All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

solemnity In the liturgical calendar of the Roman Rite, a solemnity is a feast day of the highest rank celebrating a mystery of faith such as the Trinity, an event in the life of Jesus, his mother Mary, his legal father Joseph, or another important ...

celebrated in honour of all the

saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...

s of the Church, whether they are known or unknown. From the 4th century, feasts commemorating all

Christian martyr In Christianity, a martyr is a person who was killed for their testimony for Jesus or faith in Jesus. In the years of the early church, stories depict this often occurring through death by sawing, stoning, crucifixion, burning at the stake, or ...

s were held in various places, on various dates near

Easter Easter, also called Pascha ( Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in t ...

and

Pentecost Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christianity, Christian holiday which takes place on the 49th day (50th day when inclusive counting is used) after Easter Day, Easter. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spiri ...

. In the 9th century, some churches in the

British Isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...

began holding the commemoration of all saints on 1 November, and in the 9th century this was extended to the whole Catholic Church by Pope Gregory IV. In

Western Christianity Western Christianity is one of two subdivisions of Christianity (Eastern Christianity being the other). Western Christianity is composed of the Latin Church and Protestantism, Western Protestantism, together with their offshoots such as the O ...

, it is still celebrated on 1 November by the Western Catholic Church as well as by many Protestant churches, such as the

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

, and

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

traditions. The

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is List of Christian denominations by number of members, one of the three major doctrinal and ...

and associated

Eastern Catholic The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also known as the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous ('' sui iuris'') particular churches of ...

and Eastern Lutheran churches celebrate it on the first Sunday after

. The

Syro-Malabar Church The Syro-Malabar Church, also known as the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic church based in Kerala, India. It is a '' sui iuris'' (autonomous) particular church in full communion with the Holy See and the worldwide Cathol ...

and the

Chaldean Catholic Church The Chaldean Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern Catholic Catholic particular churches and liturgical rites, particular church (''sui iuris'') in full communion with the Holy See and the rest of the Catholic Church, and is ...

, both of which are in communion with Rome, as well as the

Church of the East The Church of the East ( ) or the East Syriac Church, also called the Church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, the Persian Church, the Assyrian Church, the Babylonian Church, the Chaldean Church or the Nestorian Church, is one of three major branches o ...

, celebrate All Saints' Day on the first Friday after

Easter Sunday Easter, also called Pascha (Aramaic: פַּסְחָא , ''paskha''; Greek language, Greek: πάσχα, ''páskha'') or Resurrection Sunday, is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, de ...

. In the

Coptic Orthodox The Coptic Orthodox Church (), also known as the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, is an Oriental Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox Christian church based in Egypt. The head of the church and the Apostolic see, See of Alexandria i ...

tradition, All Saints' Day is on Nayrouz, celebrated on 11 September. The day is the start of the Coptic new year, and of its first month, Thout.

Liturgical celebrations

In the Western Christian practice, the

liturgical Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and participation in the sacred through activities reflecting praise, thanksgiving, remembra ...

celebration begins with its first

vespers Vespers /ˈvɛspərz/ () is a Christian liturgy, liturgy of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Catholic (both Latin liturgical rites, Latin and Eastern Catholic liturgy, Eastern Catholic liturgical rites), Eastern Orthodox, Oriental O ...

on the evening of 31 October, All Hallows' Eve (All Saints' Eve or "Halloween"), and ends at the

compline Compline ( ), also known as Complin, Night Prayer, or the Prayers at the End of the Day, is the final prayer liturgy (or office) of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours, which are prayed at fixed prayer times. The English wor ...

of 1 November. It is thus the day before

All Souls' Day All Souls' Day, also called The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, is a day of prayer and remembrance for the faithful departed, observed by Christians on 2 November. In Western Christianity, including Roman Catholicism and certain p ...

, which commemorates the faithful departed. In many traditions, All Saints' Day is part of the season of

Allhallowtide Allhallowtide, Hallowtide, Allsaintstide, or the Hallowmas season is the Western Christian Church, Western Christian season encompassing the triduum of All Saints' Eve (Halloween), All Saints' Day (All Hallows') and All Souls' Day, as well as the ...

, which includes the three days from 31 October to 2 November inclusive, as well as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (held on the first Sunday of November), and in some Christian denominations, such as

Anglicanism Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

, extends to

Remembrance Sunday Remembrance Sunday is held in the United Kingdom as a day to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts. It is held on the second Sunday in Nov ...

