As the calendar turns to November, many people immediately think of Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. However, a significant holiday that holds deep meaning for countless Christians occurs right at the beginning of the month—All Saints’ Day. While Halloween garners commercial attention as the second-largest holiday after Christmas, the days surrounding October 31 are rich in religious significance for Christians worldwide.
Traditionally recognized as All Hallows’ Eve, October 31 serves as a vigil for believers, a time for prayer and fasting in anticipation of the feast day that follows: All Saints’ Day.
All Saints’ Day, celebrated on November 1 each year in the Western Christian calendar, is a feast day dedicated to honoring all saints known to God, including not only those canonized by the Catholic Church but all faithful followers of Jesus throughout history. It is a day of remembrance for those who have gone before us, honoring their lives, faithfulness, and contributions to the faith.
This observance fosters a sense of communion among believers, allowing them to celebrate their ongoing connection with the saints through the ages and recognize their participation in the body of Christ.
In the Catholic Church, All Saints’ Day is classified as a holy day of obligation, which requires parishioners to attend Mass. However, if the holy day falls on a Saturday or Monday, the obligation is lifted. Various traditions mark the day globally, with many Christians visiting the graves of their loved ones to pay respects.
In 2024, All Saints’ Day will fall on Friday, November 1. It is preceded by All Hallows’ Eve on Thursday, October 31, and is followed by All Souls’ Day on Saturday, November 2.
While All Saints’ Day honors all saints, known and unknown, Catholics also observe All Souls’ Day, which is dedicated to remembering the faithful departed, particularly those in Purgatory awaiting full sanctification. Although All Souls’ Day is not a Holy Day of Obligation, it encourages prayers and remembrance for the deceased.
For Protestant Christians who recognize All Souls’ Day, it serves as a way to commemorate the saints who have triumphed in heaven and is often seen as an extension of the All Saints’ Day observance. The Eastern Orthodox Church observes multiple All Souls’ Days throughout the year, primarily on Saturdays, to honor the day Jesus rested in the tomb before his resurrection.
The origins of All Saints’ Day can be traced back to early church tradition, predating modern Halloween customs. One narrative suggests that Pope Boniface IV declared it a feast day on May 13, 609 AD, when he consecrated the Pantheon in Rome to the Virgin Mary and all martyrs. The official date of November 1 was established by Pope Gregory III during his papacy from 731 to 741 AD, when he dedicated a chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica to honor “all saints.” A century later, Pope Gregory IV made All Saints’ Day an official Holy Day for the entire Church.
Another account posits that the celebration began in Ireland and gradually made its way to Rome, achieving official status in the 9th century. References to informal celebrations of souls can be found as early as 270 AD.
The liturgical color associated with All Saints’ Day is white, with an optional use of gold, symbolizing purity and joy in the celebration of the saints.
From the 2019 Book of Common Prayer (BCP), “Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical Body of your Son: Give us grace so to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.”
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