…Three parts of the Communion of Saints
All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day are two major liturgical events in the Catholic Church celebrated annually, back to back. While the former is celebrated on November 1st to remember all saints and martyrs of the Christian faith, the latter is marked on November 2nd to commemorate all the faithful departed, the baptised Catholics. But there are lots more on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. BETTY AMUKPO seeks much more on these holy days as she engages some children on the differences between these liturgical celebrations as well as the three parts of the communion of saints. Excerpts.
‘The three parts of the communion of saints are triumphant, militant and suffering Christians of God’
All Saints’ Day is on November 1 for those that are triumphant Christians of God; those in heaven. They died and their bodies are still fresh not yet decayed. All Souls’ Day is on November 2. All souls are people that had died, while some are in purgatory, who have nobody to pray for them.
The three parts of the Communion of Saints are:
• Triumphant Christians of God; those in heaven that pray for us on earth.
• Militant Christians of God; we that are on earth.
• Suffering Christians of God; those in purgatory.
‘All Saints’ Day is celebrated every November 1 while All Souls’ Day is celebrated every November 2’
The difference between All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day is that All Saints’ Day is celebrated every 1st of November every year and is celebrated on behalf of the Saints, while All Souls’ Day is celebrated on the 2nd of November every year and is celebrated on behalf of the souls in purgatory.
The three parts of Communions of Saints are:
1. Church Triumphant: Members of the Church who have died and are regarded as enjoying eternal happiness through union with God,
2. Church Suffering: In the Roman Catholicism it means the souls in purgatory.
3. Church Militant: This refers to the Church on earth regarded as engaged in a constant warfare against its enemies, the powers of evil distinguished from church triumphant.
‘On All Saints’ Day, we ask for the intercessions of the Saints, while on All Souls’ Day, we pray for those in purgatory’
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.
The three parts of the communion of saints are:
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 its head. The participants in that solidarity are called saints by reason of their destination and of their partaking of the fruits of the Redemption (1 Cor. 1.2).
‘The three parts of communion of the Saints are Church’s Pilgrim, Church’s Expectant and Church’s Triumphant’
The three parts of communion of the Saints are:
1. The Church’s Militant also called the Church Pilgrim consists of the Christians on earth who struggle as soldiers of Christ against sin, the devil and the rulers of the world of darkness, against the spirit of wickedness in the high places.
2. The Church’s Penitent also called the Church’s Suffering or the Church’s Expectant consists of those Christians currently in purgatory. A place of purification, 2 Maccabees: 38- 43.
3. The Church Triumphant consists of those who have the beatific vision and are in Heaven. Revelations 14:13. The Communion of the Saints is a Community of prayer. It is the fellowship of those united to Jesus Christ in baptism. The Saints on earth, and those above have one Communion joined in the Lord in bonds of love. We should pray for one another and work together for common good. Roman 12:4-13, also Corinthians 12:12-27, 1 John 1:3, Eph. 2:20, 1 Cor. 12, Timothy 1:9 “O sing to the Lord all “Psalm 30:4 “O love the Lord all his saints.
‘The Suffering are those souls in purgatory who are serving their time for cleansing hoping that one day they too will join heaven’
All Saints’ Day may be defined as the commemoration of all Saints of the Church known or unknown who have attained heaven. All Souls’ Day is the remembrance for all the faithful departed that is, all our departed brothers and sisters either in heaven or purgatory where we pray that they have peace in their after- life. The Communion of Saints comprises:
• The Triumphant: Are the souls who have been found holy and blameless and have been allowed into the kingdom of God
• The Suffering: Are those souls in purgatory who are serving their time for cleansing hoping that one day they too will join heaven.
• The Militants: Are we on Earth struggling for a spot in the eternal paradise that we may also join the Saints in Heaven.
‘The Church Militant is on pilgrimage yearning to be united with God, the Blessed Virgin, the Angels and the Saints in heaven’
All Saints’ Day is a celebration of the Communion of Saints, those people we believe are in heaven, while All Souls’ Day is a day to pray for all souls. Among Catholics, prayers are offered for those in purgatory, waiting to get into heaven.
The Communion of Saints comprises the three parts of the Church: ‘the Church Militant’ (the baptised faithful on earth), ‘the Church Suffering’ (the faithful, suffering in Purgatory), and ‘the Church Triumphant’ (the Saints in Heaven).
The Church Militant is on pilgrimage, striving for virtue, the defeat of evil and yearning to be united with God, the Blessed Virgin, the angels and the saints in heaven.
The Church Suffering reminds us that since nothing defiled can enter heaven, the souls of those who die in a state of venial sin or who have not fully atoned for any remnants of temporal punishment owing to their sins must enter a temporary state in their passage to heaven, called purgatory, where they are subsequently cleansed.
The Church Triumphant is the immersion into the vision, the final goal of both the Church Militant and the Church Suffering.
‘All Souls’ Day is a day to remember all the souls that have passed away, while, All Saints’ Day is a celebration of those in heaven, including those not canonised’
All Souls’ Day is a day set aside to remember all the souls that have passed away and to pray for them to enter into Heaven. While, All Saints’ Day is a celebration of those who are in heaven (not only those that have been canonised).
The three Communion of Saints are:
The Church Militant – These are those that are still on earth thriving to make Heaven.
The Church Suffering – These are those that are in purgatory.
The Church Triumphant – These are those in heaven.
‘All Souls’ Day is a day to remember the dead; All Saints’ Day is dedicated to all the Saints of the Church’
All Souls’ Day is a day to remember the dead as stated in Hebrew 6:10, It is celebrated yearly on the 2nd of November. All Saints’ Day is dedicated to all the saints of the Church as written in Psalm 31:23. It is celebrated on the 1st of November.
