All Souls Day (November 2)

All Souls Day is a primarily Western Christian day of remembrance of all people who have died in the faith. It is primarily observed by Roman Catholics but is carried on the liturgical calendar by Anglicans and a few other Protestant groups, though its meaning radically changes in those cases. Anglicans and Lutherans generally call it the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed.

Roman Catholic perspectives on the day are somewhat tied to their peculiar understanding of the afterlife. It is believed that most Christians upon death move on to a place/state called purgatory, in which they go through a further process of punishment and purification in order to attain the sanctified state that would allow them to enter heaven (the presence of God). It is generally felt that prayer and participation in the Eucharist by those still in this life may significantly assist them in completing their time in purgatory. While anyone may engage in those activities at any time, All Souls Day has been set aside especially to assist those in purgatory.

The practice seems to have arisen in the ninth century among some monastic orders, as they began to remember the deceased members of their communities. It later spread more generally.

Among the more interesting variations of the Catholic All Souls celebration is the Day of the Dead celebration (Dı´a de los Muertos), held throughout Latin America and those of South and Central American heritage residing in North America. Believers create private altars honoring the deceased upon which one places a skull made of sugar, flowers (preferably marigolds), and an array of foods for the consumption of the deceased. The altar with the items on it is taken to the cemetery as gifts for those in the family who have died. As most North Americans do not celebrate All Souls Day, they frequently confuse the Day of the Dead with Halloween (October 31).

Protestants jettisoned belief in purgatory in the 16th century. For the few who retained All Souls Day on their calendar, it became a time to recall those whose memory was still alive in the life of the present community and to celebrate the lives and faithfulness of the mass of church members. It was also a time for church members to remember those of their own family and friends who had died.

Most Protestants do not celebrate All Souls Day. Part of the rationale for dropping it has been their understanding of “saint” as a term to describe all church members, both those who have become exemplars of the faith and those less accomplished in demonstrating the Christian life. It is the Protestant belief that even the most saintly stand in need of God’s grace to sanctify them, and in and of themselves neither possess nor demonstrate any special merit.

Eastern Orthodox Christians also do not celebrate All Souls Day. Rather, at several points through the year, they have designated special days to remember the departed. These days usually occur on Saturday, in remembrance of Christ’s day in the tomb. The Saturdays immediately before the beginning of Lent and Pentecost are most notably used to remember the deceased.

References
Marchi, Regina M. Day of the Dead in the USA: The Migration and Transformation of a Cultural Phenomenon. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2009. Pfatteicher, Philip H. New Book of Festivals and Commemorations: A Proposed Common Calendar of Saints. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2008. Wright, N. T. For All the Saints? Remembering the Christian Departed. Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse Publishing, 2004.

All Souls Day (November 2) 2019-11-07T01:00:00-08:00 Rating: 4.5 Diposkan Oleh: mc