Saints of the Day & More

All Souls day is based on the doctrine that the souls of the faithful which at death have not been cleansed from the temporal punishment due to venial sins, or have not fully been purged from attachment to mortal sins, cannot attain the beatific vision in heaven yet, and that they may be helped to do so by prayer and by the sacrifice of the Mass. November 2nd was chosen by St. Odilo of Cluny at his grave, his decree was printed on the Acta Sanctorum . From Cluny it spread all across Europe and was finally accepted by Rome in the 14th Century. During the whole month of November the names of the deceased loved ones would be prayed for during mass and offered special prayer so that the Lord may have mercy on their souls. A legend became associated with the institution of the celebration. According to Jesse Voyles in his Life of St Odilo , a pilgrim returning from the Holy Land was cast by a storm on a desolate island. A hermit living there told him that amid the rocks was a chasm communic...