. In places where All Saints' Day is observed as a public holiday, cemetery and grave rituals such as offerings of flowers, candles and prayers or blessings for the graves of loved ones often take place on All Saints Day (along with other days of Allsaintstide, especially on All Hallows Eve and All Souls Day). In Austria and Germany,

godparents Within Christianity, a godparent or sponsor is someone who bears witness to a child's baptism (christening) and later is willing to help in their catechesis, as well as their lifelong spiritual formation. In both religious and civil views, ...

gift their godchildren Allerheiligenstriezel (All Saint's Braid) on All Saint's Day, while the practice of souling remains popular in Portugal. It is a national holiday in many Christian countries. The Christian celebration of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day stems from a belief that there is a powerful spiritual bond between those in heaven (the " Church triumphant"), the living (the "

Church militant In some strains of Christian theology, the Christian Church may be divided into: *the Church Militant (), also called the Church Pilgrim, which consists of Christians on Earth who struggle as soldiers of Christ against sin, the devil, and "the ...

"), and the " Church penitent" which includes the faithful departed. In

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

theology, the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven. The

branch of Christianity, on All Hallows' Day, remembers "those blessed fellow-believers who died in the Lord and are now at rest even as we wait with them for the Last Day and the resurrection of the body to eternal life with Christ." In

theology, All Saints Day revolves around "giving God solemn thanks for the lives and deaths of his

saints In Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Anglican, Oriental Orth ...

", including those who are "famous or obscure". As such, individuals throughout the Church Universal are honoured, such as

Paul the Apostle Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Apostles in the New Testament, Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the Ministry of Jesus, teachings of Jesus in the Christianity in the 1st century, first ...

Augustine of Hippo Augustine of Hippo ( , ; ; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430) was a theologian and philosopher of Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. His writings deeply influenced the development of Western philosop ...

and other saints, varying according to the

hagiographic A hagiography (; ) is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader, as well as, by extension, an wiktionary:adulatory, adulatory and idealized biography of a preacher, priest, founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world's religi ...

traditions of the Church in question. In some traditions, the day is also used to celebrate individuals who have personally led one to faith in Jesus, such as one's grandmother or friend.

Western Christianity

The holiday of All Saints' Day falls on 1 November and is followed by

on 2 November. It is a Solemnity in the

Roman Rite The Roman Rite () is the most common ritual family for performing the ecclesiastical services of the Latin Church, the largest of the ''sui iuris'' particular churches that comprise the Catholic Church. The Roman Rite governs Rite (Christianity) ...

of the Catholic Church, a

Festival A festival is an event celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, Melā, mela, or Muslim holidays, eid. A ...

in the

Lutheran Church Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched the Reformation in 15 ...

es, and a Principal Feast of the

Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is a Christian Full communion, communion consisting of the Church of England and other autocephalous national and regional churches in full communion. The archbishop of Canterbury in England acts as a focus of unity, ...

History

From the 4th century, there existed in certain places and at sporadic intervals a feast day to commemorate all Christian martyrs. It was held on 13 May in

Edessa Edessa (; ) was an ancient city (''polis'') in Upper Mesopotamia, in what is now Urfa or Şanlıurfa, Turkey. It was founded during the Hellenistic period by Macedonian general and self proclaimed king Seleucus I Nicator (), founder of the Sel ...

, the Sunday after

Antioch Antioch on the Orontes (; , ) "Antioch on Daphne"; or "Antioch the Great"; ; ; ; ; ; ; . was a Hellenistic Greek city founded by Seleucus I Nicator in 300 BC. One of the most important Greek cities of the Hellenistic period, it served as ...

, and the Friday after Easter by the Syrians. During the 5th century, St. Maximus of Turin preached annually on the Sunday after Pentecost in honor of all martyrs in what is today northern Italy. The Comes of Würzburg, the earliest existing ecclesiastical reading list, dating to the late 6th or early 7th century in what is today Germany, lists the Sunday after Pentecost as ''dominica in natale sanctorum'' ('Sunday of the Nativity of the Saints'). By this time, the commemoration had expanded to include all saints, martyred or not. On 13 May 609 or 610, Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon at Rome to the

Blessed Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

and all the martyrs, ordering an anniversary; the feast of ''dedicatio Sanctae Mariae ad Martyres'' has been celebrated at Rome ever since. It is suggested 13 May was chosen by the Pope and earlier by Christians in Edessa because it was the date of the Roman pagan festival of

Lemuria Lemuria (), or Limuria, was a continent proposed in 1864 by zoologist Philip Sclater, theorized to have sunk beneath the Indian Ocean, later appropriated by occultists in supposed accounts of human origins. The theory was discredited with the dis ...

, in which malevolent and restless spirits of the dead were propitiated. Some liturgiologists suggest that Lemuria was the origin of All Saints, based on their identical dates and their similar theme of "all the dead".

Pope Gregory III Pope Gregory III (; died 28 November 741) was the bishop of Rome from 11 February 731 to his death on 28 November 741. His pontificate, like that of his predecessor, was disturbed by Byzantine iconoclasm and the advance of the Lombards, in which ...

