The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-03

ITS OBSERVANCE rESTkkDAY AND ITS HISTORY
The festival Of All Souls Day, which is one OF the
greatest in the Catholic calendar celebrated yeser
day all the churches OF that denomination in this city,
Ms well as in all parts OF the civilized world This fcs
val very solemn and impressive and celebrated in
memory Of the departed In the Cathedral, and in all
the churches In the CITY, high OF requiem
sung for the repose Of the faithful departed, and the
solemn ceremony Of the absouton OF the dead per-
formed at the conclusion This day is usually sad one
for recalls 70 their remembrance the OF death
which have desolaed their household during the past
year and those which preceded IT, The memory Of the
dead thus rendered obligatory and the day OF the de-
mise Of all the members Of the Catholic faith In every
OF the church may be offered in thor behalf
The origin Of this festival Is referred TO 0dilon, Abbot
o pns for the deaa n s owns
monastery, and the practice was partially adopted by
other religious houses until the year 9es, when
mont Importance Of this festival II happened on sun
day Il not postponed TO the Monday, the
with other such solcmnes, bat kept Saturday, In
order that the church might the sooner aid the souls OF
the departed and that the dead might have every benefit
from the exertions Of the living the remembrance OF
this ordinance was kept up by persons dressed In black
who round the different towns ringing loud and
dismal toned bell the of each every Sunday
evening during the month, and calling upon the nhabi-
ans to remember the deceased suffering the expiaory
and to join In prayer for the epose Of their souls This
custom was general IN England until the Reformation,
when Queen Elizabeth passed edict strictly forbddng
1.-THE superstous ringing OF bells at Hallowtde and All
Souls Day, with the two nights before and after
The practice OF praying for the dead is OF very ancient
date Ovid in the second book Of his Fast ascrbes the
origin OF the ceremony TO lEneas whom he states 20
have offered gifts 20 the names Of his father aud Virgil
favors the idea In his nth book.
On parts Of the continent Of Europe where faith
In such legends Is more implicit the following record or
the origin Of this festival 10 readily acceded to-.
The memory OF oil departed Christian souls In estab-
ished TO be solemnzsd in the church this day, that
they may have general ard and comfort whereas they
have none special And Peter Damyens saith that In
Tecy the Isle OF Vulcan 81 Odyllc heard the voices
and tho howngs OF devils which complained strongly
because that the souls of those which were dead were
taken away from their hands by aims and prayers And
therefore he ordained that the Toast and remembrance Of
thcm that have departed out Of this world should be
made and holden In all monaseries the day after the
feast OF All Hallow; the which thing was approved by
oil the church
In various parts Of England the remembrance OF mo-
nastic customs Is still preserved by giving soul
oaten cakes 70 the poor neighbour conformaby 20 what
once the general usage, particularly in Lancashire
and Yorkshire when, by way OF expressing gratitude
the receivers of this liberaty offered the following
horneIy bcnedction "God have your saul bones and
all bearing tho appearance In these enlightened
DAYS OF rustic scof than OF thankfuness The FESTIVAL
on some parts OF the continent Of Europe Va marked by
total cessation OF labor, the people visiting tho graves
Of their relatives and friends, and decorating them with
flowers and religious devices