All Saints Day is celebrated at slightly different times around the world. In the UK, this day has moved recently from the 1st of November, to the nearest Sunday. In the dioceses in the United States, All Saints Day is celebrated on November 1.
In the early days of the Church, Christians celebrated the anniversary of a martyr’s death at the place where they died. In the fourth century, neighboring dioceses began to share feasts, and to join in a common commemoration. During the persecution of Diocletian, the number of martyrs became so great that a separate day could not be assigned to each. But the Church, felt that every martyr should be venerated so a common day for appointed for them all.
At first only martyrs and St John the Baptist were honored by a special day. Other saints were added gradually, and increased in number when a regular process of canonization was established. As early as 411 there was in the Chaldean Calendar a ‘Commemoratio Confessorum’ for the Friday after Easter. In the West. Pope Boniface IV, consecrated the Pantheon in Rome to the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs, in May 609 or 610. Gregory III (731-741) consecrated a chapel in the Basilica of St Peter to all the saints and fixed the anniversary for 1 November. Gregory IV (827-844) extended the celebration on 1 November to the entire Church. The octave was added by Sixtus IV (1471-84).
The solemnity in honor of all the saints, demonstrates the great honor and respect that we render to holy men and women of the past. Honoring the saints reminds us of our goal of attaining heaven as a reward for our efforts in living the Gospel taught to us by Jesus.
The saints are examples of the life that is lived in the spirit of the Gospels. This spirit is that of the Beatitudes as proclaimed in the Gospel reading of the day (CF. Matthew 5:1-12):
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”
These spiritual principles summarize how to live a meaningful Christian Life.
Each of us can look to our patron saints and to those saints for whom we have some special admiration for inspiration and example. These saints are our brothers and sisters, who are in a very real communion with us, and who can strengthen us by their intercessions, since we are on the same journey, which they have completed.
Their triumph is a source of our joy; their glory is our eager expectation.
The solemnity celebrates God’s great triumph in the multitude which no one can count. It celebrates God’s glory, wisdom, honor and power. This feast is also the community’s day to praise God who began a great work in us on the day or our baptism, when we were washed clean in the blood of the Lamb. We pray this day that with God’s help and the intercession of the saints, we will bring to completion the great work He has begun in us, and that we will arrive at God’s throne to sing His praise forever.