(731–741) dedicated an oratory in

Old St. Peter's Basilica Old St. Peter's Basilica was the church buildings that stood, from the 4th to 16th centuries, where St. Peter's Basilica stands today in Vatican City. Construction of the basilica, built over the historical site of the Circus of Nero, began dur ...

to the relics "of the holy apostles and of all saints, martyrs and confessors, of all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world". Some sources say Gregory III dedicated the oratory on 1 November, and this is why the date became All Saints' Day. Other sources say Gregory III held a

synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...

to condemn

iconoclasm Iconoclasm ()From . ''Iconoclasm'' may also be considered as a back-formation from ''iconoclast'' (Greek: εἰκοκλάστης). The corresponding Greek word for iconoclasm is εἰκονοκλασία, ''eikonoklasia''. is the social belie ...

on 1 November 731, but he dedicated the All Saints oratory on

Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is the Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in each of the four canonical Gospels. Its name originates from the palm bran ...

, 12 April 732. By 800, there is evidence that churches in

Gaelic Ireland Gaelic Ireland () was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late Prehistory of Ireland, prehistoric era until the 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Norman invasi ...

Farmer, David. ''The Oxford Dictionary of Saints'' (Fifth Edition, Revised). Oxford University Press, 2011. p. 14 and

Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons, in some contexts simply called Saxons or the English, were a Cultural identity, cultural group who spoke Old English and inhabited much of what is now England and south-eastern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages. They traced t ...

Northumbria Northumbria () was an early medieval Heptarchy, kingdom in what is now Northern England and Scottish Lowlands, South Scotland. The name derives from the Old English meaning "the people or province north of the Humber", as opposed to the Sout ...

were holding a feast commemorating all saints on 1 November. There was much Gaelic influence on Northumbria and its church during this period. Some manuscripts of the Irish ''

Martyrology of Tallaght The ''Martyrology of Tallaght'', which is closely related to the ''Félire Óengusso'' or ''Martyrology of Óengus the Culdee'', is an eighth- or ninth-century Irish-language martyrology, a list of saints and their feast days assembled by Mael ...

'' and '' Martyrology of Óengus'', which date to this time, have a commemoration of all saints of the world on 1 November. Butler, Alban. ''Butler's Lives of the Saints, New Full Edition, Volume 11: November (Revised by Sarah Fawcett Thomas)''. Burns & Oates, 1997. pp. 1–2. Quote: "Some manuscripts of the ninth-century ''Félire'', or martyrology, of St Oengus the Culdee and the ''Martyrology of Tallaght'' (c. 800), which have a commemoration of the martyrs on 17 April, a feast of 'all the saints of the whole of Europe' on 20 April, and a feast of all saints of Africa on 23 December, also refer to a celebration of all the saints on 1 November". In 800,

Alcuin Alcuin of York (; ; 735 – 19 May 804), also called Ealhwine, Alhwin, or Alchoin, was a scholar, clergyman, poet, and teacher from York, Northumbria. He was born around 735 and became the student of Ecgbert of York, Archbishop Ecgbert at Yor ...

recommended the 1 November feast to his friend,

Arno of Salzburg Arno, Arn or Aquila (c. 750–821) was bishop of Salzburg, and afterwards its first archbishop. He preserved his voluminous correspondence from the scholar Alcuin of York. Early years He entered the church at an early age, and after passing ...

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

.Dales, Douglas (2013). ''Alcuin II: Theology and Thought''. James Clarke and Co. pp. 34, 39–40 Alcuin, a member of

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

's court, may have been responsible for introducing this Irish-Northumbrian feast of All Saints in the

Frankish Empire The Carolingian Empire (800–887) was a Frankish-dominated empire in Western and Central Europe during the Early Middle Ages. It was ruled by the Carolingian dynasty, which had ruled as kings of the Franks since 751 and as kings of the Lomba ...

. Adoption of the 1 November feast might also have been driven by Irish missionaries, and there were Irish clerics and scholars at Charlemagne's court as well. Some scholars propose that churches in the British Isles began celebrating All Saints on 1 November in the 8th century to coincide with or replace the Gaelic Celtic festival known in Ireland and Scotland as

Samhain Samhain ( , , , ) or () is a Gaels, Gaelic festival on 1 November marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or the "Celtic calendar#Medieval Irish and Welsh calendars, darker half" of the year.Dáithí Ó hÓgáin, Ó hÓ ...

. James Frazer represents this school of thought by arguing that 1 November was chosen because Samhain was the date of the Celtic festival of the dead. Ronald Hutton argues instead that the earliest documentary sources indicate Samhain was a harvest festival with no particular ritual connections to the dead. Hutton proposes that 1 November was a Germanic rather than a Celtic idea. In 835, Charlemagne's son and successor, Emperor

Louis the Pious Louis the Pious (; ; ; 16 April 778 – 20 June 840), also called the Fair and the Debonaire, was King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor, co-emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. He was also King of Aquitaine from 781. As the only ...

