History of All Saints and All Souls Days

Macrine, Knitz (Amor) and I visiting the tomb of our parents, David and Paz Katague, in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines

Yesterday and today, the TV news in the Philippines are all about traffic due to the hundred thousands of Filipinos visiting the cemeteries to honor and pray for their beloved dead relatives. Here in the US, its all about Halloween costume parties and "Treat or Trick" for children knocking on your door for candies. Last night we have only about 30 kids knocking at our door. A couple of years ago, we had twice that number. It must be the rain that discourage the kids ( with their parents) Treat or Tricking this year.
Carenna, my 13 year-old and youngest grand daughter in her Super Girl costume, Halloween, 2016

If you are not a catholic you must be wondering why the celebration. Here's the explanation and two videos that explain it all.

"On All Souls Day, we not only remember the dead, but we apply our efforts, through prayer, almsgiving, and the Mass, to their release from Purgatory. There are two plenary indulgences attached to All Souls Day, one for visiting a church and another for visiting a cemetery. (The plenary indulgence for visiting a cemetery can also be obtained every day from November 1-8, and, as a partial indulgence, on any day of the year.) While the actions are performed by the living, the merits of the indulgences are applicable only to the souls in Purgatory. Since a plenary indulgence removes all of the temporal punishment for sin, which is the reason why souls are in Purgatory in the first place, applying a plenary indulgence to one of the Holy Souls in Purgatory means that the Holy Soul is released from Purgatory and enters Heaven. 

Praying for the dead is a Christian obligation. In the modern world, when many have come to doubt the Church's teaching on Purgatory, the need for such prayers has only increased. The Church devotes the month of November to prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and participation in the Mass of All Souls Day is a good way to begin the month."