Commemoration of all the dead

The Church commemorates all the faithful departed on November 2, following the Solemnity of All Saints. This observance connects the holiness of the saints in heaven with the deceased who believed in Christ.

The tradition of commemorating the dead dates to the 9th century, following ancient monastic customs of dedicating a day to prayer for the deceased. Odilo, the Abbot of Cluny, established the November 2 date and created a specific liturgical office to remember community members who had completed their earthly pilgrimage. Due to the influence of Cluniac monks, this practice spread throughout the Latin Church.