by Merlyn MacLeod
All Souls’ Day is Sunday, November 2nd. Beginning in 998, it was the day the ancient church set aside to pray for the dead — not just for your relatives, but for anyone you loved.
In medieval England, children and the poor went “a-souling” on All Souls Day; going door to door, they begged for soul cakes, each one marked with a cross. If you received one, you were supposed to pray for the dead, to help shorten his or her time in Purgatory. Bells were rung and candles were lit to comfort dead souls languishing in darkness.
The tradition is still alive today as the Catholic church celebrates All Souls’ Day (Commemoration of the Faithful Departed). Candles are lit, special masses are said, and prayers are offered for the souls of the faithful departed, to assist them on their journey from Purgatory to Heaven.
Whether or not you’re Catholic, you can visit any local parish church this week and add the names of those you love who have passed on to the parish’s list of souls, and they will be prayed for on All Souls’ Day. If you’re a more private person, you might light a candle and offer a prayer in private.
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