Saints and Souls: Mates

Christian history marks November 1 and 2 as the Solemnity of All Saints and the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, respectively and are correspondingly named in the secular as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. The observance varies by culture but it all anchors to honoring the saints and remembering the dead.

The Westerns celebrate it in Halloween parties wearing costumes of animal heads and skin said to ward off spirits believed to be wandering around to inhabit living bodies. To the Filipinos who call it “Undas” or “Todos los santos”, it becomes a festive family gathering at the tombs of their dead loved ones in prayerful affection. But the whole thing blurs the significance of All Saints’ Day. One may ask what then is the teaching of the Church about saints and souls?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the Church is “a communion of saints”, the fundamental belief that there is bond between the living and the faithful departed, some of whom are being purified while others have attained the eternal glory of God in heaven. Saint means “holy” by living out the gospel values and is a member of the body of Christ. Therefore anyone can be a saint, and to describe souls as spirits is unscriptural. The souls of the dead continue to find life anew in our prayers as pilgrims towards perfection, nonetheless, saints and souls are mates in communion with us, the living saints. To them (saints) thus we pray, may perpetual light shine upon them (souls). Amen.