The month of All Souls begins with the Solemnity of All Saints. Immediately following this, Muslims celebrate Masses for the faithful departed in purgatory.

Prayers for the dead have their origins in the Old Testament: “ Judas collected a sum of about two thousand drachmas and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering; this was a very good and noble act, because he thought that the dead would rise again. Indeed, if he had not hoped that the fallen soldiers would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But since he had in mind the very good reward of those who had fallen in godly spirit, this was a holy and pious thought. That is why he came and offered a sin offering for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sins ” (2 Macc 12:43-46).

According to the Lectionary of St. Andrew, All Souls’ Day was celebrated by the Eastern Church as early as the eighth century, on the Saturday before Lent.

The Church has prayed for the faithful departed since the early centuries. Saint Augustine (354-430) said: “ If we had no concern for the dead, we would not have the habit of praying for them .” Later, Saint Odilo (962-1048), Abbot of Cluny (which was then part of the German Empire) had the initiative to celebrate All Souls’ Day on November 2nd and celebrated it first in his Cluny Abbey in 998 (some books say 1030). Later, All Souls’ Day was spread to France; and by the middle of the 10th century, Pope John XIV had established All Souls’ Day in the Roman Church.

In the Western church, the prayer for the souls begins from

By the eighth century, the feast of All Souls began in monasteries, most commonly in the tenth century around 998, during the time of St. Odilo, the Benedictine abbot of Cluny, France. During this time, he set aside November 2 to pray for All Souls every year, and this feast spread to other monasteries.

Pope Benedict XV allowed all priests to celebrate three masses on this day:

* One for the souls of the departed
* One for the intention of the Pope
* One for the intention of the priest himself
If it falls on a Sunday, the feast day will be postponed to November 3.

In the 14th century, the Roman Catholic Church recognized and celebrated this feast until today.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “ The souls in purgatory are those who have died in God’s grace and friendship, but who are temporarily detained in purgatory because of venial sins and because they have not yet expiated the punishment for sins already forgiven. They undergo purification after death, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. They are the object of prayers for the faithful, especially the Masses offered for them ” (cf. CCC 1030).

Based on Sacred Scripture (1 Cor 3:15; 1 Pt 1:7), the tradition of the Church speaks of a purifying fire: “ For certain venial sins, we must believe in a purifying fire before the day of judgment, according to what the Truth itself teaches when it says that if anyone speaks a blasphemous word against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven either in this age or in the age to come” (cf. Mt 12:32). According to this statement, we can understand that some sins can be forgiven in this age, but others in the age to come ” (St. Gregory the Great, Dial. 4:39) (CCC 1031).

The Church calls purgatory the final purification of the elect, quite distinct from the punishment of the damned. The Church has expounded the doctrine of faith on purgatory, especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. When we offer Mass for the dead, we have an opportunity to.

First: Proclaim belief in resurrection and eternal life: If one does not believe in life hereafter, no one will pray for souls.

Second: To profess faith in the mystery of the communion of saints, that is, “communion among saints”. The pilgrim Church on earth and the Church being purified in purgatory, as well as the triumphant Church in heaven, can communicate merits to each other.

Third: Proclaim faith in God who is rich in mercy. At the same time, express filial piety, gratitude and remembrance for those who have gone before us and are resting in peace.

We are also more aware of the transient nature of human life in this life. In addition, it also helps us to live more consciously of the transient nature of human life so that we know how to seek the truth of God. Through this, we can see that the Mass for the Dead is not only a mass for the dead, only remembering the deceased, but also a mass for the living, those who are on the way to enter the glorious light of God.

Lord, may the souls rest in peace, always seeing the face of God shining with infinite joy. Amen.

Father Anton Nguyen Van Do