Book of Common Prayer

All Souls: Commemoration of the Faithful Departed (Violet or Black or White)
Richard Hooker, Doctor of the Church of England, 1600 (White)
Within the Octave of All Saints

All Souls’ Day

Holy Communion: Names of members of those who have died in the last year may be included in the prayers of the people and a special intention made for them with the prayer before the gifts.

Blessing of a Graveyard: There may be a procession to the graveyard using Psalm 25, Psalm 116, Psalm 118, or Psalm 42. Prayers appropriate for the blessing of a graveyard may be found in the BCP on pp. 601-603. The blessing would be used at the conclusion of this act of commemoration. The minister may circulate through the graveyard after this service and bless individual graves and offer prayers for individual departed members. In practice this means that family and friends of the departed disperse to different areas of the graveyard to clean and tidy the graves as they wait for the minister to come to them. It may be appropriate for the whole congregation to gather first at the graves of those parishioners who have died in the previous year. In parishes where the cemetery is located some distance from the parish church, this service, extended with readings, may be used at another time during the day or during the week.

Colour: As All Saints and All Souls reflect two different aspects of the Christian theology of death it may be appropriate to reflect this in the liturgical colour used for both days. White for All Saints allows for thanksgiving for those who have been sanctified. Traditionally violet (or black) has been used for All Souls to reflect the eschatological hope of salvation for all people and to also allow an occasion for the public expression of bereavement. Violet (or black) allows a more somber reflection of the reality of the grief of the loss of loved ones in a culture that is often uncomfortable with grieving.

Please see addition information in the BAS section of this book in the liturgical note for All Souls’ Day.

Transfer of Second Lesser Commemoration: When two lesser commemorations fall on the same day, and it is desired to remember both, it is recommended that one of them be transferred to the nearest day before or after for which no special provision has been made - Rubric p. xii.

Note: It is recommended that Richard Hooker be observed on the next available weekday (2nd Coll 317, no Creed or Gloria).