All Saints' Day: History, Meaning and How Catholics Celebrate
Quick answer
All Saints' Day, November 1, honors all the saints in heaven, both those the Church has canonized and the countless holy men and women known only to God. The feast grew from early celebrations of martyrs and was set on November 1 in the eighth and ninth centuries. In the United States it is usually a holy day of obligation. It is followed by All Souls' Day on November 2.
Key takeaways
- The feast honors every saint in heaven, known and unknown.
- Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome to Mary and all the martyrs around 609.
- Pope Gregory IV extended the November 1 feast to the whole Church in the ninth century.
- It reminds us of the communion of saints and our own call to holiness.
On November 1, the Church throws open the doors of heaven and invites us to look in. All Saints’ Day celebrates the great crowd of men and women who have finished the race and now see God face to face.
Who Are “All the Saints”?
A saint is anyone who is in heaven. The Church has canonized many, after careful study of their lives, so that we can know them, ask their prayers and imitate them. But there are countless more: grandparents, neighbors, quiet parishioners, whose holiness was known only to God. All Saints’ Day honors them all.
The first reading at Mass describes them:
After this I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne. (Revelation 7:9, Douay-Rheims)
How the Feast Began
The early Church honored martyrs on the anniversary of their deaths. As their number grew, Christians began to celebrate all martyrs together. Around 609, Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome, once a pagan temple, to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the martyrs. In the eighth century Pope Gregory III dedicated a chapel in St. Peter’s to all the saints on November 1, and in the ninth century Pope Gregory IV extended the feast to the whole Church.
The Communion of Saints
In the Creed we profess our belief in the communion of saints. The Church in heaven, the souls being purified in purgatory, and we on earth form one family in Christ (CCC 954-959). The saints do not forget us. They pray for us, and their example encourages us. The Second Vatican Council taught that all the faithful, of every state of life, are called to holiness (Lumen Gentium 40).
How to Keep the Day
- Go to Mass. In the US it is usually a holy day of obligation.
- Remember your patron saint. Read about the saint whose name you bear, or choose one.
- Tell stories. Share the lives of the saints with grandchildren. Children love dressing up as saints.
- Visit a cemetery. Many families do so on November 1 and 2, praying for the dead.
- Pray the Litany of the Saints.
A Prayer on All Saints’ Day (Original Prayer)
Almighty God, we thank You for all Your saints, the famous and the forgotten. By their prayers, help us to follow Christ as they did, so that one day we may join them in Your presence. Amen.
Continue Reading
Read why Catholics pray to saints, our prayer for the souls in purgatory, or Catholic teaching on heaven.
Frequently asked questions
Is All Saints' Day a holy day of obligation?
In the United States it is, except that when November 1 falls on a Saturday or a Monday the obligation is lifted. Other countries have their own rules, so check with your diocese.
What is the difference between All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day?
All Saints' Day (November 1) celebrates those already in heaven. All Souls' Day (November 2) is a day of prayer for the faithful departed who are being purified in purgatory.
Where does Halloween come from?
Halloween is "All Hallows' Eve," the evening before All Saints' Day. Hallow is an old English word for a holy person.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 946–962, 2030, 2683
- Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, chapters 5 and 7
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Holy Days of Obligation
- Revelation 7:9-14 (Douay-Rheims)
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