All Soul’s Day is a day earmarked for honoring the dead. The day has been mainly celebrated in the Catholic Church, but it is also celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and a few other denominations of Christianity. The Anglican Church is the largest protestant church to celebrate the holy day. Most protestant denominations do not recognize this day and disagree with the theology behind it.
According to Catholic belief, the soul of the dead can go to either one of these three places. The first is heaven, where a person who dies in a state of perfect grace and communion with God goes. The second is hell, where those who die in a state of mortal sin are naturally condemned by their choice. The intermediate option is purgatory, which is thought to be where most people, free of mortal sin, but still in a state of lesser (venial) sin, go. Purgatory is necessary so that souls may be cleansed before they enter into heaven. Late Fr Carmo Das Chagas Antonio Martins once mentioned, “The Catholic Church teaches that the purification of the souls in purgatory can be assisted by the actions of the faithful on earth.”
In the Roman Catholic Church, November 1, is considered as ‘All Saint’s Day’ and November 2 is considered as ‘All Soul’s Day.’ Family members decorate the graves of their loved ones at the cemetery on this day. “It is believed that at 3 pm on November 1, souls of the ancestors descend onto earth, visit their loved ones, and return back to God by 12 pm on November 2. Hence, from 3 pm of November 1, until 12 pm of November 2, any Catholic was permitted to ring the bell of the church or chapel (10 sets of 3 strokes each), as ringing of bells was considered to have indulgence”, mentions Joyce Aguiar e Carvalho, a senior resident of Colvá.
She further recalls, “The youth boys for fun sake would secretly hide people’s belongings. They would roam around their village secretly keeping scarecrows outside entrances of houses in their neighborhood or take away their belongings like shoes, clothes, utensils etc. and keep them at random places. Sometimes, they would even steal vegetables from people’s backyards/fields. All of this was done in fun filled mischievous mood, not at all with the intent of hurting anyone. However, this practice was discouraged by the church. On this day, Catholics are required to recite several Holy Rosaries for the souls of their departed family members, without reciting the Glory Be. Also, on All Souls’ Day, one is permitted to attend more than one Mass and receive the Holy Communion more than once on that day. These two days are days of obligation in the Catholic Church (One has to compulsorily attend at least one mass). A grand meal is prepared on the day dedicated to all souls. The meal includes pork, boiled rice, fried fish, prawn curry, pumpkin and sanna (steamed sweet idli).”
The Western celebration of All Soul’s Day is on the second day of November and follows All Saint’s Day, which commemorates the departed who have attained the beatific vision. If this day falls on a Sunday, the Mass is of All Souls, but the Office is that of the Sunday.
However, Morning and Evening Prayer (Lauds and Vespers) for the Dead, in which the people participate, may be said. Fr Ávinash Rebello, from Márgão mentions, “On this day, the clergy would traditionally wear black vestments which post 1965, have been replaced with purple during liturgical celebrations.”