Lighting up candles during the ‘All Souls Day’ is widely practiced not only in the Western tradition but all over the world with different celebrated events such the ‘Chinese Ghost Festival’ in China, ‘Japanese Bone Festival’ in Japan, ‘Mexican Day of the Dead’ in Mexico and it is officially celebrated under the ‘Roman Rite Liturgy’ of the Roman Catholic Church as “The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed” or popularly known in English as “Feast of All Souls.”

Although this tradition is thought by the Roman Catholic Church, but there are no solid biblical foundation of this teachings. As a matter of fact, the ‘Feast of All Souls’ has a pagans origin. This is one of the reasons that those who are learned followers of Christ are no longer celebrating this tradition.

The real reason why people lights up candles for their dead during ‘All Souls Day’ or “Feast of All Souls” is because their souls are truly in the darkness. Hoping that through lighting up of candles, the way of their dead souls who are in journey to the everlasting life may find lights.

In contrasts, the learned true Christians whose life is in the Lord Jesus Christ does not need to come to the graveyard to light up candles because they knew that this tradition can avail nothing to the dead.

However, the Bible teaches totally opposite to this traditions. In Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” This line in the Bible tells us clearly that Christians had their own light to shine even in this world of darkness and there is no need for the dead in Christ to light up of the candles like you do during the “All Souls Day.”

May the Lord God Jesus Christ enlightens you mind to this revealing truth.

God Bless!