Annual Remembrance of the Dead – Prayer for the Departed All Year Round

What the remembrance of the dead is

The remembrance of the dead by name (in Polish wypominki) is one of the oldest traditions of prayer for the dead: the priest reads out the names of the deceased and the assembled faithful pray for them. The custom has its roots in the ancient liturgy – the names of the living and the dead were written on the so-called diptychs and remembered during Mass. In Poland and Belarus this tradition has become especially dear to the faithful: the departed are “remembered”, that is, called by name before God.

The remembrance of the dead is an expression of the Church's faith that prayer can help the dead (CCC 958, 1032). The Church encourages it throughout the year, not only in November.

One-off, octave and annual remembrance

• one-off – the names are read out once, most often on 1 or 2 November,
• octave – during the octave, from 1 to 8 November, when the faithful can also gain the indulgence for the dead,
• annual – the names return regularly in the prayer of the parish throughout the year.

The annual remembrance is a good choice when we want the memory of our loved ones not to be limited to one day, but to accompany the parish community from Advent to the end of the liturgical year.

What the annual remembrance looks like in Białynicze

The names of the deceased that you give us are read out before Sunday Mass throughout the liturgical year. After the list has been read, those gathered in the church say a prayer for the dead. In this way your loved ones are commended to God by a community that has prayed for years on the site of the former Shrine of Our Lady of Białynicze.

Who can be included in the remembrance

The deceased are entered in the remembrance – no matter how long ago they died. You can commend your parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, friends, and also people for whom no one prays: forgotten relatives, deceased neighbours, victims of wars and accidents. Many of the faithful add “the holy souls in purgatory” at the end of their list. You do not need to be a parishioner or to travel to Białynicze to submit names.

It is good to join in this prayer yourself: on Sunday, when the names are read out in Białynicze, say “Eternal rest” for your loved ones or offer your participation in Mass in your own parish for them.

The remembrance of the dead and a Mass for the deceased

The remembrance is the prayer of the community, but it is not the same as a Mass offered for a particular intention. During the remembrance the name of the deceased is one of many that are recalled; in a Mass requested for a deceased person the whole Eucharist is offered for that very person. That is why many families combine the two forms: they submit names for the annual remembrance, and on the anniversary of death they request a Mass intention. For one deceased person, especially soon after death, people also request Gregorian Masses. All the possibilities are gathered in our guide Mass for the dead.

How to write the names

• give the full name of each person, e.g. “John Smith, Mary Smith”,
• you may use a collective description: “the deceased of the Jones family”, “our deceased parents and grandparents”,
• dates of death and relationships are not needed.

How to submit names for the annual remembrance online

Choose “Annual remembrance of the dead” in the form and write the names in the “Intention / comments” field – or send the list by e-mail or WhatsApp. We will confirm receipt of your request by e-mail. Information on how to make a voluntary offering from abroad can be found on the offering page. The offerings support the priests serving small communities in eastern Belarus and the rebuilding of the shrine.

Sources

• Catechism of the Catholic Church