, made All Saints' Day on 1 November a

holy day of obligation In the Catholic Church, holy days of obligation or precepts are days on which Christians, Catholic Christians are expected to attend Mass (Catholic Church), Mass, and engage in rest from work and recreation (i.e., they are to refrain from engagin ...

throughout the Frankish Empire. His decree was issued "at the instance of Pope Gregory IV and with the assent of all the bishops", confirming the 1 November date. Sicard of Cremona, a scholar who lived in the 12th and 13th centuries, proposed that

Pope Gregory VII Pope Gregory VII (; 1015 – 25 May 1085), born Hildebrand of Sovana (), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22 April 1073 to his death in 1085. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. One of the great ...

(1073–85) suppressed the 13 May date in favour of 1 November. By the 12th century, the 13 May feast of All Saints had been deleted from liturgical books. The All Saints

octave In music, an octave (: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is an interval between two notes, one having twice the frequency of vibration of the other. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referr ...

was added by

Pope Sixtus IV Pope Sixtus IV (or Xystus IV, ; born Francesco della Rovere; (21 July 1414 – 12 August 1484) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 August 1471 until his death in 1484. His accomplishments as pope included ...

(1471–84).

Roman Catholic observances

In the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, All Saints Day is a

. It is celebrated through the offering of the

Mass Mass is an Intrinsic and extrinsic properties, intrinsic property of a physical body, body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the physical quantity, quantity of matter in a body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physi ...

and families visit graveyards through the season of Allhallowtide, especially on All Hallow's Eve, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. In 1955, the All Saints

vigil A vigil, from the Latin meaning 'wakefulness' ( Greek: , or ), is a period of purposeful sleeplessness, an occasion for devotional watching, or an observance. The Italian word has become generalized in this sense and means 'eve' (as in "on t ...

and the octave were suppressed by the

Liturgical reforms of Pope Pius XII The liturgical reforms of Pope Pius XII took place mostly between 1947 and 1958. Groundwork On 20 November 1947, Pius XII issued the encyclical '' Mediator Dei''. It included the statement: "the use of the mother tongue in connection with sever ...

, though Traditional Catholic communities, such as the

Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen The Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen (; CMRI) is a sedevacantist Traditionalist Catholic religious congregation. The CMRI is dedicated to promoting the message of Our Lady of Fátima and the devotion of the practice of Total Consecrat ...

, continue to observe it.

Protestant observances

The festival was retained after the

Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...

in the liturgical calendars of the

es and the

Anglican Church Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

. In the Lutheran churches, such as the

Church of Sweden The Church of Sweden () is an Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. A former state church, headquartered in Uppsala, with around 5.5 million members at year end 2023, it is the largest Christian denomination in Sweden, the largest List ...

, it assumes a role of general commemoration of the dead. In the

Swedish calendar The Swedish calendar () or Swedish style () was a calendar in use in Sweden and its possessions from 1 March 1700 until 30 February 1712. It was one day ahead of the Julian calendar and ten days behind the Gregorian calendar. Easter was calculat ...

, the observance takes place on the Saturday between 31 October and 6 November. In some Lutheran Churches, it is moved to the first Sunday of November. In the Lutheran churches, the liturgical color for All Saints Day is white. The festival is commonly an occasion to remember those who have died in the Christian faith. In some places, the names of those within the congregation who have died in the last year are read during worship and each name is marked with the tolling of a bell or the lighting of a candle. While the dead are solemnly remembered during worship on All Saints' Sunday, the festival is, ultimately, a celebration of Christ's victory over death. In the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

mother church Mother church or matrice is a term depicting the Christian Church as a mother in her functions of nourishing and protecting the believer. It may also refer to the primary church of a Christian denomination or diocese, i.e. a cathedral church, or ...

of the

, it is a Principal Feast and may be celebrated either on 1 November or on the Sunday between 30 October and 5 November. It is also celebrated by other

Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

, such as the

United Church of Canada The United Church of Canada (UCC; ) is a mainline Protestant denomination that is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in Canada and the second largest Canadian Christian denomination after the Catholic Church in Canada. The United Chu ...

and various

connexions. Protestants generally commemorate all Christians, living and deceased, on All Saints' Day; if they observe All Saints Day at all, they use it to remember all Christians both past and present. In the

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant Christian denomination, denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was ...

, All Saints' Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in November. It is held not only to remember Saints but also members of the local church congregation who have died. In some congregations, a candle is lit by the Acolyte as each person's name is called out by the clergy. Prayers and responsive readings may accompany the event.

Vigil

Being the

of All Saints' Day (All Hallows' Day), in many countries, such as Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada,

Halloween Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...

