Assam: Dibrugarh Christians observe All Souls’ Day

Dibrugarh: Members of Assam’s Dibrugarh Inter Church Forum (DICF) congregated at the historic Christian Cemetery near India Club on Sunday to commemorate All Souls’ Day, offering prayers and lighting candles on tombs in remembrance of departed souls.

The solemn observance reflects the Christian tradition of honouring the dead and praying for those believed to be in purgatory.

DICF, an umbrella organisation encompassing various Christian denominations such as Catholics, Baptists, the Church of North India (CNI), the Church of Jesus Christ, and the Kuki Fellowship, coordinated the event. All Souls’ Day is observed annually by Christians worldwide as a day of prayer and reflection, strengthening spiritual connections with the deceased through acts of devotion and mercy.

Denis Bird, President of DICF, led the prayer service. Fr Gabriel Kujur, Assistant Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Dibrugarh, offered the opening prayer, followed by Rev. Noeldeep Swargiary of the CNI Church, who delivered reflections based on Biblical scripture.

“Today we reaffirm our spiritual bond with those who have departed from us and fulfil our sacred responsibility to intercede for their souls through prayer,” said Fr Joy Pallikunel, senior priest of the Catholic Diocese of Dibrugarh, who conducted prayers for all departed faithful.

After the service, participants lit candles on various tombs at the cemetery, despite many graves being obscured by overgrown creepers, vegetation, and shrubs.

Another prayer session was planned at the Paltan Bazar Cemetery at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

All Souls’ Day, formally called The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, is the third day of Allhallowtide in Western Christianity, following All Saints’ Day and All Hallows’ Eve.

Traditional observances include attending Mass for departed souls and visiting cemeteries to pray and adorn family graves with garlands, flowers, candles, and incense.

The interdenominational character of many Christian cemeteries lends All Souls’ Day observances an ecumenical quality, with believers from various Christian traditions joining together in prayer and cooperating to decorate graves, demonstrating unity in remembering their departed loved ones.