, to purgatory or to hell. Death opens the door to Our Father’s home. Man’s greatest treasure and call is to make his soul reach the shores of eternal life.
And so, it is but fitting that Holy Mother Church makes it a point to draw our attention to the value in recalling our dear departed and praying for the repose of their souls. That she does by setting aside a day annually and even more importantly on November 2, All Souls Day. The date, which became practically universal by the end of the 13th century. Although All Soul’s Day is observed informally by some Protestants, it is primarily a Roman Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox holy day.
In 1049 a monk, Jotsaldus, began to write the life of Saint Odilo, Abbot of Cluny [962-1048]. He recounted the story behind the institution of All Souls Day.
“One day he [Odilo] told me, a monk from Rouergue was on his way back from Jerusalem. While on the high seas between Thessalonika and Sicily, he encountered rough winds which drove his ship onto a rocky islet inhabited by a hermit, a servant of God. When the monk saw the seas calm, he chatted about one thing and another with this hermit. The man of God asked the monk what nationality he was, and he answered that he was from Aquitaine. The man of God then asked if he knew a monastery, which bears the name of Cluny and its Abbot, Odilo. The Monk answered: I know him indeed I know him well, but I would like to know the reason for asking me this question. The other [the hermit] replied: “I am going to tell you, and I beg you to remember what you are about to hear. Not far from here there are places where by the manifest will of God, a blazing fire spits with the utmost violence. For a fixed length of time the souls of sinners are purged there in various torments.
‘I have often heard the lamentations of the devils who complain violently against the prayers and alms of the community of the monks of Cluny and his abbot, thanks to which many souls did not go to hell and have also their sufferings in Purgatory shortened. By God, I beg of you, therefore, if you have the good fortune to return to your home and family, to make known to this community what you have heard from my mouth, and to exhort the monks to multiply their prayers, vigils and alms for the repose of souls enduring punishment, in order that there might be more joy in Heaven and the devil maybe vanquished and thwarted”. Upon returning to his country, our man faithfully conveyed this message to the Holy Father abbot and the brothers [of Cluny]. When they heard him, the hearts of the brothers overflowed with joy and they gave thanks to God in prayer after prayer while heaping alms upon alms and working tirelessly that the dead might rest in peace. The holy abbot afterwards proposed to all the monasteries that the memory of all the faithful should be celebrated everywhere on the day after All Saints’ – the 1st of November- in order to secure the repose of souls in purgatory; and further masses with psalms and alms should be celebrated in public and in private, and that alms be distributed to all the poor. Thus, hard blows would be struck at the diabolical enemy and suffering Christians might cherish the hope of divine mercy” [De vitae et virtutibus S. Odilonis abbatis, liber secundus, Cap. XIII – de quadam vision cujusdam eremitae]
This day was to enable his monks to offer special prayers for the departed. This Cluniac practice gradually gained popularity and spread to parts of Europe and Latin America. The Council of Trent formally declared that the souls in Purgatory both need and benefit from the prayers and works of charity of all Christian believers as aids to eventually surmounting their spiritual separation from God. Catholic tradition holds that even though some who have died are presently in a state of suffering, they nevertheless experience consolation in knowing that they will in time, as a result of our prayers, be fully united with the Creator in His glory and happiness. It is important to note here that the Church has enriched with a Plenary Indulgence the custom of visiting the cemetery to pray for the deceased during the Octave lasting 1-8 November, and a Partial Indulgence on other days. Besides, on November 2, one Plenary Indulgence applicable to the dead can be gained under the usual conditions – visiting a Church/cemetery, receiving the sacraments, and praying for the Pope’s intentions.
The custom of celebrating and attending three Masses probably originated among the Spanish Dominicans in the 15th century. But it was Pope Benedict XV who, for the help of the innumerable dead in World War I by a decree dated August 10, 1915, granted each Priest the blessed privilege of celebrating three Masses on this day- one for his own intentions, another for the Souls in Purgatory and a third one for the intentions of the Holy Father. On this day, many indeed make it a point to attend three masses for the souls of their dear departed. This day, however, is a day of hope for the entire Church, focusing as it does on the fulness of the Paschal Mystery enveloping every believer in its redeeming embrace. Proof of this hope is clearly in evidence on the nights of November 1 & 2 when entire cemeteries are beautifully decorated with colorful flowers, candles, oil lamps and incense sticks. The little flames a sign of prayer and the flowers a sign of hope that the Lord will be merciful on judgment day both to those gone before us marked with the sign of Faith and to those of us yet to be called to our fate.
The Day of the Dead celebrations can be traced back to the various indigenous groups, such as the Aztecs and other pre-Hispanic civilizations, from as far back as 3000 years ago. Skulls were collected and used during rituals to symbolize death and rebirth. The skull, which symbolizes death and/or rebirth, is used for All Souls’ Day in many cultures. With regard to the Day of the Dead, elaborately decorated skulls, including those made of sugar candy and chocolate are made for the day. The Marigold is a traditional flower that is associated with the dead. Some say that the flower represents the rays of the Sun, which is linked with life, so the deceased have not lost their place in the universe. The raven and the crow have both been linked with death, although some say that the crow tends to be confused with the raven, which they claim is the true symbol associated with death.
In the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed that “the souls in purgatory could appear on this day as will-o’-the wisps, witches, toads, etc., to persons who had wronged them during their life” [New Catholic Encyclopaedia]. In our own time and day, there exists this notion that the souls are released from their bondage on the night of November 1 and roam around till the noon of November 2. From where these notions stem is not known but festive food and drink are found placed on graves, doorsteps or rooftops on the night of November 1 in anticipation of a nocturnal home-visit from the deceased.
Some believe that the origins of All Souls’ Day in European folklore and folk belief are related to customs of ancestor veneration practiced worldwide, through events such as the Chinese Ghost Festival, the Japanese Bon Festival or the Mexican Day of the Dead.
All Souls’ Day is also called as Day of the Dead. Another popular name is Feast of All Souls.
“It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins”. [2Mac 12:46]
PRAYER
[Recite this prayer 33 times on 2nd November before a Crucifix to free 33 souls from Purgatory.]
We honor Thee, O Precious Cross adorned with the Most Precious Limbs of Jesus, and colored with His Precious Blood. We adore Thee, O God raised up on the Holy Cross for love of us! Dear Jesus, we trust in Thee. AMEN.
[Composed by Pope Pius V in prison].