Pope Leo XIV will preside over three days of liturgies in Rome to mark the feasts of All Saints and All Souls, continuing a long-standing papal tradition of honoring the faithful departed.
The celebrations will begin on Saturday, November 1, with Mass for the Solemnity of All Saints at 10:30 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, where Pope Leo will officially declare St. John Henry Newman a Doctor of the Church. Tens of thousands of pilgrims are expected to attend, many of them participating in the Vatican’s Jubilee of Education opened earlier in the week. Following Mass, the Holy Father will lead the Angelus prayer at noon from the Vatican.
On Sunday, November 2, the feast of All Souls’ Day, Pope Leo will celebrate Mass for the faithful departed at Campo Verano Cemetery near the Basilica of St. Lawrence Outside the Walls at 4 p.m. The Vatican noted that this continues the practice of Pope Francis, who made it a yearly tradition to celebrate Mass in a cemetery on All Souls’ Day.
The following day, Monday, November 3, at 11 a.m., Pope Leo will offer Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis, who passed away in April, as well as for all deceased cardinals and bishops from the past year. This commemorative liturgy is part of the Church’s custom of praying for the dead at the start of November, a month dedicated to remembrance and intercession for souls in purgatory.
Pope Leo’s observance reflects his deep pastoral connection to the faithful departed, shaped by his years as an Augustinian missionary and bishop in Peru, where All Souls’ Day is marked by cemetery visits, flower offerings, candlelight, and prayers for loved ones.
In Latin America, the tradition of honoring the dead is widespread, most notably seen in Mexico’s Día de los Muertos celebrations on November 1–2. Similarly, the Catholic Church worldwide encourages prayers, sacrifices, and Masses for the souls in purgatory during this period.
Before heading to Campo Verano on Sunday, Pope Leo will once again lead the Angelus from the Apostolic Palace at noon, as he does on all major feast days.
Together, the weekend’s liturgies underscore the Church’s enduring message of hope, remembrance, and communion with the saints and the faithful departed.
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