The Roman Catholic and Anglican All Saints' Day falls on November 1, followed by All Souls' Day on November 2. These feasts offer an opportunity to remember the holy ones who, according to ancient Christian belief, continue to inspire, challenge, and support those on earth.

All Saints' Day was originally created to honor those who had suffered martyrdom for God. Many of their names and stories have been lost, but there was a desire within the church to create a sort of “memorial day” to celebrate all those unnamed holy ones who had died for the faith.

Back in the fourth century, All Saints' Day was called “the Feast of All Martyrs” and was celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost (All Saints is still celebrated on this day in the Eastern Orthodox Church). In the Western church, this holiday was later moved to May 13 because of an event that occurred on that day in 610.

Pope St. Boniface IV (608–615) transformed an ancient Pagan Temple, which had once been dedicated to “all gods.” The Pope reburied the bones of many martyrs there, rebuilt the temple so that it would be suitable for Christian use, and rededicated the space to the Mother of God and all the Holy Martyrs.

A century later, a new chapel was consecrated in the basilica of St. Peter. This chapel was dedicated to “All Saints” on November 1, and Pope Gregory III shifted the feast of “All Saints” to this day, which was eventually celebrated by the entire Western Church.

What About Halloween?

Halloween shares some common heritage with the feast of All Saints. On October 31, the eve of the Celtic New Year, the Celts held a large celebration. They worshiped the sun and believed that during the winter, the sun God was taken captive by Samhain, the Prince of Darkness and Lord of the Dead.

It was believed that on October 31, all the dead people were called together, inhabiting different forms. Cats were especially suspect. By that date, all the crops had been harvested, and the druids, or Celtic priests, gathered on a hilltop and offered sacrifices of crops and animals while dancing around bonfires.

Christianity eventually permeated Europe, and, starting in 835, the feast of All Saints came to be celebrated on November 1. Although many Celtic people enthusiastically embraced Christianity, some of the old ways of celebrating this holiday remained. October 31 was first known as “All Hallow Even,” which became “All Hallow's Eve,” then “Hallowe'en” and finally “Halloween.”

The Day of the Dead

The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday honoring the dead. Like Halloween, this feast has both Christian and pre-Christian influences. In Mexico, the Day of the Dead is a great celebration, falling on November 1 and 2.

In some villages, people dress up as ghosts and parade through the streets with an open coffin. Inside, a smiling “corpse” receives the flowers, candy, and fruit that are tossed into it.

At home, families create altars with photos of deceased loved ones. They light all-night vigil candles and adorn their altars with food, flowers, bread, and candy. If the departed loved one was a smoker, they might even add a pack of cigarettes.

The next day, they travel to cemeteries to clean and maintain the graves of loved ones. They scrub and sweep crypts, plant flowers, and light candles. Some families bring a picnic lunch, and some stay beside the grave all night long.

The Mexican Day of the Dead, influenced by many different religious traditions, offers concrete ways to grapple with loss and to be present with departed loved ones. This is not entirely unlike the other feast days related to saints. These feasts are a reminder that relationships transcend the grave and that the work of loving (and the experience of being loved by) another person never comes to an end. The Eastern Orthodox Theologian Fr. Alexander Schmemann said, “To love is to remember.” These great feasts offer an opportunity for love through remembrance.