(All Hallows' Eve or All Saints' Eve) is celebrated on 31 October.

for the Vigil of All Saints is held in Christian congregations of the Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican denominations. All Hallows' Eve has traditionally been a day of fasting in Western Christianity; Traditional Catholics, Lutherans and Anglicans continue this practice in the present-day. Congregations of the

, mother Church of the Anglican Communion, host light parties in their fellowship halls on All Hallows Eve. In the Lutheran, Anglican and Reformed traditions of Christianity, All Hallow's Eve is dually celebrated as Reformation Day. During Allhallowtide (especially on All Hallows Eve, All Saints Day and All Souls Day), it is common for Christians to visit graveyards in order to remember their loved ones; families often pray there and decorate the graves of their loved ones with garlands, flowers, candles as well as incense. During the 20th century the observance largely became a secular one, although some traditional Christian groups have continued to embrace the Christian origins of Halloween whereas others have rejected such celebrations.''Halloween: What's a Christian to Do?'' (1998) by Steve Russo.Brandreth, Gyles (11 March 2000)
The Devil is gaining ground
''The Sunday Telegraph'' (London).

Hymnody

In English-speaking countries, services often include the singing of the traditional hymn " For All the Saints" by Walsham How. The most familiar tune for this hymn is ''Sine Nomine'' by

Ralph Vaughan Williams Ralph Vaughan Williams ( ; 12 October 1872– 26 August 1958) was an English composer. His works include operas, ballets, chamber music, secular and religious vocal pieces and orchestral compositions including nine symphonies, written over ...

. Other hymns that are popularly sung during corporate worship on this day are "

I Sing a Song of the Saints of God "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God" is a Christianity, Christian hymn written in Britain by Lesbia Scott and first published in 1929. The hymn is little-known in Britain, not featuring in the Anglican ''New English hymnal, New English Hymnal'', b ...

" and "

Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones "Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones" () is a popular Christian hymn with text by Athelstan Riley, first published in the '' English Hymnal'' (1906). It is sung to the German tune ' (1623). Its uplifting melody and repeated "Alleluias" make this a fav ...

Eastern Christianity

The

, following the Byzantine tradition, commemorates all saints collectively on the Sunday after

, All Saints' Sunday (Greek: Ἁγίων Πάντων, ''Agiōn Pantōn''). By 411, the East Syrians kept the Chaldean Calendar with a "Commemoratio Confessorum" celebrated on the Friday after Easter. The 74th homily of St.

John Chrysostom John Chrysostom (; ; – 14 September 407) was an important Church Father who served as archbishop of Constantinople. He is known for his preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and p ...

from the late 4th or early 5th century marks the observance of a feast of all the martyrs on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Some scholars place the location where this sermon was delivered as

Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...

. The Feast of All Saints achieved greater prominence in the 9th century, in the reign of the

Byzantine Emperor The foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD marks the conventional start of the Eastern Roman Empire, which Fall of Constantinople, fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Only the emperors who were recognized as legitimate rulers and exercised s ...

Leo VI "the Wise" (866–911). His wife, Empress Theophano lived a devout life and, after her death, miracles occurred. Her husband built a church for her relics and intended to name it to her. He was discouraged to do so by local bishops and instead dedicated it to "All Saints". According to tradition, it was Leo who expanded the feast from a commemoration of All Martyrs to a general commemoration of All Saints, whether martyrs or not. This Sunday marks the close of the Paschal season. To the normal Sunday services are added special scriptural readings and hymns to all the saints (known and unknown) from the

Pentecostarion The Pentecostarion (, ; , , literally "Flowery Triodon"; ) is the liturgical book used by the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches that includes the texts for the Paschal Season, but varies in exact span between different tradition ...

. In the late spring, the Sunday following Pentecost Saturday (50 days after Easter) is set aside as a commemoration of all locally venerated saints, such as "All Saints of America", "All Saints of

Mount Athos Mount Athos (; ) is a mountain on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece directly on the Aegean Sea. It is an important center of Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox monasticism. The mountain and most of the Athos peninsula are governed ...

", etc. The third Sunday after Pentecost may be observed for even more localised saints, such as "All Saints of St. Petersburg", or for saints of a particular type, such as " New Martyrs of the Turkish Yoke". In addition to the Mondays mentioned above, Saturdays throughout the year are days for general commemoration of all saints, and special hymns to all saints are chanted from the

Octoechos Oktōēchos (here transcribed "Octoechos"; Greek: ;The feminine form exists as well, but means the book octoechos. from ὀκτώ "eight" and ἦχος "sound, mode" called echos; Slavonic: Осмогласие, ''Osmoglasie'' from о́с ...

