Roman Catholics usually associate prayer for the dead with November, the Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, when we celebrate All Saints Day and All Souls Day. But in Eastern Rite Catholic churches and in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Christians celebrate five All Souls Saturdays (or Holy Souls Saturdays). These All Souls Saturdays fall on the Saturday after Meatfare Sunday (for more information on Meatfare Sunday, see Sometimes, 40 Days Is Not Enough); the second, third, and fourth Saturdays of Great Lent (as Eastern Christians refer to Lent); and the Saturday before Pentecost Sunday. For Eastern Catholics who calculate Easter according to the Gregorian calendar, the dates of the All Souls Saturdays in 2013 are February 9, February 23, March 2, March 9, and May 18; for Eastern Orthodox Christians who use the Julian calendar to determine the date of Easter, the 2013 All Souls Saturdays are March 16, March 30, April 6, April 13, and June 22.
In 2007, the newspaper of the Diocese of Rockford, Illinois, ran an interesting story on the All Souls Saturdays, which offered some suggestions for ways in which Roman Catholics can integrate this Eastern Christian practice into their Lenten discipline. One good way is to learn some traditional prayers for the faithful departed and pray them frequently during Lent.
I honestly did not know that praying for the dead is a Roman Catholic practice. As you’ve described, it’s a beautiful testimony to that faith. Thanks–I learned something new and valuable today!