Are there special days when souls are released?
Defined dogma What the Church holds
The Church keeps days for the dead — the third, seventh and thirtieth day, the anniversary, and All Souls’ Day with its novena and octave — and attaches plenary indulgences for the souls to the cemetery visit on 1–8 November and the church visit on 2 November. She recommends these as fitting, never as hours of greater efficacy.
Private revelation What the saints and mystics report
The accounts build a liturgical calendar of releases: All Souls’ Day, Christmas night, Easter and Good Friday, Our Lady’s feasts and Saturdays (the Sabbatine privilege, whose bull Schouppe himself records as doubted). The only “hour” the Church would recognise is the moment of the Mass offered for a soul.
Accounts that bear on this
- MED-59John of Alvernia: Bl John of Alvernia, at his All Souls' Mass (Petrisko: All Saints'), sees souls leave Purgatory like sparks
- MED-13Peter Damian: A dead godmother at the Ara Coeli: on the Assumption, Mary frees souls as many as Rome's population; she foretells …
- UMP-R9Sr Mary of the Cross (the Manuscript): On All Souls' Day every soul shares the Church's prayers, but most go to Heaven on Christmas night
- VIS-20The Portuguese visionary: Days: no Purgatory shown during Christmas; Mary visits every Saturday except in Lent and Advent; 2 Nov is "the …
- EMM-25Anne Catherine Emmerich: Every Good Friday Christ's glance releases many souls; on Holy Saturday, souls who sinned at the Crucifixion