Lebanon

The celebration of 1 November in Lebanon as a holiday reflects the influence of Western Catholic orders present in Lebanon and is not

Maronite Maronites (; ) are a Syriac Christianity, Syriac Christian ethnoreligious group native to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant (particularly Lebanon) whose members belong to the Maronite Church. The largest concentration has traditionally re ...

in origin. The traditional Maronite feast equivalent to the honor of all saints in their liturgical calendar is one of three Sundays in preparation for Lent called the Sunday of the Righteous and the Just. The following Sunday is the Sunday of the Faithful Departed (similar to All Souls' Day in Western calendar).

East Syriac tradition

In East Syriac tradition the All Saints Day celebration falls on the first Friday after resurrection Sunday. This is because all departed faithful are saved by the blood of Jesus and they resurrected with the Christ. Normally in east Syriac liturgy the departed souls are remembered on Friday. Church celebrates All Souls' Day on Friday before the beginning of Great lent or Great Fast.

Customs

Europe

Austria and Bavaria

In Austria and Bavaria, it is customary on All Saints' Day for godfathers to give their godchildren '' Allerheiligenstriezel'', a braided yeast pastry. People decorate and visit graves of their family members.

Belgium

In Belgium, ''Toussaint'' or ''Allerheiligen'' is a public holiday. Belgians visit the cemeteries to place chrysanthemums on the graves of deceased relatives on All Saints Day, since All Souls' Day is not a holiday.

Croatia

All Saints' Day (Croatian: ''Svi sveti'') is observed in Croatia by placing candles and flowers on the graves of the deceased. It is a public holiday with most businesses closed. Cities provide free public transportation to the local cemeteries. Liturgies are also conducted by priests around a central location in some cemeteries; the one held in Mirogoj,

Zagreb Zagreb ( ) is the capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Croatia#List of cities and towns, largest city of Croatia. It is in the Northern Croatia, north of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the ...

is broadcast every year on national television.

France

In France, and throughout the

Francophone The Francophonie or Francophone world is the whole body of people and organisations around the world who use the French language regularly for private or public purposes. The term was coined by Onésime Reclus in 1880 and became important a ...

world, the day is known as ''La Toussaint''. Flowers (especially

chrysanthemum Chrysanthemums ( ), sometimes called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants in the Asteraceae family. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia, and the center of diversity is in China. Co ...

s), or wreaths called ''couronnes de toussaints'', are placed at each tomb or grave. The following day, 2 November (

) is called ''Le jour des morts'', the Day of the Dead. November 1 is a public holiday.

Germany

In Germany, ''Allerheiligen'' is a public holiday in five federal states, namely

Baden-Württemberg Baden-Württemberg ( ; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a states of Germany, German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million i ...

Bayern Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total land area of Germany, and with over 13.08 million ...

Rheinland-Pfalz Rhineland-Palatinate ( , ; ; ; ) is a western state of Germany. It covers and has about 4.05 million residents. It is the ninth largest and sixth most populous of the sixteen states. Mainz is the capital and largest city. Other cities are ...

Nordrhein-Westfalen North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a States of Germany, state () in Old states of Germany, Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the List of German states by population, most ...

and

Saarland Saarland (, ; ) is a state of Germany in the southwest of the country. With an area of and population of 990,509 in 2018, it is the smallest German state in area apart from the city-states of Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg, and the smallest in ...

. They categorize it as a silent day ''(stiller Tag)'' when public entertainment events are only permitted if the serious character of the day is preserved.

Hungary

In Hungary, ''Mindenszentek napja'' (literally All Saints Day) is a national holiday which is followed by ''Halottak napja'' (

Day of the Dead The Day of the Dead () is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pa ...

). On Day of the Dead people take candles and flowers (especially

s) on the tombs or graves of all their loved ones and relatives thus many people travel around the country to distant cemeteries. People who cannot travel may lay their flowers or candles at the main calvary cross of a nearby cemetery. Since only All Saints Day is a national holiday, most people use this day to visit cemeteries and pay tribute to their deceased relatives. As in the case with every national holiday in Hungary if All Saints Day happens to be a Tuesday or a Thursday then that week's Monday or Friday is observed as a Saturday, making that weekend four days long, and one of the previous or following Saturdays is changed to a workday. Traffic in and around cemeteries are much higher than usual on these days with actual police presence.

Poland

In Poland, ''Dzień Wszystkich Świętych'' is a public holiday. Families try to gather together for both All Saints' Day and the

''( Zaduszki)'', the official day to commemorate the departed faithful. The celebrations begin with tending to family graves and the surrounding graveyards, lighting candles and leaving flowers. 1 November is a public holiday in Poland, while the following All Souls' Day is not. The Zaduszki custom of honouring the dead thus corresponds with All Souls' Day celebrations and is much more observed in Poland than in most other places in the West.

