GEORGE TOWN: Roman Catholics on Penang Island came out in droves this morning to honour and remember their loved ones on All Souls' Day.
They were up at the crack of dawn, armed with flowers and candles, to either attend mass first or head directly to the graves and niches of their family members and friends at the Kelawai Road Catholic Cemetery and the Western Road Catholic Cemetery, respectively.
Church of the Immaculate Conception Penang parish priest Monsignor Jude Miranda was joined by fellow priests from Penang Island to conduct prayers and bless the graves and niches.
"All Souls' Day," said Monsignor Miranda, "is a day that we do not only remember our departed loved ones but also recall the ways they touched us when they were still with us.
"The legacy of the departed souls," he added, "lies in their names, memories, and a lifetime of commitment, sacrifice, relationships, and care.
"As faithful Christians, let us rededicate and relive their lives as we make our annual visit to their final resting place in their honour this year. May their souls rest in the peace and love of God," he said.
All Souls' Day, also known as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed and the Day of the Dead, is a day of prayer and remembrance for the souls of those who have died, observed by Christians globally on Nov 2.
The Kelawei Road private cemetery's heritage value is not limited only to the 212-year-old Church of the Immaculate Conception but is symbolic of the pioneering evangelization efforts of the Catholic Church in general.
The highest column at the cemetery is a cenotaph around which the earliest Thai Eurasian Catholics in Penang were buried.
All Souls' Day, also known as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed and the Day of the Dead, is a day of prayer an d remembrance for the souls of those who have died, observed by Christians globally on Nov 2.
