All Saints Day

Categories:: Religious
Tags:: Catholic Christian International
Where:: World
Date change rule:: Every November 1
Holiday emoji:: ✝️

All Saints Day honors all Christian saints, known and unknown, every November 1. This sacred observance is a time for reverence, remembrance, and gratitude for those who have offered spiritual guidance. Reflect on their enduring legacies, connect with your faith community, and commit to acts of service.

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Expected All Saints Day Deals

All Saints Day, a solemn observance, typically focuses on spiritual reflection and community remembrance rather than commercial deals. However, many religious goods stores and online retailers like Catholic Company and Leaflet Missal may offer discounts on devotional items, statues, and religious books. Local florists, such as 1-800-Flowers or Teleflora, often see increased demand for memorial arrangements for gravesites. Charities associated with Christian faiths, such as Catholic Charities USA and Lutheran Services in America, may highlight opportunities for donations or volunteer work in honor of the day. We will update this page with confirmed live deals and charitable initiatives as November 1 approaches.

Platform Guide for All Saints Day

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #AllSaintsDay. Share stories of saints who inspire you or photos of family traditions.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #AllSaintsDay. Share reflections, quotes from saints, or details about local church observances.

Instagram

Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #AllSaintsDay. Post inspiring visuals of stained glass, devotional art, or community gatherings.

All Saints Day Hero

Saint Augustine of Hippo

Saint Augustine (354–430 AD) was a Roman African theologian and philosopher whose writings profoundly influenced Western Christianity and philosophy. He is considered one of the most important Church Fathers in Western Christianity, and his works like 'Confessions' and 'City of God' are foundational texts for understanding Christian thought and the concept of sainthood.

History of All Saints Day

On May 13, in the year 609 A.D. or 610 A.D., Pope Boniface IV consecrated the day and ordered an anniversary to celebrate the Virgin Mary and all the martyrs. He may have chosen May 13 because many churches in the East already had a similar day to honor the dead and the martyrs. It was Pope Gregory III (690–741 A.D.) who moved the date of All Saints’ Day to November 1 on the Old Style calendar when he founded an oratory in St. Peter’s at the Vatican to exalt the apostles, saints, martyrs, and “all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world.”

In the years and decades that followed, various influential figures in the church and government used their power to make All Saints’ Day an official observance in different Christian sects and denominations. Today, the holiday is also known — depending on the location and branch of the church — as All Hallows’ Day, Hallowmas, the Feast of All Saints, and the Solemnity of All Saints.

So you can be reasonably sure that any Christian friend of yours will be holding ancient miracle workers in their heart today — reach out and ask what All Saints’ Day means to them, if you’re not Christian yourself.

All Saints Day timeline

5th century A.D.

Inspiration

In what is now northern Italy, St. Maximus of Turin gives an annual address on the Sunday after Pentecost in honor of all martyrs of the faith.

Late-6th to early-7th century A.D.

Earliest Written Record

The Sunday after Pentecost is referred to in the “Comes Romanus Wirziburgensis” as “Sunday of the Nativity of the Saints.”

8th century A.D.

Exercising his Power

Pope Gregory III effectively changes the date of All Saints’ Day from the Sunday after Pentecost to the day before All Souls’ Day and suppresses the traditional May feast.

1955

Modernization

Church reforms suppress the All Saints’ vigil and octave, ushering in the single-day celebration most Christians are now familiar with.

How Businesses Can Celebrate All Saints Day

Local businesses can honor All Saints Day by recognizing the spiritual significance of the occasion. Florists can create special arrangements for memorial sites or church altars, offering discounts for community groups. Bookstores can feature sections on hagiographies, Christian theology, or books on grief and remembrance. Cafes and bakeries might offer quiet spaces for reflection or traditional baked goods associated with the day in various cultures. Consider partnering with local churches or charities for donation drives or volunteer initiatives, demonstrating community support.

All Saints Day FAQs

When is All Saints Day?

All Saints Day 2026 falls on Sunday, November 1. This solemn observance is a time for Christians worldwide to honor and remember all saints, both known and unknown.

How many Christians observe All Saints Day?

All Saints Day is primarily observed by Western Christian traditions, including the Roman Catholic Church, which alone accounts for over 1.3 billion adherents globally. Millions more in other denominations participate in this day of remembrance.

What is the significance of All Saints Day?

All Saints Day holds profound significance as a day to collectively honor all Christian saints, including those who are not officially canonized. It serves as a reminder of the ‘communion of saints’ and the spiritual unity of believers across time.

Is All Saints Day a federal holiday?

No, All Saints Day is not a federal holiday in the United States, meaning government offices and most businesses remain open. However, it is a Holy Day of Obligation for Roman Catholics, requiring attendance at Mass.

HOW TO OBSERVE ALL SAINTS DAY

Attend a service
This goes for a suggestion to both our Christian readers and our agnostic or atheist ones. A curious friend who wants to experience a church service is almost always welcome, and to experience solemnity and beauty, All Saints’ Day is a hard one to match.
Celebrate the more secular parts of the day
In North America, that means either Halloween or the Day of the Dead. There’s no reason not to go about either one the way you usually do, but with the added perspective of internally honoring history’s beatific figures — Mother Teresa, for example — who did real work to aid and protect the poor and underserved.
Read up and share your knowledge
The internet is rife with information about every topic — including the rich and textured history of All Saints’ Day. Whether you take a stance of faith or skepticism, write a few paragraphs on your point of view and post them to your socials — but make sure you’re respectful of either side. You’ll be surprised at the depth of the responses you get.

FIVE AMAZING FACTS ABOUT MOTHER TERESA

No looking back
Mother Teresa — born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu — left her family to join the convent at the age of 18, and never saw them again.
Moments of doubt and fear
Even as devout as she was, Mother Teresa confessed religious doubt in letters she wrote, saying, “Where is my faith?”
From mother to daughter
After her father’s death when she was only eight years old, Agnes’s mother took special care to teach her charity, for example, with the words, “Never eat a single mouthful unless you are sharing it with others.”
Secret mission
In 1982, Mother Teresa went under the radar to make an unpublicized trip to war-torn Beirut, where she served the children of both the Christian-dominated and Muslim-dominated sides of the city.
True recognition
Mother Teresa was nominated for — and won — the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize for her services to the sick and hungry.

WHY ALL SAINTS DAY IS IMPORTANT

It’s about selflessness
Whether you as an individual believe the old religious stories about saints, martyrs, and miracle-workers to be literal truth or not, saints became saints for the good works they did — in the spirit of Christianity as an institution of brotherly love, not a church of hatred toward those who are different.
It honors amazing people
Boomers and Gen-Xers will remember Pope John Paul II, known for his true charity and his gentle handling of the most important church matters at the Vatican. He was canonized as a saint in 2014 by Pope Francis. John Paul and Mother Teresa are just two examples of very real people doing very admirable work who went on to be named ‘Saint.’
It leads to All Souls’ Day
This is a time to remember and honor all those who have passed away in one’s life. We don’t think anyone would suggest that thinking reverently of those you’ve lost is a bad thing to do.