On Nov. 1, we will celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints’ Day to honor the saints and martyrs, including those venerated in the Church and those who have not made it to the church calendar, but whose faithfulness is certainly recognized by God. Catholics have many ways to celebrate All Saints’ Day and remember those who have faithfully followed Jesus and served others throughout their lifetimes.
It’s important to differentiate between All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day: The purpose of All Saints’ Day is to recognize those who have already attained heaven; All Souls’ Day, celebrated on Nov. 2, is to remember those who have died but not yet attained heaven.
For Catholics, All Saints’ Day is a Holy Day of Obligation, which means that Mass is required. When Catholics attend Mass, we honor the saints’ testimony to faith in Jesus and their victory in attaining eternal glory in heaven. And when we receive the Eucharist, we partake in the same salvation, the body and blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
All Saints’ Day, sometimes called All Hallows’ Day or Hallowmas, was originally inspired by the martyrs of the early church. Christians celebrated this feast on different days, depending on their geographic location, with some celebrating on May 13, others on the Friday after Easter and others on the Sunday after Pentecost.
But in 609 A.D., Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the martyrs and standardized the date of All Saints’ Day to May 13. Pope Gregory III later changed the annual date of celebration to Nov. 1, and Pope Gregory IV and Louis the Pious decreed that the day should become a Holy Day of Obligation in the mid-eighth century.
In Revelation 7, we get to peek into God’s throne room and see “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9). This great multitude is the saints worshiping God in heaven. The saints were not perfect people; they were redeemed people. In eternity, they praise God for his great mercy.
When we celebrate All Saints’ Day, we acknowledge the “great cloud of witnesses” who have gone before us and run the race of life with perseverance (Hebrews 12:1). They were human, in need of salvation just like we are, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, they committed their lives to the Gospel and service to the poor.
Honoring saints does not mean we worship them — a common misconception about the Catholic faith. Scripture is clear — we worship God alone. When we pray to God through the saints, we ask them to intercede on our behalf, much like you might share your prayer intentions with a friend or family member. The Apostles’ Creed recognizes the “communion of saints,” which simply means the unity of all believers in Christ, whether living on earth, in purgatory or in heaven (St. Paul Seminary).
Here are a few ways to honor the saints on Nov. 1:
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May we celebrate God’s gift to us through the example of his people. Let’s pray for lives that glorify God and share the hope of his salvation with the world:
Dear God,
Thank you for the example of the lives of your saints throughout Church history. May I seek to bless others as they did, glorifying the name of Christ in the process.
Help me to love the poor, vulnerable and orphaned as St. Vincent de Paul, St. Francis of Assisi and Mother Cabrini did.
Give me the hunger to understand your Scriptures and know the truth, following in the footsteps of St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Ignatius Loyola and St. Augustine.
I want to emulate the uncommon courage of St. Joseph, St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. Joan of Arc.
Give me the simple faith and obedience of St. Bernadette, St. Therese of Lisieux and St. John of the Cross.
May I love and pray for my family to return to the faith, emulating the intercession of St. Monica.
I pray my life would make a difference, building your kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.
At Cross Catholic Outreach, we are blessed to work with modern-day saintly people. Our ministry partners work tirelessly on behalf of the poor, living out the Corporal Works of Mercy in the name of Christ. During Advent and Christmas, your support can be part of their amazing work! Browse our catalog to bless poor families with practical support, including clean water, safe housing, nutritious food and much more.
Donations from this campaign will be used to cover any expenditures for this project incurred through June 30, 2027, the close of our ministry’s fiscal year. In the event that more funds are raised than needed to fully fund the project, the excess funds, if any, will be used to meet the most urgent needs of the ministry.
