The
veneration of the dead, including one's ancestors, is based on love and respect for the dead. In some cultures, it is related to
beliefs that the dead have a
continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living. Some groups venerate their direct, familial ancestors; some faith communities, in particular the
Catholic Church, venerate
saints as
intercessors with God, as well as praying for and to
departed souls in
Purgatory.