All Souls Novena 1
Jesus and the Souls in Purgatory
Image by: Unknown 2
St Odilo of Cluny
Image by: Unknown 1
About the Commemoration
All Souls’ Day is November 2nd but you can pray the All Souls’ Day Novena for any reason that you want, so go ahead and start praying!
According to Catholic teaching, there are three states of the Church: the Church Militant, the Church Penitent, and the Church Triumphant. We are the Church Militant because we are still living our earthly life and are active in spiritual warfare on Earth. The Church Penitent are those who are in Purgatory, who are being purified so as to be fit for entering Heaven. The Church Triumphant are those who are already in Heaven.
During All Souls’ Day, which is celebrated on November 2nd, we pray for the Church Penitent, for those in Purgatory who are being purified, to lighten the burden of their purification and hasten their journey to Heaven. While the Church has not formally stated that souls in Purgatory are aware of us and can hear our petitions, it is traditionally thought that they are able to pray for us, but not for themselves. Therefore, we will still ask for their intercession in this novena, trusting that even if the souls in Purgatory are unable to hear our petitions, God will hear and answer us.
About All Souls’ Day
The Bible states that, “nothing impure can enter Heaven” (Rev. 21:27). Because of our sinful nature, purification must take place at some point before we can enter Heaven. The Church teaches us that this purification happens either on Earth or in Purgatory. The practice of praying for the dead as they go through this time of purification is a practice that goes back centuries. There is an example of it in 2 Maccabees: “Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be absolved from their sin” (2 Macc. 12:46).
This novena is based on the second part of Dante’s Divine Comedy, Purgatorio. In Dante’s Purgatorio, the souls in Purgatory must climb up a mountain to reach Paradiso (Heaven). In Purgatory, they confront all their sins and are purified of them, starting at the bottom with the root of all sin, pride, and continuing up through the rest of the seven deadly sins. There are also souls who, because they delayed in starting their spiritual journey on Earth, are delayed in starting their journey up Mount Purgatory, so these who are delayed in starting their climb in Dante’s representation will make up the first two days of prayer of this novena 1
All Souls Novena 1
Jesus and the Souls in Purgatory
Image by: Unknown 2
St Odilo of Cluny
Image by: Unknown 1
History of the Commenderation
The commemoration of all the faithful departed is celebrated by the Church on 2 November, or, if this be a Sunday or a solemnity, on 3 November. The Office of the Dead must be recited by the clergy and all the Masses are to be of Requiem, except one of the current feast, where this is of obligation.
The theological basis for the feast is the doctrine that the souls which, on departing from the body, are not perfectly cleansed from venial sins, or have not fully atoned for past transgressions, are debarred from the Beatific Vision, and that the faithful on earth can help them by prayers, alms deeds and especially by the sacrifice of the Mass.
In the early days of Christianity the names of the departed brethren were entered in the diptychs. Later, in the sixth century, it was customary in Benedictine monasteries to hold a commemoration of the deceased members at Whitsuntide. In Spain there was such a day on Saturday before Sexagesima or before Pentecost, at the time of St. Isidore (d. 636). In Germany there existed (according to the testimony of Widukind, Abbot of Corvey, c. 980) a time-honoured ceremony of praying to the dead on 1 October. This was accepted and sanctified by the Church. St. Odilo of Cluny (d. 1048) ordered the commemoration of all the faithful departed to be held annually in the monasteries of his congregation. Thence it spread among the other congregations of the Benedictines and among the Carthusians.
Of the dioceses, Liège was the first to adopt it under Bishop Notger (d. 1008). It is then found in the martyrology of St. Protadius of Besançon (1053-66). Bishop Otricus (1120-25) introduced it into Milan for the 15 October. In Spain, Portugal, and Latin America, priests on this day say three Masses. A similar concession for the entire world was asked of Pope Leo XIII. He would not grant the favour but ordered a special Requiem on Sunday, 30 September, 1888.
In the Greek Rite this commemoration is held on the eve of Sexagesima Sunday, or on the eve of Pentecost. The Armenians celebrate the Passover of the dead on the day after Easter.2
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