All Saints Day

Evangelical Lutheran observances

The festival was retained after the Reformation in the liturgical calendars of the Evangelical-Lutheran Churches. In the Lutheran churches, such as the Church of Sweden, it assumes a role of general commemoration of the dead, though a special emphasis is placed on the martyrs for the faith (cf. Saints of Evangelical-Lutheranism). All Saints Day is a public holiday in Evangelical Lutheran countries, such as Sweden and Finland. In some Lutheran congregations, its observance is moved to the first Sunday of November. In the Lutheran churches, the liturgical color for All Saints Day is white and Mass is offered on All Saints Day. The festival honors the saints of Evangelical-Lutheran Christianity, in addition to all those who have died in the Christian faith (the 'faithful departed'), though in certain congregations, the latter is given more emphasis on the following day, All Souls' Day. As such, in the Evangelical Lutheran tradition, the faithful "rejoice in the confession of martyrs unto death on All Saints, and in all the faithful departed, who are in the Church Triumphant, on All Souls." 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. The faithful visit cemeteries to place flowers and candles on the graves of their loved ones, along with cleaning them.