All Saints’ Day is a Christian holy day observed by Western Christians on November 1 and by Eastern Christians on the first Sunday of Pentecost (see Pentecost ). It honors all Christian saints, especially those who do not have days named for them. All Saints’ Day was also called All Hallows. Hallow means saint or one who is holy. The evening before All Hallows was known as All Hallows’ Eve or All Hallow e’en. This name eventually was shortened to Halloween.
In A.D. 609 or 610, Emperor Phocas gave the Roman temple called the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV as a church. The pope rededicated it to the Virgin Mary and Christian martyrs. The anniversary of this event may have been the origin of All Saints’ Day among Western Christians. In the early 700’s, Pope Gregory III dedicated a chapel to all saints on November 1 in St. Peter’s church. Some historians think the celebration of that event may have fixed the date of the feast at November 1. The general celebration of the feast day by Christians throughout Western Europe probably began in the 800’s.
See also Día de los muertos ; Halloween ; Saint .
