All Saints Day (Spain) – November 1, 2026

Expected All Saints Day (Spain) Deals

As a solemn day of remembrance and spiritual reflection, All Saints Day in Spain does not typically feature commercial ‘deals’ in the traditional sense. Instead, the focus is on community, family, and religious observance. Local florists and bakeries, however, see increased activity around this time. Florists prepare for the demand for chrysanthemums and other cemetery flowers, while specialty bakeries craft traditional sweets like Huesos de Santo (Saints’ Bones) and Panellets (small almond cakes). Religious goods stores may offer special items for remembrance. Many families also donate to local charities or church-affiliated organizations like Caritas Spain in honor of their departed loved ones. We will update this page with confirmed local observances and community events as November 1 approaches.

History of All Saints Day (Spain)

All Saints Day is observed annually on November 1. It may have originated in a Greek Christian tradition first from the fourth century when a festival was held on the Sunday just after Pentecost to honor saints and martyrs. The first published All Saints Day took place on May 13, 609, just before Pope Boniface IV accepted Emperor Phocas’ gift of the Pantheon in Rome. The Pope declared the day a holiday in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all martyrs. All through Pope Gregory III’s reign in 835, the festival was moved to November 1 and expanded to include the saints, as well as those for whom sainthood is only recognized by God.

The date was most likely chosen intentionally to substitute for the pagan feast of the dead, Samhain. Evil spirits wandered the land searching for humans on the night before Samhain. Residents would dress up as creatures to confuse the spirits. This custom continued after November 1 became a Christian holiday, giving rise to the name ‘Halloween,’ a shorter form of All Hallows’ Eve. The day did survive the Reform movement, though the Protestants merged it with All Souls’ Day on November 2nd. The day was eradicated as a church festival in 1770, but many churches still observe it on the first Sunday in November.

All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Commitment in Roman Catholicism. This means that Catholics must attend Mass on the specified date unless they have a valid reason not to, such as illness. Catholics are encouraged but not required to attend mass on November 1 if it falls on a Monday or a Saturday adjacent to the Sunday sabbath. The holiday is traditionally recognized with a reading of the Beatitudes, eight blessings given by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount as recalled in Matthew’s Gospel. In recent years, many churches have begun to honor all who died throughout the year on the day itself. Some people also place candles on graves on the evening of All Saints Eve.