All Saints’ Day 

By: Caleb Shaulis 

All Saints’ Day, is a day meant to commemorate saints (both known and unknown) of the church. Saints are holy people who are believed to have perfect morals, a special relationship with the divine, and exceptional teaching abilities. Some may be wondering what is the history behind this day and why is it celebrated? 

  All Saints’ Day is a reminder for Christians that they are connected to the church. The Bible defines a saint as a person who follows Jesus and trust in Christ alone for their salvation. The reason All Saints’ Day is on November first, is because Pope Gregory the third had chosen that date to coincide with the dedication of a chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. He wanted to unify the various local celebrations of saints’ feast days and set the universal date. Christians hold a festival for All Saints’ Day that stems from a conviction that there is a spiritual connection between the people on Earth and Heaven.  

  The most common celebration of All Saints’ Day is the gathering of family and remembrance of loved ones who have passed. The Catholics honor those who have passed and moved on to Heaven. In a Catholic church, the Beatitudes are read during mass and prayers are said for saints. They also visit the graves of loved ones to pay tribute to the ones who have moved on to Heaven. A common event in Latin communities is a feast of favorite foods of the deceased. All Saints’ Day was commonly celebrated in Antioch, the day was also mentioned by Saint Ephrem the Syrian, in a sermon in 373. 

  When the Roman Empire existed, they prosecuted Christians. Those who died during these prosecutions had special days set aside to honor their deaths. According to Christianity.com Emperor Phocas presented the Roman Pantheon temple to the pope. The pope had removed all statues of Jupiter and pagan gods and consecrated the Pantheon to every saint who had died during prosecution the first three hundred years after Christ. When days were being decided for each saint who died, it was decided there were too many people to dedicate days to and then they were together all into one day. 

All Saints’ Day is a day to honor all saints who are known or unknown and those who have passed on to the gates of heaven. A saint is not defined by a special role, it is defined by who follow God. The day is a feast and prayer for the saints. It is a day that brings all those who believe closer to God.  

Citations:    CNN.com        Brittannica.com     Learnreligions.com    Christanity.com