Solemnity of All Saints

All Saints’ Day is a day commemorating all the saints of the church, both known and unknown, who have attained heaven.

The origin of All Saints’ Day cannot be traced with certainty, and it has been observed on various days in different places. The first evidence for the November 1 date of celebration and of the broadening of the festival to include all saints as well as all martyrs occurred during the reign of Pope Gregory III (731–741), who dedicated a chapel in St. Peter’s, Rome, on November 1 in honour of all saints.  In 837 Pope Gregory IV ordered its general observance.

The reading from the book of the Apocalypse (7: 2-4; 9-14) speaks of “a huge number, impossible to count, of people from every nation, race, tribe and language” who “stand in front of the throne and of the Lamb”, the second reading (1 John 3:1-3) reminds us of “the love the Father has lavished on us by letting us be called God’s children” while the Gospel (Matthew 5:1-12) recounts the Beatitudes and reminds us that for those who follow God’s ways their “reward will be great in heaven.”