All Saints’ Day, also known as All Saints’ Day, is a fundamental celebration in Christianity. This feast pays homage to all saints, including those who have not been canonised. In the liturgical calendar, the Solemnity of All Saints is on 1 November, followed by the commemoration of the dead on 2 November. This is a feast of precept, so the faithful are required to attend Mass.
The origins of the feast date back to the Celtic peoples and their culture. The first commemorations of saints began in the 4th century in Antioch. The feast, originally celebrated in May, was moved to 1 November by Pope Gregory III. This decision was influenced by the consecration of the chapel at St Peter’s dedicated to the relics of the Holy Apostles and all Saints, Martyrs and Confessors. The date of 1 November was chosen to make All Saints’ Day coincide with the ancient Celtic feast, linked to the Roman feast after the conquest of Gaul.
The significance of the feast of All Saints’ Day has its roots in Celtic culture, which divided the year into two periods: one of birth and flourishing of nature and the other of hibernation. These periods were marked by the festivals of Beltane and Samhain. With the expansion of Christianity, the festival acquired a spiritual and religious significance, commemorating both the stillness of nature and the world of the afterlife.
Vincentian Saints: Shining Examples of Holiness and Martyrdom
In the celebration of All Saints, a time when we unite ourselves in prayer with heaven, it is impossible not to think of the many saints and blesseds who have enriched the Vincentian Family with their dedication and love of neighbour. Holiness, as the feast of All Saints’ Day reminds us, is not a privilege for a few but a universal call. Among them, a special group of 60 Vincentian martyrs stand out for their courage and sacrifice during the religious persecution in Spain between 1936 and 1939. These martyrs, who include priests, lay people and Daughters of Charity, gave their lives for the faith, witnessing with their blood the love of Christ and the power of the Gospel. Their witness reminds us that holiness can also mean giving one’s life for what one believes in. As St Vincent de Paul said, “There is no greater act of love than martyrdom”.
The Vincentian Charism and the Call to Holiness in Times of Conflict
In a world marked by conflicts, tensions and wars, reflection on holiness and peace is more relevant than ever. The ongoing wars show us the fragility of our humanity and the profound need for us to be peacemakers and doers of justice. In this context, the Vincentian charism emerges as a brilliant light, calling each individual to a profound conversion of heart and an unreserved dedication to the service of others.
Pope Francis reminded us that true peace is not simply the absence of war, but the presence of justice, mercy and love. The Vincentian Family, with its long history of service to the poor and marginalised, is a living example of how holiness can be achieved through concrete actions of love and solidarity.
Today, as missionaries, we are called not only to proclaim the Gospel with words, but above all with our actions. Holiness, in this context, is not a distant ideal, but an urgent call to live Christ’s love in the midst of the challenges and conflicts of our time. As Pope Francis said, “to be peacemakers, to be saints, is not our capacity, it is his gift, it is grace”. In a world wounded by divisions and conflicts, our call to holiness is also a call to be signs of hope, bridges of reconciliation and instruments of peace.
