Image: Evening of All Saints’ Day at Malmi Cemetery, Helsinki, Finland | photo by Jori Samonen | flickrImage: Evening of All Saints’ Day at Malmi Cemetery, Helsinki, Finland | photo by Jori Samonen | flickrPosted on 11/01/2018 8:40:05 PM PDT by Salvation
Image: Evening of All Saints’ Day at Malmi Cemetery, Helsinki, Finland | photo by Jori Samonen | flickr
The earliest certain observance of a feast in honor of all the saints is an early fourth-century commemoration of “all the martyrs.” In the early seventh century, after successive waves of invaders plundered the catacombs, Pope Boniface IV gathered up some 28 wagon-loads of bones and reinterred them beneath the Pantheon, a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods. The pope rededicated the shrine as a Christian church. According to Venerable Bede, the pope intended “that the memory of all the saints might in the future be honored in the place which had formerly been dedicated to the worship not of gods but of demons” (On the Calculation of Time).
But the rededication of the Pantheon, like the earlier commemoration of all the martyrs, occurred in May. Many Eastern Churches still honor all the saints in the spring, either during the Easter season or immediately after Pentecost.
How the Western Church came to celebrate this feast, now recognized as a solemnity, in November is a puzzle to historians. The Anglo-Saxon theologian Alcuin observed the feast on November 1 in 800, as did his friend Arno, Bishop of Salzburg. Rome finally adopted that date in the ninth century.
This feast first honored martyrs. Later, when Christians were free to worship according to their consciences, the Church acknowledged other paths to sanctity. In the early centuries the only criterion was popular acclaim, even when the bishop’s approval became the final step in placing a commemoration on the calendar. The first papal canonization occurred in 993; the lengthy process now required to prove extraordinary sanctity took form in the last 500 years. Today’s feast honors the obscure as well as the famous—the saints each of us have known.
Religion Moderator's Guidelines to Caucus/Prayer/Ecumenical threads
Saints of the Day — All Saints
Ninety-Nine and a Half Won't Do - A Homily for the Feast of All Saints
For All the Saints - Reflecting on a Great Hymn of the Church
Halloween and All Saints Day
Solemnity of All Saints [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Benedict on All Saints' Day: "In the saints we see the victory of love over selfishness and death"
Saints are sealed by God, called to be sons of God, and saved by God [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
All Saints or All Souls? Differences should be black and white
The love of the saints [All Saints Day] (Catholic Caucus)
All Saints' Day [Catholic Caucus]
All Saints' Day, (All Hallows' Day, or "Hallowmas") [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
Bishops’ Halloween Advice: Dress Children Up as Saints, Not Witches
'We are never alone,' Pope exclaims on All Saints Day
No Mistaking a Saint [Catholic Caucus]
Celebrating 'All Hallows Eve' and the 'Feast of All Saints' in a Pre-Christian West
"From the Pastor" ALL SAINTS & ALL SOULS
All Saints 2009
An Apologetics Primer on Explaining the Communion of Saints ...
THE SAINTS From Around the Year with the TRAPP FAMILY
The Veneration and Imitation of the Saints
Hallowe'en -- Eve of All Saints, October 31st
For All the Saints (College Campuses Seeing Catholic Processions)
Know Your Saints Quiz for families -- Catholic/Orthodox Caucus
All Saints and All Souls
Anonymous Saints [Solemnity of All Saints]
All Saints, All Souls and the Four Last Things
All Saints Day in Poland (beautiful photos)
The Feast of All Saints - What are the origins of All Saints Day and All Souls Day?
All Saints Day - November 2005
All Saints and All Souls
All Saints Day – November 1
The Communion of All Saints
VESPERS (Evening Prayer)Nov.1 2003 Feast of ALL SAINTS
Ideas for Sanctifying Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Bartholomew of Vicenza, 10-27-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter of Alcantara, 10-26-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Antônio de Sant’Anna Galvão, 10-25-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Anthony Mary Claret, 10-24-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John of Capistrano, 10-23-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Paul II, 10-22-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Hilarion, 10-21-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Paul of the Cross, 10-20-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Sts Isaac Jogues, Jean de Brébeuf & Comp. 10-19-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Luke, 10-18-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ignatius of Antioch, 10-17-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, 10-16-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Teresa of Avila, 10-15-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Callistus I, 10-14-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher, 10-13-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, 10-12-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John XXIII, 10-11-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis Borgia, 10-10-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Denis and Companions, 10-09-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Leonardi, 10-08-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Our Lady of the Rosary, 10-07-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bruno, 10-06-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 10-05-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis of Assisi, 10-04-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Theodora Guerin, 10-03-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Feast of the Guardian Angels, 10-02-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, 10-01-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Jerome, 09-30-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, 09-29-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Wenceslaus, 09-28-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Vincent de Paul, 09-27-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Wenceslaus, 09-28-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Pope Paul VI, 09-26-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Louis Martin and Zélie Guerin, 09-25-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed John Henry Newman, 09-24-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, 09-23-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions, 09-22-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Matthew, 09-21-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang/Comp, 09-20-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Januarius, 09-19-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph of Cupertino, 09-18-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Robert Bellarmine, 09-17-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cornelius, 09-16-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Our Lady of Sorrows, 09-15-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 09-14-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Chrysostom, 09-13-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 09-12-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cyprian, 09-11-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Thomas of Villanova, 09-10-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Claver, 09-09-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 09-08-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, 09-07-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Claudio Granzotto, 09-06-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, 09-05-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Rose of Viterbo, 09-04-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gregory the Great, 09-03-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed John Francis Burté and Companions, 09-02-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Giles, 09-01-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Jeanne Jugan, 08-30-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Martyrdom of John the Baptist, 08-29-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Augustine of Hippo, 08-28-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Monica, 08-27-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph Calasanz, 08-26-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louis IX of France, 08-25-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bartholomew, 08-24-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Rose of Lima, 08-23-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Queenship of Mary, 08-22-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pius X, 08-21-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, 08-20-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Eudes, 08-19-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louis of Toulouse, 08-18-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joan of the Cross, 08-17-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Stephen of Hungary, 08-16-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, 08-15-18 [Catholic Caucus]
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, 08-14-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Pontian and Hippolytus, 08-13-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, 08-12-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Clare of Assisi, 08-11-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Lawrence, 08-10-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, 08-09-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Dominic, 08-08-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cajetan, 08-07-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Transfiguration of the Lord, 08-06-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Dedication of Saint Mary Major Basilica, 08-05-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Vianney, 08-04-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Julian Eymard, 08-03-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, 08-02-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, 08-01-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, 07-31-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Solanus Casey, 07-30-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Martha, 07-29-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Stanley Rother, 07-28-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Antonio Lucci, 07-27-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Joachim and Anne, 07-26-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint James the Apostle, 07-25-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Sharbel Makhluf, 07-24-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bridget of Sweden, 07-23-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary Magdalene, 07-22-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, 07-21-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Apollinaris, 07-20-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary MacKillop, 07-19-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Camillus de Lellis, 07-18-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis Solano, 07-17-18
