SHILLONG/ TURA: Catholic faithful in the State paid rich floral tributes to their departed ones by offering special prayers and decorating their graves with fresh flowers and lighting candles on the occasion of All Souls Day on Monday.
In Shillong, the faithful prayed for their departed souls at the Catholic Cemetery, Laitumkhrah, and elsewhere in the State.
All Souls Day is an annual religious event observed by Catholics the world over during which people who have lost their loved ones recall with fondness the time spent with their departed family members.
Faithful prepare for the day by cleaning the graves and the surrounding areas with a fresh coat of paint. Flowers are placed and candles light up the night sky on November 2 every year.
In Shillong, the Archbishop, priests, nuns, the religious and the laity took part in the observance of All Souls Day.
Bishop of Tura, Rt. Rev. Andrew R Marak, led the devotees in observing All Souls Day in Tura by conducting a special church service at the Roman Catholic cemetery near Bishop House in Tura on Monday afternoon which was attended by several thousand faithful.
Bishop Andrew in his homely recalled the crucifixion and resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ and said all those who believe in Christ would never die. He said that Christ through his resurrection had proven to the world that there is life after death and it is the duty of every living Christian to pray for the souls of their dearly departed and help the needy in this world.
Special hymns were sung including the two famous ones ‘Nearer, My God, to Thee’ and ‘What a friend we have in Jesus’ towards the end of the special service and the graves were blessed with the sprinkling of holy water by the priests.
