All Saints' Day

November 1, 2026

Origin of the All Saints' Day holiday

All Saints' Day is a Christian feast dedicated to all the saints, whether known or unknown. Its origin dates back to the 4th century, when the Church began honoring martyrs who died for their faith. However, their growing number made it difficult to devote a distinct day to each of them. In 609 or 610, Pope Boniface IV decided to combine this commemoration and dedicated the Pantheon in Rome to "Saint Mary and all the martyrs," thereby instituting a joint celebration initially set for May 13. Later, in the 9th century, Pope Gregory IV moved this feast to November 1 and extended it to the entire Church. This choice of date may have been influenced by pagan traditions, notably the Celtic festival of Samhain, marking the transition into winter. All Saints' Day was also associated with prayer for the departed, a practice reinforced in the 11th century by the Abbey of Cluny, which established the commemoration of the faithful departed on November 2. In France, this feast became an official public holiday in 1801, under Napoleon Bonaparte's Concordat. Today, All Saints' Day is a day when many families honor the memory of their loved ones by placing flowers on their graves, carrying on a tradition rich in meaning and spirituality.

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