| All Souls Saturdays |
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by Susan Tassone Want Something New for Lent? All Souls Saturdays! One of the most revered traditions of our Church that is equally observed in the Eastern Church, is the commemoration of the departed. It is the constant teaching of the Church since Apostolic times that our prayers, offerings and good works can help departed souls in Purgatory. St. John Chrysostom in speaking of the faithful departed reminded his people: “Let us assist them according to our power. Let us think of some advantage for them, small though it be, but let us assist them. How and in what way? By praying for them by asking others to pray for them, and by constantly giving alms to the poor in their behalf!” The Eastern Catholic Church does not celebrate All Souls Day on November 2 but “All Souls Saturdays” where the Eastern Church remembers their departed five Saturdays during the Great Lent commemorating them with the Divine Liturgy for the souls of all departed loved ones. All Saturdays during Lent are given over to the souls in Purgatory. The Faithful submit the names of all their immediate families and friends. These names are put in a book called “The Scroll of the Departed.” At the end of the Divine Liturgy all submitted names are read. No one is left out no matter how lengthy it may be. The book is placed in a corner where an Icon is located. Parishioners can pray at this Icon corner during Lent. All Souls Saturdays begin a week before Lent and end on the eve of Pentecost Sunday. However, we can adjust this according to our Lenten calendar. We have this great power given to us to expiate for sins by enduring suffering and imitating Our Lord. When we imitate our Lord by fasting, by abstaining, by praying, by persevering we are able to bring our soul and all other souls we love into the sweet smelling grace of Our Lord’s mercy and forgiveness which is the great goal of Lent. Give the souls languishing in Purgatory a share of your fasting, of your alms, of your sacrifices, of your Masses, of your indulgences, of your Stations the Cross, of your Rosary. The second greatest number of souls are released at Easter. Let us join our Byzantine brothers and sisters this Lent, 2007, and let the souls of our loved ones join in the Resurrection of Jesus into Paradise and mercy and forgiveness shall be ours on the day of our Judgment. Happy Lenting! |
