01/11/2014
Did you know? All Saints Day is the celebration of all Saints, known and unknown. In the year 731 AD, November 1 was designated as a day of remembrance for saints of the church who had no day of their own. The official date of November 1, recognized by Roman Catholic and Protestant churches was instituted by Pope Gregory III (731-741), when he consecrated a chapel to all the martyrs in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and ordered an annual celebration. The Eastern Orthodox Church observes it on the first Sunday after Pentecost. In many cultures All Saints’ Day is followed by All Souls’ Day which is a national day of mourning for all those lost.
The most common theme from various cultures is that families gather and lay flowers at the graves of their loved ones. As this celebration is held in a colder season, the most popular flower for this event are chrysanthemums, either cut or as a plant.
In France the celebration is called Toussaint, and each year around 25 million chrysanthemum pots are placed on French graves on the 1st of November. The cemeteries are filled with colour and the holiday is celebrated publicly.
In England families visit the graves of dead family members and bring bunches of flowers to decorate the grave. In church the names of the dead may be read aloud upon request, and in some regions the day may end with a play or some songs. :)
