All Saints
Omnium Sanctorum
All Saints' Day is a Christian holy day celebrated in honour of all the saints of the Church. In the 9th century, some churches in the British Isles began holding the commemoration of all saints on November 1. The Catholic Church then adopted this date.
All Saints' Day is a solemnity in Catholicism and a festival in Lutheranism. The Eastern Orthodox Church and associated Eastern Catholic and Eastern Lutheran churches celebrate it on the first Sunday after Pentecost. The Syro-Malabar Church and the Chaldean Catholic Church, both of which are in communion with Rome, as well as the Church of the East, celebrate All Saints' Day on the first Friday after Easter Sunday. In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, All Saints' Day is on Nayrouz, celebrated on September 11. The day is the start of the Coptic new year, and of its first month, Thout.
In the Western Christian practice, the liturgical celebration begins with its first vespers on the evening of October 31, All Hallows' Eve (All Saints' Eve or Hallowe'en), and ends at the compline of November 1. It is thus the day before All Souls' Day, which commemorates the faithful departed. In many traditions, All Saints' Day is part of the season of Allhallowtide, which includes the three days from October 31 to November 3 inclusive, as well as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (held on the first Sunday of November), and in some Christian denominations, such as Anglicanism, extends to Remembrance Sunday. In places where All Saints' Day is observed as a public holiday, cemetery and grave rituals such as offerings of flowers, candles and prayers or blessings for the graves of loved ones often take place on All Saints' Day (along with other days of Allsaintstide, especially on All Hallows Eve and All Souls Day). The use of candles by Christians symbolized the light of Christ and the use of lamps at the tombs of Christian martyrs dates back to the early Christian period. In Austria and Germany, godparents gift their godchildren Allerheiligenstriezel (All Saint's Braid) on All Saint's Day, while the practice of souling remains popular in Portugal. It is a national holiday in many Christian countries.
Next
Readings at Mass
Every year
- Responsorial Psalm
- Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
- Second Reading
- 1 Jn 3:1-3
- Gospel Acclamation
- Mt 11:28
- Gospel
- Mt 5:1-12a