Cum Petro et Sub Petro

With Peter & Under Peter

Saturday, November 2, 2013

ALL SAINTS DAY/ALL SOULS DAY

Nov 1 ALL SAINTS DAY

On this day we honor all the saints,known and unknown in the Catholic(as well as Orthodox)Church.
All Saints Day is tied in with the Communion of Saints. This is the belief that all of God's people, on heaven, earth, and in the state of purification (called Purgatory in the West), are connected in a communion. In other words, Catholic and Orthodox Christians believe that the saints of God are just as alive as you and I, and are constantly interceding on our behalf.
The saints are not divine, nor omnipresent or omniscient. However, because of our common communion with and through Jesus Christ, our prayers are joined with the heavenly community of Christians
.
From the Catechism of Catholic Church: "Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness...They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us...So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped." "...as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself: We worship Christ as God's Son; we love the martyrs as the Lord's disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless devotion towards their king and master. May we also be their companions and fellow disciples (CCC 956, 957)
Source: http://www.churchyear.net/allsaints.html

We affirm this belief in our Apostles Creed

The Apostle's Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
All Saints Day,Ukranian Catholic Church

Nov 2 ALL SOULS DAY

All Souls Day is a solemn feast in the Catholic Church commemorating all of those who have died and now are in Purgatory.

It is a day when we can especially remember all our family members who have gone before us 'marked with the sign of faith.'

It is because the souls of the faithful who at death have not been cleansed from the temporal punishment due to venial sins and from attachment to mortal sins cannot immediately attain the beatific vision in heaven,that they may be helped to do so by prayer and by the sacrifice of the Mass.These souls are in a state of purification called Purgatory (meaning they are saved)being prepared for heaven.

Among Eastern Catholics Christians, there are several All Souls' Days during the year. Most of these fall on Saturday, since Jesus lay in the Tomb on Holy Saturday. These are referred to as Soul Saturdays. They occur on the following occasions:

  • The Saturday of Meatfare Week (the second Saturday before Great Lent).the day before the Sunday of the Last Judgement
  • The second Saturday of Great Lent
  • The third Saturday of Great Lent
  • The fourth Saturday of Great Lent
  • Radonitsa (Monday or Tuesday after Thomas Sunday)
  • The Saturday before Pentecost
  • Demetrius Saturday (the Saturday before the feast of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki.26 October)
  • the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel.8 November, instead of the Demetrius Soul Saturday)
  • Source: http://www.catholic.org/saints/allsouls/

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