The Catholic Church commemorates 1st November as “All Saints Day”, A day prior to “All Souls Day”. Why does the Church celebrate this special day? when we have the entire calendar earmarked by the days of Saints?
On this day Catholics honour all those who have entered heaven. Who is a Saint? A Saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness or likeness or closeness to God. However the use of the term “Saint” depends on the context and denomination. In Roman Catholic and other denominations the doctrine says all the faithful deceased in heaven are considered to be Saints. Generally all Saints day is a Catholic Holy day of Obligation meaning all Catholics are required to attend Mass. Other Countries have different rules according to the Bishops Conferences.
All Saints day was formally started by Pope Boniface IV who consecrated the Pantheon at Rome to the Virgin Mary and all the Martyrs on 13th May 609 AD. Pope Boniface also established All Souls Day, which follows All Saints Day.
In Western Christian theology the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in heaven.
In the Roman Catholic Church the next day All souls Day specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. Catholics celebrate All Saints day and All Souls day in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful, spiritual communion between those in the state of Grace who have died and are either being purified in Purgatory, or are in heaven (The Church penitent and the Church triumphant respectively) and the Church Militant who are living. The other Christian traditions define, remember and respond to the Saints in different ways.
The Origin of All Saints day cannot be traced with certainty as it has been observed on various days in different places. Earlier it was observed on 13th November but, Pope Gregory III made All saints day a holy day in the Mid Eight Century and moved it to November 1st.
On this day we read the beatitudes, eight blessings recounted in Jesus Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. Among the eight blessings is the well-known Phrase ‘Blessed are the Meek for they will inherit the Earth’.
This day there are various things done by the living to fulfill the expectations of the dead. This day we visit the cemeteries, clean the graves, offer flowers and light candles in remembrance and visit the graves, and offer prayers.
Nowadays in GOA, we decorate the external façade of the cemetery illuminate the entire cemetery as if it’s a celebration in coming and each family decorates the family grave. Its important that we remember the dead throughout our lives, as they are the ones who have lived and have gone before us. God chose them and not us.
Let us be grateful and thankful to our Heavenly father.
Rosarito Coelho.