In early November the cemeteries become quiet and bright at the same time: families tidy the graves, and in the evening red grave lights glow everywhere. All Saints’ Day on 1 November and All Souls’ Day on 2 November belong together, but they do not mean the same thing. Here you can find out what lies behind both days, where they come from and which customs are still alive today.
All Saints’ Day: the feast of all the saints
On All Saints’ Day the Catholic Church celebrates all the saints, not only the well-known ones with a feast day of their own. It also means the many people whose names nobody knows and who nevertheless lived a life of faith. All Saints’ Day is a solemnity, that is, a feast of the highest rank. In the Protestant church 1 November has no rank of its own; it remembers the departed on Eternity Sunday at the end of November.
All Saints’ Day is a public holiday in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, and also in Austria.
All Souls’ Day: prayer for the departed
On 2 November the Church remembers all the departed and prays for them. Behind this lies the belief that our communion with the dead is not broken and that our prayer can help them. All Souls’ Day is not a public holiday, but in many parishes it is marked with a service at which the names of those who died in the past year are read out.
Where do the two feasts come from?
The early Church already remembered its martyrs. In the year 609 or 610, Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome to the Mother of God and all the martyrs. According to the widespread account, Pope Gregory III set the feast of all the saints on 1 November in the 8th century, and Pope Gregory IV extended it to the whole western Church in 835.
All Souls’ Day goes back to Abbot Odilo of Cluny. Around the year 998 he ordered the monasteries of his congregation to commemorate all the departed on the day after All Saints’ Day. The custom spread quickly throughout the Church.
Customs on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day
Visiting and blessing graves
Because All Saints’ Day is a holiday, the visit to the cemetery usually already takes place on 1 November. In the afternoon many parishes walk in a small procession through the cemetery, pray for the departed and bless the graves with holy water.
The light on the grave
The red grave light is a sign of hope: Christ is the light that does not go out even in death. Many families light it on All Saints’ Day and let it burn overnight.
Autumn grave decorations
Before All Saints’ Day the graves are made ready for winter, with fir branches, heather or arrangements. For many it is a quiet moment of remembrance, often shared with the children.
All Souls’ braid and Seelenwecken
In Bavaria and Austria, sweet yeast braids, the Allerseelenzopf or Seelenwecken, are baked for All Souls’ Day. In the past they were handed out to the poor with the request to pray for the departed. Today it is often godchildren who receive a braid.
Prayer and services
In the first days of November many people attend Mass and pray for their departed. In the Catholic tradition, a special indulgence is attached to visiting the cemetery and praying for the departed from 1 to 8 November. Your parish can explain exactly what is involved.
And Halloween?
The evening before All Saints’ Day is called “All Hallows’ Eve” in English, which became Halloween. We have summed up how the Church views the custom of pumpkins and costumes in a separate article: Halloween and the Catholic Church.
Explaining All Saints’ Day to children
Children understand All Saints’ Day well through stories. Tell them about a saint after whom someone in the family is named, or read together in our Saints’ Lexicon. At the cemetery, children can light the candle and tell what they remember about Grandma or Grandpa. A short prayer at the end helps to close the day well:
Good God, we think of all those we loved and who have died. Let them be safe with you, and give us comfort and hope. Amen.
A simple wording of our own, to pray along with.
Signs of remembrance and comfort
When someone is grieving for a loved one, a small sign sometimes says more than many words. An olive wood comfort cross or a holding cross sits well in the hand and can accompany prayer. A rosary is also suitable for praying for the departed; you will find a guide in How to Pray the Rosary: Guide and Mysteries, and a selection in our Rosaries collection.
Marking remembrance at home
Not everyone can travel to the grave in November. Some graves are far away, and other departed loved ones have no grave nearby at all. A quiet place at home can then help: a photo, a small cross and a moment in the evening when the family thinks of those who have died.
- Say the names: Write down the names of the people you are thinking of and say them aloud during prayer.
- Share memories: Everyone tells a little story or something they are grateful for.
- Visit forgotten graves: A lovely custom is to pray at the cemetery also at a grave that nobody tends any more.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day?
On All Saints’ Day, 1 November, the Church celebrates all the saints. On All Souls’ Day, 2 November, it prays for all the departed.
Is All Saints’ Day a public holiday?
Yes, in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, and in Austria. All Souls’ Day is not a public holiday.
Why do people go to the cemetery on All Saints’ Day and not on All Souls’ Day?
Strictly speaking, visiting graves belongs to All Souls’ Day. But because All Saints’ Day is a day off in many places, the cemetery visit with the blessing of the graves usually already takes place on 1 November.
What does the red light on the grave mean?
It is a sign of hope in the resurrection. The light recalls Christ, who has overcome death.
Written by Denis & Belinda. We run LUNEXUS and are happy to answer your questions personally on +49 30 2178 2502 (German and English) or at hallo@lunexus.world.
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