All Soul's Day

The practice of recommending to God the souls of the departed in that we may mitigate the great pains which they suffer, and that He may soon bring them to His glory, is most pleasing to God and most profitable to us. For those blessed souls are His eternal spouses, and they are most grateful to those who obtain their deliverance from prison, or even a mitigation of their torments. Hence, when they shall enter into heaven, they will certainly not forget those who prayed for them, that they also may pray for us. Let us recommend to Jesus Christ, and to His holy Mother, all the souls in Purgatory, but especially those of our relatives, benefactors, friends, and enemies, and, still more particularly, the souls of those for whom we are bound to pray: and let us consider the great pains which these holy spouses of Jesus Christ endure, and offer to God for their relief the Masses of this day.
(The Roman Missal, 1962)



Translation of the beautiful chant you hear in the video:

Dies Irae

Days of wrath and doom impending,
David's word with Sibyl's blending,
Heaven and earth in ashes ending.

O what fear man's bosom rendeth,
When from heaven the Judge descendeth,
On whose sentence all dependeth.

Wondrous sound the trumpet flingeth,
Through earth's sepulchres it ringeth,
All before the throne it bringeth.

Death is struck, and nature quaking,
All creation is awaking,
To its Judge an answer making.

Lo, the book exactly worded,
Wherein all hath been recorded,
Thence shall judgment be awarded.

When the Judge His seat attaineth,
And each hidden deed arraineth,
Nothing unavenged remaineth.

What shall I, frail man, be pleading?
Who for me be interceding,
When the just are mercy needing?

King of majesty tremendous,
Who dost free salvation send us,
Found of pity, then befriend us.

Think, kind Jesus, my salvation
Caused Thy wondrous Incarnation,
Leave me not to reprobation.

Faint and weary Thou has sought me,
On the Cross of suffering bought me,
Shall such grace be vainly brought me?

Righteous Judge, for sin's pollution,
Grant Thy gift of absolution,
Ere that day of retribution.

Guilty now I pour my moaning,
All my shame with anguish owning,
Spare, O God, Thy suppliant groaning.

Through the sinful woman shriven,
Through the dying thief forgiven,
Thou to me a hope hast given.

Worthless are my prayers and sighing,
Yet, good Lord, in grace complying,
Rescue me from fires undying.

With Thy sheep a place provide me,
From the goats afar divide me,
To Thy right hand do Thou guide me.

When the wicked are confounded,
Doomed to flames of woe unbounded,
Call me with Thy Saints surrounded.

Low I kneel with heart's submission,
See, like ashes, my contrition,
Help me in my last condition.

Ah! that day of tears and mourning,
From the dust of earth returning,
Man for judgment must prepare him.

Lord, all-pitying, Jesus blest,
Grant them Thine eternal rest.
Amen

Our Lord told St. Gertrude the Great that the following prayer would release 1,000 souls from Purgatory each time it is said. The prayer was extended to include living sinners which would alleviate the indebtedness accrued to them during their lives.

Eternal Father,
I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus,
in union with the Masses said throughout the world today,
for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory,
for sinners everywhere,
for sinners in the Universal Church,
those in my own home and within my family.

Amen.