All Saints Day

Mostly from The Church’s Year of Grace by Dr. Pius Parsch (slightly adapted):

As early as the end of the first century the Church in the East was keeping a day in honor of “all the martyrs”. The day is still kept among the Greeks on the first Sunday after Pentecost. The Syrians keep it on the Friday after Easter. The traditional Roman Missal gives the station church on the Friday after Easter as that of Sancta Maria ad Martyres.

“Early in the seventh century Pope Boniface IV ordered the Pantheon at Rome, which had been given him by Emperor Phocas, transformed into a church (this temple had been built by Marcus Agrippa to commemorate Augustus’ victory at Actium in 27 B.C.). After a great stock of relics had been transferred to the purified temple (allegedly twenty-eight wagons full), Pope Boniface dedicated it on May 13, 610, in honor of the Mother of God and all the holy martyrs (see [the old] Roman Martyrology for May 13). Accordingly the feast of All Martyrs was celebrated on May 13, very appropriately soon after the resurrection of our Blessed Savior. Due perhaps to the difficulty of procuring food in Rome for great numbers of pilgrims in the springtime, Gregory IV (827-844) transferred the feast to November 1 and extended it to include all the saints. Thus it received its place toward the end of the church year and serves well as an occasion to anticipate the consummation of Christ’s kingdom and His Second Coming”.

Vespers on All Saints – an Hour in Heaven:

“No Vespers during the whole year makes so deep an impression upon me as Vespers of All Saints. Artistic reliquaries decorate the altar; in the relics the saints themselves are present, and Christ their leader is the altar. The latter is adorned in feast-day robes, golden antependium, glistening snow-white linens. Upon six golden candlesticks burn six huge candles. Behind them resplendent is the Lamb of the Apocalypse. Upon the throne as representative of the eternal Father sits the abbot in a golden-threaded cope. About him are the “seniors” of the monastery in white robes, while below four chanters, clothed in flowing pluvials, lead the monastic choir in the heavenly melodies. Out in the nave stand or sit ‘the multitude of faithful which no man can number, from all peoples.’ And throughout the edifice resound the jubilantly sonorous harmonies from the organ. It is an hour in heaven” (from a description by Fr. Kutzer of Mendelzell). [Parsch, vol. V]

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In the Ruthenian Byzantine Church – and perhaps other Eastern Churches – the Blessed Theodore Romzha is honored. From the unofficial Ruthenian website:

"Blessed Theodore Romzha was martyred by the Soviets for his unshakable faith in Christ and the Byzantine (Greek) Catholic Church on November 1, 1947. The communists first attempted to kill him by ramming his cart with a military truck. When he survived the communists completed the murder with poison."

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The month of November is dedicated to the Holy Souls in Purgatory. A partial indulgence is always granted for visiting a cemetery and praying for the dead. But from November 1 through November 8 a plenary indulgence can be gained on each of these days. cf. Section 13 of “The Handbook of Indulgences: Norms and Grants”, Catholic Book Publishing Company, (1991).