All Saints and All Souls comprise the two-day celebration of the Communion of Saints – those who are with God in heaven and those who are on their way to heaven. On the Solemnity of All Saints, November 1, the Church celebrates those Christians who achieved spiritual maturity. It is a day to venerate all the holy men and women who have been canonized by the Church. A day later, on the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day), the Church remembers and prays for the faithful departed; our brothers and sisters who have died marked with the sign of faith. Particularly, we pray for all the souls in purgatory. How have these days impacted on you? BETTY AMUKPO asks, the children respond thus:
‘All Saints and All Souls days have had impact in my life because they have been there for us and intercede for us to God in heaven’
All Saints’ Day commemorates the life of the Saints. It is observed on November 1. All Souls’ Day is a day for commemoration of all the faithful departed, those baptised Christians, It is observed on November 2. Since the beginning of Christianity, people have honoured the dead. Pope Boniface IV established All Saints’ Day. This day is to celebrate all Saints in heaven. The Saints have had impact in my life because they have been there for us, and they help intercede for us to God in heaven. Remembrance of the Saints and all the departed faithful reminds me to live a righteous life now that I am alive. So I can be remembered for good just like the saints. All Souls ‘Day makes me want to do what they did to qualify them for heaven. I want to go to heaven just as they did. That’s how they have made impact in my life.
• Blossom Akalezi
‘It has impacted in me the essence of “Sainthood”
In the book of *Psalm 31:23-24 “Love the Lord, all his faithful people! The Lord preserves those who are true to him, but the proud He pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord”. The All Saints Day and All Souls Day have taught me how important it is to be baptised in the name of the Lord. It has also impacted in me the essence of “Sainthood” and how “Sainthood” is important. Also the thought that we should remember those that are dead.
• Gideon Eyinade
‘All Saints Day gives me a chance to remember the Saints and seek their intercession’
The impact All Saints Day has in me is that it gives me a chance to remember and celebrate the saints and to seek their intercession while All Souls Day allows me to remember all my past relatives and pray for them and those in heaven.
• Ebubechukwu Chinedu
‘All Saints Day has made me to strive to live a holy life, by obeying the commandments of God’
All Saints Day is a day set aside by the Catholic Church throughout the world to venerate all the Holy men and women who have being canonized by the Church; it is celebrated on the 1st of November every year. It was first celebrated on the 13th day of May 609A.D under Pope Boniface IV. It is regarded as a Holy day of obligation and as such, we must attend Mass. On All Saints Day we are called to give gratitude to God for those who have achieved the spiritual maturity (Eph 5:8-13). All Souls day is a day set aside by the Church to commemorate those of the Catholic faith who have passed. They are on their way to heaven. It is celebrated on the 2nd of November every year. The Church prays for them from 2nd of November till the end of November. The Church is praying for them so that they will be purified and enter heaven because the Bible says in revelation 21:27 that nothing unclean will enter heaven. All Saints Day has impacted on me in the sense that it has made me to strive to live a holy life, by obeying the commandments of God and the Church and live a Christlike life; like these saints after this life, I will go to heaven and be like them, living a Christ-like life, giving alms and helping the needy. The All Souls Day has also impacted on me in such a way that I will always pray for the dead because we hope for them to go to heaven through the prayers of the faithful after their purification in purgatory. 2 Maccabees 12:38- 43.
• Chibuike Anyasor
‘The saints inspired me to love my neighbours and carry out my charity obligations’
A Saint is a holy one, someone who is set apart for God’s special purposes. 1 Corinthians 1:30; says Christ became to us wisdom from God righteousness, sanctification and redemption. The Saints didn’t live perfect lives but they did learn how to lean on God, sow peace, charity and love during their time on earth. Saints are role models for they followed Christ examples who lived a life of faithfulness to God even until death. For this reason the saints inspired me to: • Live a life of holiness • Love my neighbours • Pray for my neighbours • Carry out my charity obligations Lord as the saints in heaven adore you for eternity, I beg for their intercession. Saints of God, please come to my family’s aid.
• China Anita
‘These feast days give purpose to our life on earth and encourage us to live a good and commendable life’
All Saints Day is a special day we all come together with the Church to celebrate our saints that have all lived an exemplary life in the world. And All Souls Day is for all our departed brothers and sisters that have left this world. In Psalm 103:2 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits.” Also same Psalm 34:9 “O fear the Lord, you His saints; for to those who fear Him there is no want. Even the Bible acknowledges the celebration of the saints and our departed brothers and sisters. These feast days, in one way or another have made me more intentional about living and appreciating life in full. Giving purpose to our life on earth and striving to live a good and commendable life, so that I do not miss eternal life.
• Victoria Okefe
‘Through the knowledge of the All Saints Day and All Souls Day, I got to understand the Communion of Saints’
All Saints Day is a celebration of the communion of saints, those we believe are in heaven, and we can ask for their intercession. All Souls’ Day is a day to pray for those who had died and those in purgatory. Through the knowledge of the All Saints Day and All Souls Day, I got to know and understand that we have the Communion of Saints – Church Militants: The faithful on earth Church Suffering: The souls in purgatory Church Triumphant: The saints in heaven So, the Communion of Saints is the spiritual solidarity which binds together the Church Militant, Church suffering and Church Triumphant in the organic unity of the same mystical body under Christ as head. The participants in that solidarity are called saints by reason of their destination and of their partaking of the fruits of the Redemption. (1cor 1.2.)
• Okononfua Bryan
When I see pictures and statues of saints I am reminded of their virtues’
When I see pictures and statues of saints and read their stories, I am reminded of the virtues, devotion and sacrifice that help me see the work I do through the eyes of God unseen by others, menial and unimportant, yet ennobled when it is humbly offered to God. I am reminded when our earthly heroes fall, Satan whispers to us that we cannot rise above our sin that we are sure to fail as well. He can’t say that about the Saints gone before us who have already been tested. They are still our brothers and sisters but they are in a place where they are no longer subject to temptation, can no longer fall. Meditating on and emulating their lives is not worship. It smacks of the courage possible under persecution when I offer my suffering to God.
• Awaki Barnabas
