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ALL SAINTS DAY
For a number of years now, we have been celebrating All Saints Day on November 1 when it falls on a Sunday, and the first Sunday after November 1 when it does not. Though still relatively new to many Baptists, it is an ancient Christian tradition that dates back at least to the fifth century. In the Eastern Church, it began in the season of Easter and eventually moved to the season after Pentecost. In the Western Church, it moved to November 1 in 835 C.E.
The celebration began as a way of recognizing certain people, but today it points to the saintly status of all Christians – not to our perfection but to our experience of being shaped by God’s grace as revealed in Christ. All Saints Day also provides space to celebrate our great hope for eternal life. Thus, we include a prayerful remembrance of the church members we have lost over the past year and locate our very real grief in the context of eternal hope. |
