Celebrating Life and death

The spiritual power of candles comes to light on All Saint’s Day. Cemetries are transformed to light and love!

ALL SAINTS' DAY, 1 November

Visiting graves

Celebrating the dead is not complete unless you visit the grave(s) of your loved one(s) to place flowers and candles. Cemeteries transform into parks with flowers and candles. This is quite something to experience.

All Saints' Day is a celebration of all Christian saints, particularly those who have no special feast days of their own, in many Roman Catholic, Anglican and Protestant churches. In many western churches it is annually held November 1 and in many eastern churches it is celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost. It is also known as All Hallows Tide, All-Hallomas, or All Hallows' Day.

TimeandDate.com

Other countries that celebrate All Saint’s Day

Mexico is not the only country that celebrates the Day of the Dead. For example, Columbia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, and Venezuela also welcome back their deceased loved ones. Perhaps not as colorful, and festive.

All Saints’ Day is also celebrated in many parts of Europe, such as in Hungary. All Saint’s Day is a national holiday in many countries.

The festivities are nowhere near the equivalent of the festive celebrations of the Day of the Dead in Mexico. However, it remains a spiritual time for families to get together and reflect.

Today we celebrate the solemnity of All Saints. This invites us to turn our gaze to the immense multitude of those who have already reached the blessed land and points us on the path that will lead us to that destination.

Pope John Paul II, All Saints' Day 2003 Tweet

ALL SOULS' DAY, 2 November

All Souls' Day is marked on 2nd November (or the 3rd if the 2nd is a Sunday), directly following All Saints' Day, and is an opportunity for Roman Catholics and Anglo-Catholic churches to commemorate the faithful departed. They remember and pray for the souls of people who are in Purgatory - the place (or state) in which those who have died atone for their less grave sins before being granted the vision of God in Heaven (called Beatific vision).

bbc.co.uk

It is believed that when a soul leaves the body, the soul is not completely clean from minor sins. However, through powerful prayers, the loved ones that were left behind on earth can help these souls the Beatific Vision they seek. And in doing so, bringing the soul eternal sublime happiness.

For the souls in purgatory, waiting for eternal happiness and for meeting the Beloved is a source of suffering, because of the punishment due to sin which separates them from God. But there is also the certitude that once the time of purification is over, the souls will go to meet the One it desires.

Letter of Pope John Paul II for Millennium of All Souls' Day Tweet