When did All Saints Day begin?

Answer 1

Roman Catholic Answer

from The Order of Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours and Celebration of the Eucharist 2010, compiled by Rev. Peter D. Rocca, C.S.C., Paulist Press Ordo, Mahwah, NJ © 2009

All Saints First mentioned in the 4th century Eastern feast of All Martyrs (13 May) and attested to by St. Ephrem of Edessa (�373), this feast came to be celebrated on other days as well in the East, e.g., Easter Friday, and the Sunday after Pentecost, the day of its observance in some places in the West. In 609 or 610, the Roman Pantheon was dedicated on 13 May under the title S. Maria ad Martyres. Many see in this the origin of All Saints Day. For reasons which are unclear, Pope Gregory IV (827-844) transferred the feast from May to 1 November, adopting perhaps the English-Gallican practice dating from the first quarter of the 8th century.

from A Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, Second edition, revised 1957

The feast (Nov. 1 in the Western Church) on which are commemorated all the saints of God, canonized and uncanonized, known and unknown. It is a feast of the highest rank, with a fasting vigil and an Octave. It was formerly often called All Hallow's in England. Religious orders have a feast of all the saints of their order later in the month. In the Byzantine rite it is kept on the first Sunday after Pentecost and on other days in other rites. "The feast of All Saints seems to me to be in some sort a greater than that of Easter or the Ascension. Our Lord is perfected in this mystery, because, as our Head, he is only perfect and fulfilled when he is united to all his members, the saints . . . it is glorious because it manifests exteriorly the hidden life of Jesus Christ. The greatness of perfection of the saints is entirely the work of his spirit dwelling in them" (M. Olier)

Answer 2

For Western Christianity, All Saints Day is celebrated on November first. For Eastern Christianity, it is celebrated on the first Sunday after Pentecost.

Answer 3

It is celebrated on November 1st of every year