The Feast of All Saints, which we will celebrate together this Sunday, is a reminder that we’re never truly alone—that we walk in the footsteps of countless souls who lived their lives with faith, hope, and courage. This festival has deep roots, going back to the 4th century, when early Christians celebrated those who had gone before them, honoring all martyrs on the Sunday after Pentecost. This early observance held a beautiful symbolism: Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended, was followed by a remembrance of those who, through the Spirit’s power, lived faithfully to the end, even unto death. This timing highlighted how the Spirit’s strength is made perfect in human weakness—a message as powerful today as it was in the early church.
The festival took on a new shape in the 7th century when Pope Boniface IV consecrated the Pantheon in Rome, an ancient temple (still standing today) once dedicated to all the pagan gods. In an extraordinary act of transformation, Boniface rededicated this space to the Virgin Mary and all martyrs, establishing May 13 as the feast day. Later, Pope Gregory III moved the feast to November 1 and broadened its dedication to include “all the saints.” It was as if this great, ancient structure, a symbol of earthly power, had been redeemed to honor those who served God with all their hearts. By the 9th century, All Saints’ Day was commonly observed across Europe, becoming a cherished day to honor the communion of saints in heaven and on earth.
At its heart, All Saints’ Day reminds us that the Church is much more than a building or place—it is the entire body of the faithful, past, present, and future, all connected through God’s love. We sometimes talk about this as “the Communion of Saints,” meaning the Church triumphant (those in heaven) and the Church militant (those of us striving here on earth). Together, we’re all part of this family of faith, seen and unseen, spanning across time and space.
In remembering the saints, we’re not only celebrating famous figures—those whose images fill the wood, glass, and stone of our church, who showed extraordinary courage and faith. We’re also thinking of all those quiet souls who lived humbly and faithfully, often unnoticed, and who now form part of that “great cloud of witnesses” surrounding us. And it is true that, in God’s eternity, the saints of the present and the future are our companions as well. Together, we are woven into one timeless communion, spanning past, present, and future. In honoring them, we honor the grace and love of God that guided them—and that guides us still. These saints are both examples for us and companions in our struggles, steadfast friends in faith who walk alongside us on our journey.
As we honor these saints, they continue to pray for us, carrying our worries, fears, and hopes to the heart of God. They are our friends and companions on this journey, a reminder that we’re part of something far greater than ourselves and any single moment in history.
This All Saints’ Sunday, we will remember the saints, join our prayers with theirs, and find comfort in knowing we’re connected to a timeless community of faith, reaching across the ages, anchored in God’s love. In a world of travail, come and be reminded that, with God and the saints, we are never alone.
