All Saints’ Day is a great Christian holiday also known as All Hallows Day or the Feast of All Saints.
It is a festival to honor all saints, known and unknown.
The event celebrates saints, including those who are celebrated and those who are not celebrated individually.
In Western Christianity, we celebrate All Saints’ Day on the 1st of November.
The Methodist, Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran, and other Protestant churches celebrated it.
The Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate All Saints’ Day on the 1st Sunday after the Pentecost.
However, there are some Christians who do not observe the feast.
This is because the Bible does not teach Christians to pray to the saint or for the saints.
So, what is All Saints’ Day, and should Christians celebrate the festival?
What Happens on All Saints Day?
All Saints’ Day is a Christian holiday celebrated annually on the 1st of November.
We dedicate the feast to all saints of the church.
It is for all saints that went to heaven.
On All Saints’ Day, Christians commemorate this special day by placing flowers and candles on important cemetery graves.
In popular places, these graves are painted or repaired to attract more people.
It is also a national holiday in several catholic countries around the world.
Members of the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Lutheran, and Anglican Church, among other Protestant Churches, commemorate all Saints’ Day.
For Catholic followers, they are required to attend mass on that day.
However, there are countries with different rules concerning this festival.
When is All Saints Day celebrated?
All Saints Day is a Christian holiday celebrated on the 1st of November.
But in some countries such as Ireland, All Saints’ Day is celebrated on the 20th of April.
This is to ensure they do not associate it with pagan feasts such as Samhain, which is celebrated on the 1st of November.
What is the origin of All Saints’ Day?
During the early church days, the Roman Empire persecuted many Christians.
To celebrate the martyrs, church leaders set a day to commemorate all Christian martyrs.
However, the feast was held on Sunday after the Pentecost.
Others would celebrate it on Friday after Easter.
Later, the feast was expanded to include All Saints Day.
According to Wikipedia, they celebrated the feast on the 13th of May.
They decided the date according to the Pope and early Christians.
However, some sources say All Saints had two dates but had a similar theme of honoring the dead.
Changes throughout the Ages
Other sources say Pope Gregory III changed All Saints’ Day from the 13th of May to the 1st of November.
By 800, most churches in Germany, Ireland, and England were holding the feast to commemorate the Saints on the 1st of November.
Christians would prepare the celebrations with a night of vigil on All Hallows Eve.
In the 10th century, they added November 2nd as All Souls Day.
The day is to honor martyrs and other Christians who have died.
However, in All Souls Day, we pray for the dead.
In the early days, some people would offer food and gifts to the dead.
This is to ensure the souls do not haunt people who wronged them during their lifetime.
However, most Christians believe these are superstitions and belong to pagan customs.
Should Christians celebrate All Saints Day?
According to the Catholic Church, All Saints’ Day is a day dedicated to the saints.
Therefore, Christians all over the world should celebrate this feast.
It is a day to celebrate the work of God done by the saints.
It is also a Catholic Holy Day of Obligation.
All catholic members are required to attend the mass unless they have a good excuse.
How can Christians celebrate All Saints Day?
All Saints’ Day is a great feast day on the Catholic Calendar.
However, even Christians from other churches can celebrate the festival as well.
Some ways Christians can celebrate All Saints Day include:
Having an All Saints Party
most Christians throw an All Saints’ Day party to honor the saints.
They also share stories of the saints and how they helped in spreading the gospel of Christ.
Dressing like Saints
Children and adults normally wear clothes to look like saints.
It is also a great way to teach children about saints.
Making Special Foods
There are special foods that are cooked to celebrate the feast.
For example, there are several stories behind donuts and All Saints holiday.
Catholic members also make saint-themed snacks and meals.
Sharing gifts
Another great way to celebrate All Saints’ Day is sharing gifts with family and friends.
Some Christians share holy cards, peg doll saints, or saint books with their families or neighbors.
Decorating the House
To teach children more about All Saints Day, most Christians decorate their houses on the 1st of November.
Reading Saints stories
Since there are many great saints, parents share stories with their children.
Attend Church Service/Mass
Christians can join others all over the world to celebrate the holiday by attending mass or church services.
Church leaders share sermons about saints and help spread Christianity.
Moreover, All Saints’ Day is a Holy Day of Obligation.
Thus, it is important to attend the church service.
Ask for Intercession
All Saints’ Day is a feast day and a gift to all saints who are in heaven.
Thus, Christians can ask for intercession from their favorite saints.
Conclusion
All Saints Day is a feast celebrated on the 1st of November by most parts of Western Christianity.
However, Eastern Christianity celebrates the holiday on the first Sunday after the Pentecost.
The day commemorates all saints who attained the heavenly vision in heaven.
In some countries, especially the historically Catholic countries, it is a national holiday.
In Roman Catholic, the next day is All Souls Day.
To learn more about All Souls Day, read the following article titled Christian Holiday - All Souls Day.
Catholics honor All Saints Day and All Souls Day with special masses.
All catholic members are required to attend the mass on those days.