Portugal

In Portugal, ''Dia de Todos os Santos'' is a national holiday. Families remember their dead with religious observances and visits to the cemetery. Portuguese children celebrate the '' Pão-por-Deus'' tradition (also called ''bolinho'', ''santorinho'', or ''fiéis de Deus'') going door-to-door, (very much like

Trick-or-treating Trick-or-treating is a traditional Halloween custom for children and adults in some countries. During the evening of Halloween, on October 31, people in costumes travel from house to house, asking for treats with the phrase "trick or treat". Th ...

) where they receive cakes, nuts, dried fruits, sweets and candies.

Spain

In Spain, el ''Día de Todos los Santos'' is a national holiday. People take flowers to the graves of dead relatives. The play '' Don Juan Tenorio'' is traditionally performed.

Switzerland

All Saints' Day is a public holiday or 'silent day' in some cantons of Switzerland.It is marked by bringing flowers and lighting candles in cemeteries, attending church services, baking special breads and pastries like Allerheiligenstriezel, Allerheiligenwecken, Allerheiligenzopf, or (Seelen) zopf. Originally, these breads were for children and the poor who said a prayer for the dead.

Americas

Guatemala

In Guatemala, All Saints' Day is a national holiday. On that day Guatemalans make a special meal called '' fiambre'' which is made of cold meats and vegetables; it is customary to visit cemeteries and to leave some of the ''fiambre'' for their dead. It is also customary to fly kites to help unite the dead with the living. There are festivals in towns like Santiago Sacatepéquez and Sumpango, where giant colorful kites are flown.

Mexico

All Saints' Day in Mexico coincides with the first day of the

(''Día de Muertos'') celebration. It commemorates children who have died (''Dia de los Inocentes''), and the second day celebrates all deceased adults.

Philippines

Allhallowtide in the Philippines is variously called ''Undás'' (from the Spanish ''Honras'', meaning 'honours', as in "with honours"), ''Todos los Santos'' (Spanish, 'All Saints'), and sometimes ''Araw ng mga Patay / Yumao'' ( Tagalog, 'Day of the Dead, passed away'), which incorporates All Saints' Day and

. Filipinos traditionally observe this day by visiting their families' graves to clean and repair the tombs. Prayers for the dead are recited, while offerings are made, the most common being flowers, candles, food, and for

Chinese Filipinos Chinese Filipinos (sometimes referred as Filipino Chinese or Chinoy/Tsinoy in the Philippines) are Filipinos of Chinese descent with ancestry mainly from Fujian, but are typically born and raised in the Philippines. Chinese Filipinos are one ...

incense Incense is an aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremonial reasons. It ...

and '' kim''. Many also spend the day and ensuing night holding reunions at the graves with feasting and merriment.

''Pangangaluluwa'' and Trick-or-treat

Though Halloween is usually seen as an American influence, the country's trick-or-treat traditions during Undas are actually much older. This tradition was derived from the pre-colonial tradition of '' pangangaluluwa''. From ''káluluwâ'' ('spirit double'), it was a practice of early Filipinos, swathed in blankets, going from house to house, and singing as they pretended to be the spirits of ancestors. If the owner of the house failed to give ''biko'' or rice cakes to the ''nangángalúluwâ'', the "spirits" would play tricks (such as stealing slippers or other objects left outside the house, or run off with the family's chickens). Pangángaluluwâ practices are still seen in some rural areas.

Cemetery and reunion practices

During Undas, families visit the graves of loved ones. It is believed that by going to the cemetery and offering food, candles, flowers, and sometimes incense, the spirits are remembered and appeased. Contrary to common belief, this visitation practice is not an imported tradition. Prior to the use of coffins, pre-colonial Filipinos were already visiting burial caves throughout the archipelago as confirmed by research conducted by the

University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; ) is a Higher education in the Philippines#State universities and colleges, state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by List of Philippine laws, Re ...

. The tradition of '' atang'' or ''hain'' is also practiced, where food and other offerings are placed at the gravesite. If the family cannot visit, a specific area in the house is set aside for ritual offerings. The present date of Undas, 1 November, is not a pre-colonial observance but an import from Mexico, where it is known as the Day of the Dead. Pre-colonial Filipinos preferred going to the burial caves of the departed occasionally as they believed that ''aswáng'' (monster, half-vampire, half-werewolf beings) would take the corpse of the dead if it was not properly guarded. Watching over the body of the dead is called "paglalamay". However, in some communities, this paglalamay tradition is non-existent and is replaced by other pre-colonial traditions unique to each community. Undas is also seen as a family holiday, where members living elsewhere return to their hometowns to visit ancestral graves. Family members are expected to remain beside the grave for the entire day and socialize with each other to strengthen ties. In some cases, family members going to graves may exceed one hundred people. Fighting in any form is taboo during Undas.

