By Ononye VC
All Souls Day,a day set aside in Christendom to remember and pray for the faithful departed was observed at the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity Onitsha where the Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha Most Rev Valerian Okeke led the faithful in solemn mass on Thursday.
Apart from other masses celebrated during the day across the Archdiocese,a special mass was celebrated by the Archbishop on Thursday evening at the Archdiocesan cemetery which attracted a good number of priests,the religious and lay faithful,creating an atmosphere of sober reflection on the reality of life and death.
In his opening remarks before the mass,the Archbishop reminded the faithful that prayers for all faithful departed,who were marked with the sign of Christ through Baptism,was to grant them eternal happiness in the midst of the saints in His Kingdom.
According to the Archbishop,”We pray for those in the Purgatory, especially those who have nobody to pray for them.We pray also for God’s grace on all of us,and on all our departed ones,that God may grant us grace,to prepare for a good death through Christ our Lord”.
While delivering his sermon,Rev Fr Victor Adobe spoke on the reality of life and death,adding that christians by their conduct have the options of dying and their souls committed to Heaven, Purgatory or Hell.
He pointed out that the faithful has to go through the stage of purification in Purgatory for God to receive them in heaven and therefore need prayers.
Speaking on the reality of Life,Fr Victor pointed out that Christians must try to live in love since God Himself is Love.
According to him, Christians express their love through the way they relate with their neighbours and other people that come their way other than identifying with many church activities without love.
He concluded,”Let your underlying behavior be to live in love”.
Rector of the Basilica, Monsignor Francis Ezumezu thanked the Archbishop for finding time to celebrate the mass inspite of his many schedules during the day.
The Chancellor of the Archdiocese Very Rev Fr Prudentius Emeka Aroh was present among other priests and religious.
Highlight was a special thanksgiving by members of the Purgatorian Society.
