Happy All Saints' Day: the origin and meaning of this holiday

What is All Saints' Day?

On 1 November, All Saints' Day, is a day of celebration for Catholics. It's the day established by the Catholic churches of the Latin liturgy to remember all the saints, canonised, or not.

Saints already canonised are each celebrated on a special day of the year. However, on All Saints' Day, all those who have overcome purgatory, have been sanctified and already enjoy eternal life in the presence of God are honoured.

We should remember that canonisation is the set of steps that are followed to convert a dead person into a saint and, therefore, to be included in the canon, the list of saints recognised by the Catholic Church.

When a person is canonised, a specific liturgical feast is assigned to him or her and he or she can be worshipped and his or her intercession can be requested before God.

One of the traditional customs of All Saints' Day is to attend Mass, as it’s considered to be an All Saints' Day of Obligation. All Catholics must attend church, only those who are sick or have a compelling reason that prevents their attendance are excused.

It's interesting to note the difference between the Catholic Church and the Protestant Church on the meaning of sanctity. In Protestantism there are also saints, although they are still in the world of the living. According to the Old Testament, the word saint refers to a person set apart by God, separated from the world and dedicated to his service. Protestants interpret it as a personal sanctification that’s exercised through daily actions.

Origin and history of All Saints' Day

The history of All Saints' Day begins in the fourth century A.D. with the so-called Great Persecution of Diocletian. This was the last and bloodiest of the ten persecutions that took place, from the Great Fire of Rome in 64 under the rule of Nero to the Edict of Milan in 313, by which the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great recognised the Christian religion.

The number of dead martyrs was such that it wasn’t possible to honour all of them. So, it was decided to establish a date to do honour them all together. Although it was not until 610 when a first date of worship was established, 13 May, when the Roman Pantheon was converted into a church, under the name of Santa Maria Rotonda.

Later, in the ninth century, Pope Gregory IV decided to transfer many remains of the martyrs' bodies from the catacombs to the church, consecrating it again with the name of Santa Maria ad Martyres, on 1 November, 835.

Why do we celebrate All Saints' Day?

During the first persecutions of the Christians, the cult of the martyrs began. They were considered true witnesses of Christ who were reborn to eternal life at the moment of their death. Since the first centuries after Christ, the remains of the victims of persecutions and executions were secretly recovered and deposited in the catacomb. This was so they could be to be venerated every year by their relatives and friends, on the anniversary of their death.

In these early liturgical celebrations, the saint's protection and help were implored.

Over the centuries, the places where they were buried became pilgrimage destinations and churches were built. One of these places is St. Peter's Basilica, built on the Vatican hill, over the tomb of this apostle.

In the twelfth century, Pope Urban IV decided that the celebration of All Saints' Day should be established in honour of all saints, known and unknown, canonised or not, with none remaining unhonoured.

All Saints' Day traditions around the world

Homes, churches and tombs are decorated with offerings in the form of flowers, candles, incense, water, salt and the favourite foods of the deceased.

The common theme continues to be the memory of loved ones who’ve passed away. They're honoured with offerings of flowers and food to celebrate the fact that on this day the gap between the world of the souls and the living becomes thinner and the dead can return to earth to visit their relatives.

It's a very popular feast in Latin America, where these traditions are kept very much alive. Also, in Asian countries, such as the Philippines, it’s celebrated by holding large banquets in the cemeteries.

In the United States, 1 November is not a national holiday, although Catholics attend mass and celebrate it.

In Europe, All Saints' Day is a public holiday in several countries such as Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium and Croatia.

All Saints' Day in Mexico

The Day of the Dead festivity is one of the most representative and important festivities in the country. It has great international value, being recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The observance of All Saints' Day in Mexico begins on 28 October, the day on which the souls of those who died tragically, by accident or violence, begin to arrive and the first candle is lit to guide them on their journey. 30 and 31 October are dedicated to the children who died without having received the sacrament of baptism.

The big days of the celebration are 1 and 2 November, since the holiday is divided into two parts: Day 1, which is All Saints' Day, remembers the dead children, and Day 2, the so-called Day of the Dead, is when the memory of the dead adults is honoured.

All Saints' Day in Mexico is a day of colour and festivities, in deep respect for the "huesuda", as they call the dead, and the veneration of the dead.

Homes, churches and tombs are decorated with altar decorations in the form of flowers, candles, incense, water, salt and the favourite foods of the dead. Each of these elements has a special ritual significance and is a sign of remembrance and honouring of those who are no longer with us. Bread of the Dead, sugar skulls, fruit and photographs of the deceased are a must.

All Saints Day in Guatemala

All Saints' Day is also a day widely celebrated by the Guatemalans.

Cemeteries are not only filled with flowers, as in many other countries, but the tombs and pantheons are painted and decorated with candles and ornaments and altars are improvised for prayer. Even music is present in the form of marimba and mariachis.

The most representative food of this festival is the deli, a mixture of meats, sausages and vegetables that can be eaten cold, and sweets such as jocotes with honey, canned coconut or sweet squash.

Another of the traditions of All Saints' Day is the flying of kites, truly artistic pieces that take advantage of the strong winds of October to fill the sky with these colourful creations inspired by the huipiles, traditional Guatemalan clothing. In some communities a spiritual meaning is given to this tradition as a symbol of the wind that crosses the underworld and intertwines it with the earthly world.

In 1998, the flight of the kites of Sumpango, a municipality in the Department of Sacatepéquez, was declared Cultural Heritage of Guatemala.

The Race of the Souls or Race of Ribbons in All Saints Cuchumatán, Huehuetenango, is a curious tradition of this day. The race takes place on a dirt road leading to the cemetery and the riders, dressed in ceremonial costume, ride drunk. And a farewell party is held the day before in case any of them do not return alive. If there is a death, it's not considered a tragedy, but a reason to celebrate because the belief is that this fact will lead to a year of abundance and health.

All Saints' Day in Spain

The most deeply rooted tradition throughout Spain is to bring flowers to cemeteries to remember and honour the dead. The celebration continues with gastronomy, as there are several typical sweets of this day such as buñuelos de viento, huesos de santo and pestiños.

Each Spanish community has its own traditions. In Galicia, they celebrate the Magosto, a gathering around a bonfire where chestnuts are roasted. In the south of the country, in Cadiz, they enjoy the Tosantos festival in which they disguise the products of the municipal markets, be it fruit, meat or fish. In Extremadura, friends and family gather in the countryside and share roasted chestnuts, sugared pomegranate and quince jelly. And in Catalonia they celebrate the popular "castanyada" where they also eat panellets, small doughs of sugar, egg yolk and almond covered with pine nuts.

Literature and theatre are very present on All Saints' Day in Spain with the representation of the play "Don Juan Tenorio" by José Zorrilla. In Soria they take the opportunity to pay tribute to Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, author of the legend "El Monte de las Ánimas".

What is the difference between All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day?

Both days are days of remembrance in memory of the deceased. However, the Catholic Church establishes a difference between the two festivities. 

As we have explained, 1 November, All Saints' Day, honours all those who already enjoy the presence of God, whether they are canonised or not. On the other hand, on 2 November, the All Souls' Day, prayers are said for those who are still purifying in purgatory, so that they may finish this step and reach the presence of God. This day, more than a feast, is a day of prayer.

All Souls' Day was created by the Benedictine monk Saint Odilon of Cluny in 998. In the 16th century it was instituted by the Catholic Church as a universal feast day.

We at WorldRemit wish you a happy All Saints' Day

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On this very special feast, we at WorldRemit wish you all a happy All Saints' Day.