All Saint's Day

Today is another European holiday...All Saint's Day. As promised, here is the reason for the national holiday and a day off for me!

All Saint's Day, All Hallows, Hallowmas ("hallows" meaning "saints," and "mas" meaning "Mass"), is a feast celebrated on November 1 or on the first Sunday after Pentecost in honor of all the saints, known and unknown. Halloween is the day preceding it, and is so named because it is "The Eve of All Hallows". All Saints is also a Christian formula invoking all the faithful saints and martyrs, known or unknown. In terms of Catholic theology, the feast remembers all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven, while the next day, All Souls' Day, commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached Heaven.

Since I am not Catholic (but went to a Catholic school) I was aware of this holiday in the US and we always had a mass to go to on this day; however, the US does not consider it a national holiday where businesses are closed. This is another example of how religion plays a major role throughout all of Europe and I think it is wonderful!

Happy All Saint's Day!