Eastern Catholics and All Saints/Souls

[Aelred_Minor]

I’m aware that in the typical Byzantine calender All Saints Day is observed on the first Sunday after Pentecost, but I have a number of other questions on the subject.

Do all Eastern Catholic Churches observe it on this day, even non-Byzantine ones? Do any observe it on November 1 or any other day, or not at all?

Is there an Eastern equivalent of All Souls Day?

Do many Eastern Catholics observe the secular side of Halloween despite the difference in liturgical calendars?

 

[ConstantineTG]

All Souls Day is the first 4 Saturdays of Lent. As we reflect on our own sinfulness during Lent, we also remember those who have fallen asleep in the Lord and pray for the forgiveness of their offences, both voluntary and involuntary. All Saints and All Souls are both taken into context of the entire Liturgical Calendar, that is they are inserted where they make sense with the season. As you have noted, All Saints is the Sunday after Pentecost. Because Pentecost is the birth of the Church and thus the communion of Saints started then. But also we have to do it on another day aside from the day of Pentecost

Some Churches who are in areas that do celebrate commemoration of the departed at this time of the year may also do services for the dead, such as a Panakhida.

 

[Denho]

The Maronite Church keeps three Sundays before the beginning of Great Lent as weeks of commemoration: of the Righteous and the Just, of Departed Priests, and of all the Faithful Departed.

The current Calendar also keeps the Latin date of All Saints, largely due to Latinization (and the Maronites like a good Bank Holiday as well, I suppose …).

 

[5Loaves]

The Franciscans at the National Shrine of St Francis in San Francisco have asked our parish to serve the Panikhida on their Feast of All Souls on the Latin calendar in past years, in their Porziuncola Nuova replica of the church St. Francis rebuilt in Assisi.

This service is a favorite of mine. And the Porziuncola Nuova is a lovely chapel.

With our move and all it didn’t happen this year. They want us to do a Divine Liturgy in the National Shrine of St Francis next door to the Porziuncola Nuova so that seems to be the main focus with them for now rather than All Souls.

(I was very glad to be at the Dominican Priory for beautiful, simple Latin Church Vespers of All Saints last night.)

 

[ByzCathCantor]

All Souls Day is the first 4 Saturdays of Lent.

Basically true, but only three of five All Souls Saturdays fall in Great Lent proper. The first All Souls Saturday is set on the day before the Sunday of the Last Judgment (Meatfare Sunday), with the fifth and final “seasonal” All Souls Saturday set on the Saturday before Pentecost.

 

[ag_vn]

There is also an All Souls Saturday in the autumn. Most churches celebrate it on the Saturday before St. Demetrius’ Day (October 26). The Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the Bulgarian Byzantine Catholic Church celebrate the autumn All Souls Saturday on the Saturday before St. Michael the Archangel’s Day (Novermber 8), so the date is very close to November 2 or even on November 2 as it will be in 2013.

 

[malphono]

The Maronite Church keeps three Sundays before the beginning of Great Lent as weeks of commemoration: of the Righteous and the Just, of Departed Priests, and of all the Faithful Departed.

Yes, indeed, and this is the same in all the West Syriac Churches.The proper order of the commemorations is: Kohne (Priests), Keene w-Zadeeqe (Righteous and Just aka “All Saints”) and 'Aneede Mhaymne (Faithful Departed aka “All Souls”).

The current Calendar also keeps the Latin date of All Saints, largely due to Latinization (and the Maronites like a good Bank Holiday as well, I suppose …).

The observance of the Latin All Saints & All Souls had been moribund (at least in the US) for some years, but was, unfortunately, resumed a few years back.