All Saints Day first appeared in the Antiochian Church around the early 4th century as a day to honor the Church’s martyrs, Originally occurring on the first Sunday after Pentecost, All Saints Day was adopted by the Western Church in the early 7th century by Bishop of Rome, Boniface IV, who designated the May 13th for its observance. In the 9th century, the All Saints Day celebration was modified to include literally all saints, becoming a church-wide observance of the Feast of All Saints on November 1st. By changing the date, the Western Church sought to incorporate a Christian focus into ancient festival of the dead that many European clans celebrated during the first part of November.
All Saints Day begins with a vigil, the observance of which originated with the Antiochian Church. The night time hours of All Saints are devoted to prayer and fasting. The Catholic ceremony for the day is a solemn one, including the observance of Holy Mass followed by prayers offered to the Virgin Mary and all the saints. Lutherans and Episcopalians remember the day by giving thanks to God for all saints, living and dead. The Orthodox Churches continue to honor all Christian martyrs on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
All Saints and All Souls (Zaduszki)
Both the Feast of All Saints and the Feast of All Souls evolved in the life of the Church independently of paganism and Halloween. The exact origins of this celebration are uncertain, although, after the legalization of Christianity in 313, a common commemoration of Saints, especially the martyrs, appeared in various areas throughout the Church. In the West, a commemoration for all the saints was celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost. The primary reason for establishing a common feast day was because of the desire to honor the great number of martyrs, especially during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian (284-305), the worst and most extensive of the persecutions.
The designation of November 1st as the Feast of All Saints occurred over time. Bishop of Rome, Gregory III (731-741) dedicated an oratory in the original St. Peter’s Basilica in honor of all the saints on November 1st, and this date then became the official date for the celebration of the Feast of All Saints in Rome.
Along with the Feast of All Saints developed the Feast of All Souls. The Church has consistently encouraged the offering of prayers and Mass for the souls of the faithful departed on their journey to heaven. The faithful on earth can assist these souls on their journey to heaven in attaining the Beatific Vision through their prayers, good works and the offering of the Holy Mass. In Germany, Widukind, Abbot of Corvey (died 980) recorded a special ceremony for the faithful departed on October 1st. St. Odilo, the Abbot of Cluny (died 1048), decreed for all the Cluniac monasteries that special prayers be offered and the Office of the Daed sung for all the souls on November 2nd, the day after All Saints. The Benedictines and Carthusians adopted that same devotion, and soon November 2nd was adopted as the Feast of All Souls for the whole Church.
Cemeteries in Poland are really…full of life! They are visited by family members the daily/weekly basis. But nothing compares to how the cemeteries look on November 1st. In front of cemeteries street vendors sell flowers – in pots, cut flowers or beautiful lanterns etc. November 1st is a national holiday in Poland. Many people go to the cemeteries to light candles and, if they believe in God, to pray. This festival is also celebrated by some other denominations and even those without any denomination, as a sign of remembrance and of honoring and respecting the dead.
Some scenes from All Saints/All Souls Day in Poland:
