Liturgical Information
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed [All Souls' Day]

Liturgical Color: Black or Violet or White

Themes: communion of saints, prayer, resurrection, hope

Three Mass formularies are given in the Roman Missal. The following is #2. Various options are given in the chant books.

Entrance Antiphon [Introit]:

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them. IV Esdras 2:34-35

Requiem æternam dona eis Domine: et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Ps. Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion; et tibi reddetur votum in Ierusalem.
Antiphon.
Ps. Qui audis orationem, ad te omnis caro veniet propter iniquitatem.
Antiphon.
Ps. Etsi prævaluerunt super nos impietates nostræ, tu propitiaberis eis.
Antiphon.
Ps. Beatus quem elegisti et assumpsisti, inhabitabit in atriis tuis..
Antiphon.
Ps. Replebimur bonis domus tuæ, sanctitate templi tui.
Antiphon.
IV Esdras 2:34-35 / Psalm 65:2-5 [Graduale Romanum, p.669]

Requiem æternam dona eis Domine: et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Ps. Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion; et tibi reddetur votum in Ierusalem.
IV Esdras 2:34-35 [Gregorian Missal, p.688]

Requiem æternam dona eis Domine: et lux perpetua luceat eis. [Graduale simplex, p.401]
Psalm 65, verses 1-5

Collect:

O God, glory of the faithful and life of the just,
by the Death and Resurrection of whose Son
we have been redeemed, look mercifully on your departed ser- vants,

that, just as they professed the mystery of our resurrection,
so they may merit to receive the joys of e- ter-nal happiness.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Ho-ly Spirit,
one God, for ev-er and ev-er. A-men.

Lectionary Readings:

There are many options given in the Lectionary from which to select readings for All Souls Day. These are merely suggestions.

Wisdom 3:1-9 [The souls of the just are in the hands of God. /v.1]
Psalm 23:1-3 / 3-4 / 5 / 6 [R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. /v.1]
Romans 6:3-9 [If we have died with Christ, we believe that we are also to live with him. /v.8]
Gospel Verse: Rev 14:13 [Happy are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.]
John 14:1-6 [There are many rooms in my Father's house. /v.2]
See CNP's Book of Sung Gospels - 4th Edition

Offertory Antiphon:

O Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, deliver the souls of all the departed faithful from the sufferings of hell and from the deep pit; deliever them from the mouth of the lion, may they not be swallowed up by hell, may they not fall into darkness; but may Saint Michael, the standard-bearer, present them in holy light, as you promised long ago to Abraham and his descendents.
Vs. We offer our sacrifices and our prayers to you, O Lord: receive them for the souls that we are remembering today; O Lord, make them pass from death into life, as you promised long ago to Abraham and his descendents.

Domine Iesu Christe, Rex gloriæ, libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum de pœnis inferni, et de profundo lacu: libera eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat eas tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum: sed signifer sanctus Michael repræsentet eas in lucem sanctam: Quam olim Abrahæ promisisti, et semini eius.
Vs.Hostias et preces tibi Domine laudis offerimus: tu suscipe pro animabus illus, quarum. hodie memoriam facimus: fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam.
Quam olim Abrahæ promisisti, et semini eius.
[Graduale Romanum, p.674]

Redemptor meus vivit, et in novissimo me renovabit. [Graduale simplex, p.410]
verses from Psalm 18

Prayer over the Offerings:

Al- mighty and merciful God,
by means of these sacrifical offerings
wash away, we pray, in the Blood of Christ,
the sins of your departed ser- vants,

for you purify unceasingly by your merciful forgiveness
those you once cleansed in the wa- ters of Baptism.

Through Christ our Lord. A-men.

Preface I for the Dead: [The hope of resurrection in Christ]

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God,
through Christ our Lord.

In him the hope of blessed resurrection has dawned,
that those saddened by the certainty of dying
might be consoled by the promise of immortality to come.
Indeed for your faithful, Lord,
life is changed not ended,
and, when this earthly dwelling turns to dust,
an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven.

And so, with the Angels and Archangels,
with Thrones and Dominions,
and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven,
we sing the hymn of your glory,
as without end we acclaim::

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts…

Communion Antiphon:

Let perpetual light shine upon them, O Lord,
with your Saints for ever, for you are merciful. IV Esdras 2:35,34 [Roman Missal]

Lux æterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in æternam, quia pius es. [Graduale Romanum, p.676]
Psalm 130:1-2a,2bc,3,4,5-6a,6b-7a,7bc,8 -or- Psalm 121:1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 -or- Psalm 23:1-2a,2b--3,3b,4ab,4cd,5ab,5cd,6ab can also be sung between repetitions of this antiphon.

Lux æterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in æternam, quia pius es. [Gregorian Missal, p.695]

Lux æterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in æternam, quia pius es. [Graduale simplex, p.413]
verses from Psalm 130

Prayer after Communion:

Hav- ing received the Sacrament of your Only Begotten Son,
who was sacrificed for us and rose in glo- ry,

we humbly implore you, O Lord,
for your departed ser- vants,

that cleansed by the paschal mysteries,
they may glory in the gift of the resurrec- tion to come.

Through Christ our Lord. A-men.

Solemn Blessing: [20. In Celebrations for the Dead]

May the God of all consolation bless you,
for in his unfathomable goodness he created the human race,
and in the Resurrection of his Only Begotten Son
he has given believers the hope of rising again.
Amen.

To us who are alive, may God grant pardon for our sins,
and to all the dead, a place of light and peace.
Amen.

So may we all live happily for ever with Christ,
whom we believe truly rose from the dead.
Amen.

And may the blessing of almighty God,
the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit,
come down on you and remain with you for ever.
Amen.

The English translation of the Entrance Antiphon [Introit], Collect, Psalm Refrain, Gospel Verse, Prayer over the Offerings, Preface, Communion Antiphon, Prayer after Communion and Solemn Blessing from The Roman Missal, © Copyright 2010, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corp. All rights reserved.

Excerpts from the First Reading, Second Reading and Gospel are taken from the New American Standard Bible ® © Copyright 1973 The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Liturgical InformationThe Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed [All Souls' Day]