In the sixth century, Pope Boniface IV proclaimed May 13, 610, Feast of All Holy Martyrs held in Rome to honor all martyrs not listed in local records. In 835, Pope Gregory IV changed the date and name to November 1 and Feast of All Saints. A theory for the change in date is that since the feast was large and popular, it was easier to have a fall date to take advantage of the fall harvest for the food supply.
The change in the name of the event from Feast of All Holy Martyrs to Feast of All Saints probably became about because there was a change in the customs regarding who was listed as a "Saint." In the early years of the Church, only martyrs were given that title, but after the Roman persecutions ended the title was given to others who had led meritorious lives and who were credited with miraculous intercession.
In a "message" on September 27, 1998, Our Lord Jesus said to Carol Ameche, a "seer," "The Communion of Saints shines with the joy of union on every level of life. A bond of prayer and community exists that is stronger than all of you on earth realize. This should be a motive for you to pray with greater joy ad the excitement of a new and deeper awareness of the Presence of all the Angels and Saints, of My Mother and Myself."
Feast of All Souls
While the Feast of All Saints is a day to remember the glories of Heaven and those there, the Feast of All Souls on November 2 reminds us of our obligations to live holy lives and that there will be purification of the souls of those destined for Heaven - in this life or in purgatory.
II Maccabees 12:42b-46 is a wonderful lesson about eternal life and caring for the souls of the dead, "The noble Judas exhorted the people the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened as the result of the sin of those who had fallen. He also took up a collection . . . and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. In doing this he acted very well and honorably, taking account of the
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