MEXICO CITY.— According to an article in Victor Joel Santos Ramirezpublished by National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) of Mexico“The day November 1 is celebrated at ‘All Saints‘, that is, to the blessed and canonized, but mainly to the unknown saints (the thousands of Christian martyrs), so that none would be left without a feast and thus gathered in a single day, they would correspond to this homage by interceding with greater force in the prayer and supplications of the believers.
In his article, Víctor Santos adds, “All Saints’ Day was instituted on May 13 by Pope Boniface IV in the year 609, to honor the protectors of the Church, but also to counteract paganism, since on this day the Pope consecrated the ancient temple of the Roman pantheon (the Pantheon of Agrippa), in the Church of Santa María de los Mártires (known as Santa María la Redonda by its circular plan).
Commemoration changes to November 1
Later, in the 8th century, Pope Gregory III made the date of November 1 official, and Pope Gregory IV extended it to the entire Church in 835.
“Pope Gregory III, between the years 731 and 741, consecrated a chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica to all the Saints to dedicate a day to this celebration; around the year 835, Pope Gregory IV set this festival on November 1 and extended it to all the saints of Christianity,” adds Santos Ramírez.
He also notes that, “Pope Gregory IV changed All Saints’ Day to the kalends of November, that is, to the first day of this month, but he made it coincide (not unintentionally as it seems) with the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced so-win or sah-wim and hallowen), celebrated on October 31 in the Celtic communities of Europe (Ireland, Wales and Scotland).”
He emphasizes that, “From the Christian point of view, this festival was pagan and as happened with the consecration of the temple of the Roman pantheon to convert it into a church, the archaic rites that were celebrated on this date were Christianized when All Saints’ Day was established on November 1.”
On this day, the Catholic Church celebrates a solemn feast for all the deceased who, having overcome purgatory, have been completely sanctified, have obtained the beatific vision and enjoy eternal life in the presence of God. That is why it is the day of “all saints”. It is not celebrated only in honor of the blessed or saints who are on the list of those canonized and for whom the Church celebrates on a special day of the year; It is also celebrated in honor of all those who are not canonized but already live in the presence of God in his triumphant Church.
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