Day by Day -- Saint for All, 07-16-18, Our Lady of Mount Carmel [Catholic Caucus]
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-15-17, Saint Bonaventure
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, 07-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-13-17, Saint Henry
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-12-17, Saints John Jones and John Wall
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-11-17, Saint Benedict
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Veronica Giuliani, 07-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions, 07-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gregory Grassi and Companions, 07-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Emmanuel Ruiz and Companions, 07-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maria Goretti, 07-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Anthony Zaccaria, 07-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, 07-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-03-17, Saint Thomas the Apostle
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-02-17, Saint Oliver Plunkett
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-01-17, Saint Junipero Serra
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-30-17, First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-29-17, Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Irenaeus, 06-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-27-17, Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-26-17, Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-25-17, Blessed Jutta of Thuringia
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-24-17, The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Fisher, 06-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Thomas More, 06-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, 06-21-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Paulinus of Nola, 06-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Romuald, 06-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for all, Venerable Matt Talbot, 06-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph Cafasso, 06-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Francis Regis, 06-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Marguerite d’Youville, 06-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Albert Chmielowski, 06-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Anthony of Padua, 06-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Jolenta (Yolanda) of Poland, 06-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Barnabas, 06-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Joachima, 06-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ephrem, 06-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint William of York, 06-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Franz Jaegerstaetter, 06-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Norbert, 06-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Boniface, 06-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Angeline of Marsciano, 06-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, 06-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Marcellinus and Peter, 06-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Justin Martyr, 06-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 05-31-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joan of Arc, 05-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, 05-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Venerable Pierre Toussaint, 05-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Augustine of Canterbury, 05-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Philip Neri, 05-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bede the Venerable, 05-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi, 05-24-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gregory VII, 5-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All -- Saint Rita of Cascia, 05-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 05-21-17, Saint Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bernardine of Siena, 05-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Theophilus of Corte, 05-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. John I, 05-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Paschal Baylon, 05-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 05-16-17, Saint Margaret of Cortona
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Isidore the Farmer, 05-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Matthias, 05-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Our Lady of Fatima, 05-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Nereus and Achilleus, 05-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ignatius of Laconi, 05-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Damien de Veuster of Moloka’i, 05-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John of Avila, 05-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter of Tarentaise, 05-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Rose Venerini, 05-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Marian and James, 05-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Hilary of Arles, 05-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Michael Giedroyc, 05-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Philip and James, 05-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Athanasius, 05-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph the Worker, 05-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pius V, 04-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catherine of Siena, 04-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Chanel, 04-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort, 04-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pedro de San José Betancur, 04-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mark, 04-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint George, 04-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Adalbert of Prague, 04-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Anselm, 04-21-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Conrad of Parzham, 04-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, 04-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed James Oldo, 04-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, 04-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bernadette Soubirous, 04-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Caesar de Bus, 04-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Peter Gonzalez, 04-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Martin I, 04-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Teresa of Los Andes, 04-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Stanislaus, 04-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Magdalen of Canossa, 04-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Casilda, 04-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Julie Billiart, 04-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Baptist de la Salle, 04-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Crescentia Hoess, 04-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Vincent Ferrer, 04-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Isidore of Seville, 04-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Benedict the African, 04-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis of Paola, 04-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Hugh of Grenoble, 04-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Stephen of Mar Saba, 03-31-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Regalado, 03-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ludovico of Casoria, 03-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catharine of Bologna, 03-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Lazarus, 03-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catherine of Genoa, 03-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Annunciation of the Lord, 03-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero, 03-24-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo, 03-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Nicholas Owen, 03-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed John of Parma, 03-21-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Salvator of Horta, 03-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary, 03-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, 03-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. Patrick, 03-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer, 03-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louise de Marillac, 03-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maximilian, 03-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Leander of Seville, 03-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Angela Salawa, 03-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Ogilvie, 03-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Dominic Savio, 03-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Frances of Rome, 03-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. John of God, 03-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Perpetua and Felicity, 03-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes, 03-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Joseph of the Cross, 03-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Casimir, 03-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Katharine Drexel, 03-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. Agnes of Bohemia, 03-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. David of Wales, 03-01-17
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