All Saints Day is a commemoration of All Holy Martyrs and all the apostles, confessors, and all the just and perfect servants of God whose bodies rest throughout the whole world.
In the year 835 AD the Roman Catholic Church made November 1st a church holiday to honor all the saints, known and unknown, and, according to Urban IV, to supply any deficiencies in the faithful's celebration of saints' feasts during the year. This feast day is called "All Saints Day". As part of this day of obligation, followers are required to attend church and try not to do any servile work. Eastern churches celebrate it on the first day of Pentecost.
All Saints Day is the modern name of what was once called in older English "All Hallows Day". Hallows was a word that referred to the Saints; they were the "hallowed ones", in the same sense that we say "Hallowed be Thy name" in the Lord's prayer.
More information and wonderful reading about this very special day can be found at:
All Saints Day
Raggedystitches,
Great post, thanks!
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