MEMBERS of Knights of St. John International today (02/11/14) marked the feast of All Souls Day with Very Rev. Fr. Pius Okwuagwu urging Christians to pray for those who died to enter heaven.

Rev, Fr. Okwuagwu who celebrated the Mass at St. John De Baptist Catholic Church, Agbor emphasized that “it is not all those who have died in Christ that has entered heaven because nothing unclean can enter heaven, that is why we must pray for the dead.”

“Only the living can praise God, the dead cannot praise God,” he said, adding, “Only those who are alive can say, God forgive me, the dead cannot, so, the Church fixed today to pray in a special way for the forgiveness of the sins of those in purgatory so that they can be clean to enter heaven.”

He disclosed that “every Priest must celebrate three masses for those who are yet to be washed clean by the blood, those who are in the purgatory,” and charged Christians to live good lives in Jesus Christ because that is the only way to gain direct entry to heaven.

Fr. Okwuagwu said, “Heaven is where all of us aspires to be, today, we are being reminded that one day, we are going to depart this world, God is reminding us that we are pilgrims here on earth, that this world is not our own but, will you wait until you leave this world and expect your relations to pray for you? No. We should live a good life so that we can have direct entry to heaven because you cannot be sure that your relations will pray for you.”

He emphasized that the All Souls Day “calls for sober reflection for us to live good lives here on earth, be peaceful, forgive others and call on God to strengthen us in our faith.”

The Grand President, Benin Grand Commandery, Brigadier-General Joseph Ojobu who led members of KSJI to the service said it was important for prayers to offered to the dead Christians who are in the purgatory.
According to him, “we have been thought that it is important to pray for the dead.”

Prayers were offered to the dead at the occasion.

The District 18 Commander of KSJI, Issele-Uku, Sir Peter Iyawa stated that those who are in a Purgatory are those who still have opportunity for their sins to be cleansed to enable them Heaven.