Close on the heels of All Hallows’ Eve (Hallowe’en) comes All Saints Day
All Hallows’ Day or Hallowmas; now known as All Saints Day. It’s a Christian festival of remembrance of all saints and martyrs, known and unknown. It has been in the Christian tradition since the 4th century but was celebrated during May. However, it was moved to November 1st during the 8th century and fell during the time of the Celtic holiday of Samhain. This Celtic festival had a similar theme to the Roman festival of Lemuria  in which the malevolent and restless spirits of the dead were pacified.   Liturgiologists base the idea that this Lemuria festival was the origin of that of All Saints Dayon their identical dates and on the similar theme of “all the dead”.

 

it is thought to have originated