Halloween, of course, means All Hallow’s Eve. On the feast of All Saints’ Day (which is a Holy Day of Obligation), we commemorate all the saints and martyrs who followed the Lord into heaven.

And don’t forget the next day: Nov. 2 is All Souls’ Day, the perfect day to pray and go to to Mass for the benefit of our deceased loved ones in purgatory.

According to the 1917 Catholic Encyclopedia, “At first only martyrs and St. John the Baptist were honored by a special day. Other saints were added gradually, and increased in number when a regular process of canonization was established . . .”

All Souls’ Day      All Saints’ Day