On November 1, the Church celebrates the Feast of All Saints, a day dedicated to all who have been sanctified, canonized, and those known only to God who now live in heavenly joy and eternal glory. In the early centuries, the Church mainly honored saints who were martyrs. Later, the Popes declared November 1 as the day to remember and celebrate all the saints. The Church reminds us that every believer is called to holiness. But how can we become part of this heavenly communion of saints?
We are called to follow in the footsteps of God and become reflections of His image. In everything we do, we should seek the will of our Heavenly Father and live in accordance with it. We should dedicate all that we have for God’s glory and be willing to serve our neighbors with love and compassion. In doing so, the holiness of God’s children grows and bears good fruit, just as the lives of many saints throughout Church history continue to inspire faith and virtue.
On this day, we are also encouraged to pray for the souls in purgatory. Throughout the year, the Church celebrates the feast days of individual saints, but on this day, the Church unites them all in one great celebration. Along with the saints recognized by the Church, we also remember countless holy men and women from every nation and tribe who stand before the Lamb, clothed in white garments, holding palm branches, and praising the Savior who redeemed them with His own blood.
The Feast of All Saints is a day of great inspiration. Many of these heavenly saints once lived and walked this earth as we do. They were baptized, strengthened in faith, and faithfully followed the teachings of Jesus. In the Eastern Churches, this feast is celebrated with deep reverence, and in the Western Church, it began to be observed in the eighth century.
The importance of this feast in the Roman martyrology is attributed to Pope Gregory IV, who asked the entire Christian world to celebrate it. His predecessor, Pope Gregory III, had already introduced this observance. In Rome, an annual commemoration was once held on May 13 at St. Mary and the Martyrs Church, which was formerly the Pantheon built by Agrippa and dedicated to pagan gods. Later, Pope Boniface IV consecrated it to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all martyrs, transferring many relics there, including those from the tomb of St. Gregory VII. From that time onward, the celebration of All Saints Day was established on November 1.