The exact origin of All Saints Day is unclear, since different places in the east and west along with pagans all had their own specific traditions. When one gets ordained as an interfaith minister of the Universal Life Church it can be beneficial to look at some of those different cultural backgrounds involved to better understand All Saints Day.
Due to the massive persecution in the first centuries after Christ, there seemed to be a need for a day to honor all the martyrs who had died for their faith. Around 600 the day was called St.Mary and Martyrs and was celebrated on May 13th. Over a hundred years later under Pope Gregory III, All Saints Day became an official holiday for all saints, not just martyrs, celebrated on November 1. To this day, it is still a national holiday in some catholic countries. It is the day before All Souls Day, on which many Christians remember the deceased.
What does All Saints day have to do with Halloween? The pagans used to celebrate Samhain, the beginning of the Celtic winter, which was November 1st. The night before, they would perform sacrifices and wore costumes. It was believed, that the departed souls would come back for the evening. Through conquest Christianity spread, along with All Saints Day. Over time, traditions of the different cultures mixed and that’s why some people have a hard time understanding the difference between Halloween and All Saints Day. Halloween dates back to the Celtic winter celebration Samhain and All Saints Day dates back to Christianity honoring Martyrs. Two completely different celebrations. They do have one important thing in common: Honoring the departed souls.
