What is the history of All Souls' Day? What is a biblical view of All Souls' Day?

TL;DR:

All Souls’ Day has historic and cultural roots, but many of its traditional practices—like praying for the dead to escape Purgatory—are unbiblical. Remembering loved ones or maintaining gravesites is fine, but our focus should be on Christ, the living, and the truth of Scripture about life after death.

what does the bible say?

The Bible does not teach Purgatory nor praying for the dead. Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 indicates that once a person passes on from this life, “they have no more share in all that is done under the sun.” If we pray for the dead, the effort is fruitless because they are already in their permanent destiny. Luke 16:19-31 emphasizes this reality by making it clear that there are only two places people will end up when they die: heaven, or hell. Hebrews 9:27 shows that judgment follows death, so prayers for the dead are pointless. That eliminates all speculation of Purgatory existing in the afterlife. Scripture teaches that it is normal to still feel attached to those we have lost and grieve them deeply (John 11:35). During such times, we can turn to the family of God in our local church for support (Galatians 6:2). We can also run to Jesus Himself because He wants to carry our burden of grief with us (Matthew 11:28-30). The Bible also shows that believers have nothing to fear because we know from John 10:28-29 that we cannot be separated from our Heavenly Father—our destiny is forever with Him. Instead of partaking in practices that interact with the dead unbiblically, our time is better spent spreading the love of Jesus Christ to those who still live (Romans 12:9-10).

from the old testament

Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 communicates that once we pass away in this life,nothing is left for us “under the sun”. It is not profitable to pray for someone who has already died because our prayers will have absolutely no impact on their eternal state.

from the new testament

If someone we love has passed away and we are struggling to make peace with their passing, we should bring our burden of grief or worry to Jesus. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
In the parable about the rich man and the poor man named Lazarus, Jesus reveals the sharp divide between t believers and unbelievers in the afterlife. While believers will experience paradise, unbelievers will experience Hades (Luke 16:19-31). As such, there is no “in-between” state in which we can live like Purgatory suggests.
As believers, the death of our physical bodies should not be something we fear. Instead of worrying about Purgatory, we can know that our eternal place is secure, since nothing can ever separate us from our Heavenly Father (John 10:28-29).
We don’t need to worry about praying for those who have already died, but rather focus on spreading Christ’s love to those who are with us now (Romans 12:9-10).

implications for today

All Souls' Day is a Medieval-era church feast day meant to commemorate the dead. In Catholic and liturgical Protestant churches, certain saints are given specific feast days. All Saints' Day is for all the saints, whereas All Souls' Day is for every believer. The Orthodox Church traces the first All Souls' Day to 893, when Emperor Leo VI was denied his request to dedicate a church to the memory of his late wife, and dedicated it to all Christian souls instead. Originally, All Souls' Day was held around Easter time. The Orthodox Church celebrates it several times throughout the year, including four times around Lent. Roman Catholics and liturgical Protestants celebrate All Souls' Day on November 2, unless it falls on a Sunday, in which case it's moved to November 3.

Unfortunately, the Roman Catholic Church and some Protestants use the day to pray and do other indulgences to help loved ones supposedly escape Purgatory and continue on to heaven—-a highly unbiblical teaching. On the other hand, some Protestant countries use All Souls' Day to simply clean up grave sites, which is fine. While it is good to remember deceased friends and family members and is kind to neaten cemeteries, it is futile and (anti-biblical) to pray for the dead. As difficult as it may be to accept, the fates of those who have passed on are already sealed (Hebrews 9;27). It's best for Christians to avoid All Souls' Day activities that do not line up with the truth of God’s Word.

understand

All Souls’ Day began as a Medieval commemoration of the dead, but some practices like praying for Purgatory are unbiblical.
The Bible teaches that after death, a person’s eternal destiny is fixed—heaven or hell.
Remembering loved ones is fine, but Christians should focus on Christ, the living, and God’s promises rather than the dead.

reflect

How do you respond emotionally when remembering loved ones who have passed, and how can you bring those feelings to Jesus for comfort?
Are there any traditions or practices you’ve participated in regarding those who have passed away that may not align with Scripture, and how can you adjust your focus toward Christ and the living?
How does understanding the Bible’s teaching on heaven and hell affect the way you grieve and honor those who have died?

engage

How can we support one another in grieving loved ones without using biblical practices?
How can our remembrance of the dead be meaningful without it becoming unbiblical?
How does the biblical view of life after death shape the way we engage in cultural or church traditions like All Souls’ Day?