All Souls' Day, in Christianity, is a day commemorating the faithful departed, in particular but not exclusively one's relatives. In
Western Christianity the annual celebration is now held on 2 November and is associated with
All Saints' Day (1 November) and its vigil,
Halloween (31 October). In the
liturgical books of the western
Catholic Church (the
Latin Church) it is called the
Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, and is celebrated annually on 2 November, even if this date falls on a Sunday; on this day Catholics
pray for the dead. In
Anglicanism it is called
Commemoration of All Faithful Departed and is an optional celebration; Anglicans view All Souls' Day as an extension of the observance of All Saints' Day and it serves to "remember those who have died", in connection with the theological doctrines of the
resurrection of the body and the
Communion of Saints. In the
Eastern Orthodox Church and the associated
Eastern Catholic Churches, it is celebrated several times during the year and is not associated with the month of November.