Role of children

Children are allowed to play with melted candles left at tombs, which they form into wax balls. The round balls symbolize the affirmation that everything goes back to where it began, as the living will return to dust from whence it came. In some cases, families also light candles by the front door, their number equivalent to the number of departed loved ones. It is believed that the lights aid the spirits and guide them to the afterlife.

Holidays

1 November is a fixed date

public holiday A public holiday, national holiday, federal holiday, statutory holiday, bank holiday or legal holiday is a holiday generally established by law and is usually a non-working day during the year. Types Civic holiday A ''civic holiday'', also k ...

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Burkina Faso Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...

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, Congo,

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, Public holidays in Ivory Coast, Ivory Coast, Public holidays in Lebanon, Lebanon, Public holidays in Liechtenstein, Liechtenstein, Public holidays in Lithuania, Lithuania, Public holidays in Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Public holidays in Madagascar, Madagascar, Public holidays in Martinique, Martinique, Public holidays in Mauritius, Mauritius, Public holidays in Peru, Peru, Philippines, Public holidays in Poland, Poland, Public holidays in Portugal, Portugal, Public holidays in Saint Barthélemy, Saint Barthélemy, Public holidays in the Collectivity of Saint Martin, Saint Martin, Public holidays in Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Public holidays in San Marino, San Marino, Public holidays in Senegal, Senegal, Public holidays in Seychelles, Seychelles, Public holidays in Slovakia, Slovakia, Public holidays in Slovenia, Slovenia, Public holidays in Spain, Spain, Public holidays in Togo, Togo, Public holidays in Vatican City, the Vatican and Public holidays in Venezuela, Venezuela. In Public holidays in Belgium, Belgium, all Sundays are public holidays; should All Saints' Day fall on a Sunday, then a replacement day on a weekday of choice is given. In Public holidays in Monaco, Monaco, if it falls on a Sunday, the next day is a statutory holiday. In Public holidays in Sweden, Sweden, an All Saints public holiday falls on the Saturday during the period between 31 October and 6 November, with a half-holiday the day before. Both in Public holidays in Finland, Finland and Public holidays in Estonia, Estonia, the All Saints public holiday was moved from a fixed date of 1 November to a public holiday on the Saturday during the period between 31 October and 6 November. In Public holidays in Åland, the Åland Islands the first Saturday of November is an All Saints public holiday. In Public holidays in Montenegro, Montenegro, All Saints' Day is considered a Catholic Church, Catholic holiday and is a non-working day for that religious community. In Public holidays in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina it is a public holiday in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina only. In Public holidays in Germany, Germany All Saints' is a designated quiet day in states of

, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and

. Similarly in Public holidays in Switzerland, Switzerland the following 15 out of 26 cantons have All Saints as a public holiday: Canton of Aargau, Aargau, Canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Canton of Fribourg, Fribourg (partly), Canton of Glarus, Glarus, Canton of Jura, Jura, Canton of Lucerne, Luzern, Canton of Nidwalden, Nidwalden, Canton of Obwalden, Obwalden, Canton of St Gallen, Saint Gallen, Canton of Solothurn, Solothurn, Canton of Schwyz, Schwyz, Canton of Ticino, Ticino, Canton of Uri, Uri, Canton of Valais, Valais, and Canton of Zug, Zug. Although the European Commission does not set Public holidays in the European Union, public holidays for its member states, 1 November is a public holiday for the employees of the institutions of the European Union. In Public holidays in the Philippines, the Philippines, where there are two types of public holidays, All Saints' Day is a fixed date, special holiday. In Public holidays in India, India, All Saints Day is considered a public holiday in the state of Karnataka and a Christian religious holiday throughout the country, which means it is often a common addition to the list of paid holidays at the discretion of the employer, for those that wish to observe. It also happens to coincide with several state foundation days that fall on 1 November in several states: Karnataka Rajyotsava in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh Day in Andhra Pradesh, Haryana Foundation Day in Haryana, Madhya Pradesh Foundation Day in Madhya Pradesh, Kerala Foundation Day in Kerala and the Chhattisgarh Foundation Day in Chhattisgarh. In Public holidays in Bolivia, Bolivia, All Saints is a public holiday on 2 November, unlike most other countries which celebrate

on that date. In Antigua and Barbuda, 1 November falls on Independence Day, in Public holidays in Algeria, Algeria on Revolution Day and in the Public holidays in the United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands on Liberty Day.

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

* *

External links

All Saints and All Souls Day
American Catholic

Orthodox England

All Hallows' E'en – "Halloween"
First Sunday after Pentecost, or All Saints Sunday
by Sergei Bulgakov, ''Handbook for Church Servers''
Synaxis of All Saints
Icon and Synaxarion of the feast {{Authority control Allhallowtide Christian saints November observances Observances honoring the dead Pantheon, Rome Medieval legends