On November 1st, the Church celebrates All Saints Day, a glorious feast and a holy day of obligation.
However, the Church hasn’t always celebrated this holiday in November…
The feast we now know as All Saints Day was originally celebrated on May 13th, 609 A.D., when Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all martyrs, known and unknown.
So, why don’t we celebrate All Saints Day on May 13th? The short answer is because of Pope Gregory III.
On November 1st, 731 A.D., a century after the first celebration of All Saints Day, Pope Gregory III dedicated a chapel in the Vatican to the relics of all the holy Apostles, saints, and martyrs. Since then, the Church has celebrated All Saints Day on November 1st.
A century after that, in 853 A.D., Pope Gregory IV established All Saints Day as a holy day of obligation.
So, who established All Saints Day? Well, we have three popes to thank for that! Thank you, Pope Boniface IV, Pope Gregory III, and Pope Gregory IV for helping establish this glorious feast we celebrate today!
Happy All Saints Day! Get to Mass today and celebrate by reading a story from the lives of the saints, dressing as your favorite saint, or by wearing this beautiful All Saints Bracelet! This sturdy corded bracelet features the medals of beloved saints such as St. Padre Pio, Pope St. John Paul II, St. Benedict, and many more! With these powerful intercessors with you always, you’ll have great help on your path to joining all the saints in heaven! Available today from The Catholic Company!
