ROME, Italy, November 2, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) — November 2 is All Souls Day in the Catholic Church. The traditional Missal describes the meaning of this liturgical day in this way:
“The practice of commemorating to God the souls of the departed in that we may mitigate the great pains which they suffer, and that He may soon bring the to His glory, is most pleasing to God and most profitable to us. For those blessed souls are His eternal spouses, and they are most grateful to those who obtain their deliverance from prison, or even a mitigation of their torments. Hence, when they shall enter into heaven, they will certainly not forget those who prayed for them. It is a pious belief that God manifests to them our prayers for them, that they also may pray for us. Let us recommend to Jesus Christ, and to His holy Mother, all the souls in Purgatory, but especially those of our relatives, benefactors, friends, and enemies, and, still more particularly, the souls of those for whom we are bound to pray; and let us consider the great pains which these holy spouses of Jesus Christ endure, and offer to God for their relief the Masses of this day.”
On this All Souls Day, we offer our readers images and prayers from the traditional Roman liturgy in Rome, and join you in praying for your family and loved ones who have died. We remember especially those who have died and have no one to pray for them.
Eternal rest given unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them. (Psalm) A hymn, O God, becometh Thee in Sion; and a vow shall be paid to thee in Jerusalem: hear my prayer; all flesh shall come to Thee. Eternal rest given unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them.
O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful: grant to the souls of Thy servants and handmaidens the remission of their sins: that through pious supplications, they may obtain that pardon, which they have always desired.
“Brethren, Behold I tell you a mystery: we shall all indeed rise again, but we shall all not be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall rise again incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. And when this mortal hath put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory: O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? Now the sting of death is sin: and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Epistle, Cor. 15:51-57).
King of majesty tremendous, Who dost free salvation send us, Fount of pity, then befriend us. Think, kind Jesus, my salvation caused Thy wondrous Incarnation, leave me not to reprobation. Faint and weary Thou has sought me, on the Cross of suffering bought me, shall such grace be vainly brought me? (Sequence)
“The hour cometh wherein all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that have done good things shall come forth unto the resurrection of life, but they that have done evil, until the resurrection of judgment (Gospel, John 28-29).
O Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, deliver the souls of all the faithful departed from the pains of hell and from the bottomless pit: deliver them from the lion’s mouth, that hell swallow them not up, that they fall not into darkness, but let the standard-bearer holy Michael lead them into that holy light; which Thou didst promise of old to Abraham and to his seed. We offer to Thee, O Lord, sacrifices and prayers: do Thou receive them in behalf of those souls of whom we make memorial this day. Grant them, O Lord, to pass from death to that life; which Thou didst promise of old to Abraham and to his seed. (Offertory)
May light eternal shine upon them, O Lord, with Thy holy Saints for evermore, for Thou art gracious. Eternal rest give to them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them.
(Prayers from the Roman Missal)