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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
World
Charlotte Hawes

What is All-Souls Day and which religions celebrate the event following Halloween?

Following the end of Halloween and All Saints Day, All Souls Day is the next event in the spooky calendar.

The day has been celebrated by people across the world for over 1,000 years and takes place on November 2 each year.

All Souls' Day is also known as as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed and the Day of the Dead in some parts of the world.

But what is All Souls' Day and which religions celebrate it?

Here's everything you need to know.

What is All Souls Day?

All Souls Day takes place on November 2 (Michal Fludra/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock)

All Souls Day falls directly after All Saints Day, which takes place on November 1 after Halloween.

Much like All Saints Day, All Souls Day is associated with the Día De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Latin America.

For many, the day is an opportunity to come together and remember those who passed away.

Which religions celebrates All Souls Day?

Filipino grave dwellers rest on top of tombs as people visit the burial sites of departed loved ones on All Souls Day (FRANCIS R MALASIG/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

All Souls Day is observed by Roman Catholics and other Christian denominations each year on November 2.

Roman Catholic beliefs hold that the prayers of the faithful on earth will help cleanse the souls of those who have sinned in order to fit them for the vision of God in heaven.

How is All Souls Day celebrated?

People visit cemeteries on All Souls Day to honour the dead (George Calvelo/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock)

In Europe, All Souls Day is celebrated with vigils, candles, the decoration of graves, and special prayers.

Many traditions are associated with popular beliefs surrounding purgatory.

Bell tolling is meant to comfort those being cleansed while lighting candles serves to kindle a light for the poor souls who are failing to make progress in the darkness.

Soul cakes are given to children coming to sing or pray for the dead, giving rise to the traditions of "going souling" and the baking of special types of bread or cakes.

How is All Souls' Day connected to Halloween?

All Souls Day shares many similarities with Halloween (Getty Images/Dorling Kindersley)

Samhain, which is now known as Halloween, originally belonged to those who occupied the region of Ireland and some parts of what is now Great Britain.

Falling around November 1, Samhain marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter.

Samhain was also said to be a time where ghosts could wander about on Earth and communicate with the living.

The fear of this happening then led to the development of customs to keep the spirits at bay, lighting huge fires and making sacrificial offerings.

All Souls Day and Halloween are connected as they are both associated with the dead and scaring off bad spirits.

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