Communio Sanctorum

All Saints

Celebration of the innumerable holy men and women whose communion reveals the final fruit of redemption.

Feast: 1 NovemberSolemnityHeaven and universal Church
The communion of saints beneath a luminous heavenly sky
Katholon commissioned artwork · Katholon site asset

Life and witness

Celebration of the innumerable holy men and women whose communion reveals the final fruit of redemption.

Little pictorial lives of the saints : with reflections for every day in the year : compiled from "Butler's Lives" and other approved sources : to which are added lives of the American saints : placed on the calendar for the United States by special petition of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore · November 1. ALL- SAINTS.

November 1. ALL- SAINTS.

^pf^HE Chureli pays, day by day, a special veneration to ^^ some one of the holy men and women who have hel^xHi to establish it by their blood, develop it by their lalx>!-s. ov edify it by their virtues. But, in addition to those whom the Church honoi"s by sjx^cial designation, or has inscribed in her calendar, how many martyi-s are there whose names are not iwoixied ! How many humble virgins and holy ivnitenls 1 How many just and holy anchorites or young ehildivn snatched away in their innocence I How many Ciiristians who have dieil in grace, whose merits are known onlv to Cnxl, and who ai^e themselves known onlv in heaven ! Now should we forget those who remember us in their intercessions ^ Besides, are they not our bivthren, our ancestors, friends, and fellow-Christians, with whom we have lived in daily companionship — in other woixls, our own family ! Yea, it is one family ; and our place is markoil out in this homo of eternal light and eternal love.

Reflection. — Let us have a solicitude to render oui-selves wort I) y of **that chaste generation, so beautiful amid the

glory N\here it dwells."

Biographical overview

All Saints steht für: Allerheiligen, 1. November All Saints (Antigua), Ort in Antigua und Barbuda All Saints (Band), britische Girlgroup All Saints (Fernsehserie), australische Fernsehserie (1997 bis 2009) All Saints (DLR), Bahnstation in London Siehe auch: All Saints Church, Kirchen All Saints School

The Lives Of The Saints: Volume 13, November, Pt. 1 · ALL SAINTS.

[All Latin Martyrologies, Anglican Reformed Kalendar. By the Greeks the Octave of Pentecost is observed in commemoration of All Martyrs.]

S early as the 4th century we have evidence that the Eastern Church celebrated on the Sunday which is the Octave of Pentecost, and now in the West is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, a festival in commemoration of all the Martyrs throughout the world.

We have a homily of S. John Chrysostom preached on this day (Horn. 74). The idea of holding this festival on the Octave of Pentecost is striking. The descent of the Holy Ghost is recorded on Whitsun Day, and on the Sunday following is exhibited the work of the Holy Ghost, out of weakness making men and women and children strong to endure the loss of all things. The association of the two VOL. XIII. ]

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Digitized by L^ooQle

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2 Lives of the Saints. tNov. ,

festivals is so close and so instructive, that we may, perhaps, regret it was not maintained in the West.

In 6 io, Pope Boniface IV. obtained the Pantheon at Rome from the Emperor Phocas. The Pantheon had been rebuilt or restored by Marcus Agrippa, and was dedicated to all the gods and goddesses of the heathen heaven. Boniface cleansed the building and consecrated it to S. Mary the Virgin and All Martyrs. The feast of this dedication was kept on the 13th of May.

Pope Gregory III. consecrated a chapel in the basilica of S. Peter in honour of all the Saints in 731, and appointed the feast of All Saints thenceforth to be observed on Novem- ber 1 st ; but it came into common observance only about the middle of the 9th century. The “ Officium ” for the festival was drawn up under Gregory IV., but was recast by Pius V.

The Christian Church is but “ one body." All its mem- bers are styled “ saints f because they are either so in reality, or, having been sanctified by baptism, are called to be saints.

All these members, throughout the whole Church, are united together by a mutual interchange of good offices, which is called " the Communion of Saints."

The Church consists of three parts — viz., the Church trium phant, militant, and quiescent or suffering. All these partake in the Communion of Saints, and are united : —