On November 1, the Church celebrates the solemnity of All Saints. We remember not only the saints on the calendar, but everyone who already rejoices with God: mothers and fathers, workers, the sick, missionaries, and neighbors whose names no one knows, who lived the Gospel simply. This All Saints' Day prayer is a way to thank them, ask for their intercession, and remember that holiness is meant for us too.
All Saints' Day prayer
Almighty God, today we thank you for all your saints, the great multitude no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
Thank you for those who went before us in faith: the apostles and martyrs, the virgins and pastors, those who served the poor and taught others to pray, and the many unknown saints we celebrate today without knowing their names.
Through their intercession, give us what we need most: firm faith in difficult times, a hope that does not go out, and a love that serves without expecting anything in return.
May their example encourage us to live the Beatitudes in everyday life: in our families, at work, at school, and with those who suffer. And may we one day rejoice with them in your presence.
Holy Mary, Queen of All Saints, pray for us. Amen.
A short litany of the saints
The litany of the saints is one of the oldest prayers of the Church. This short version includes saints of the Americas. One person says the invocation and the others respond:
- Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
- Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.
- Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
- Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
- Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel, and Saint Raphael, pray for us.
- Saint Joseph, pray for us.
- Saint John the Baptist, pray for us.
- Saint Peter and Saint Paul, pray for us.
- Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Teresa of Jesus, pray for us.
- Saint Juan Diego, pray for us.
- Saint Rose of Lima and Saint Martin de Porres, pray for us.
- Saint Teresa of the Andes, pray for us.
- Saint Óscar Romero, pray for us.
- Saint José Gregorio Hernández, pray for us.
- All holy men and women, saints of God, pray for us.
You can add your name saint or the patron of your parish or country. To get to know some of them, read about Saint Rose of Lima, or pray the prayer to Saint Martin de Porres or the prayer to Saint Teresa of the Andes.
Origin of the feast
From the earliest centuries, Christians honored the martyrs on the anniversary of their deaths. There were so many that they did not fit on the calendar, and the custom arose of celebrating them all together. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III dedicated a chapel in Saint Peter's Basilica to all the saints, and in the ninth century, Pope Gregory IV extended the November 1 feast to the whole Church.
The Mass of the day includes the passage from Revelation about the multitude dressed in white (Rv 7) and the Gospel of the Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-12). The Beatitudes are, at heart, a portrait of a saint.
In many countries it is a holy day of obligation, when Catholics are called to take part in Mass. The rules vary by country, so check what your diocese indicates.
We are all called to holiness
The Second Vatican Council recalled that all the baptized are called to holiness, not only priests and religious (Lumen Gentium, chapter 5). Pope Francis spoke of the "saints next door": people who live near us and reflect God's presence through patience, honesty, and kindness.
So this feast is not only a memory of the past. It invites us to ask what concrete step we can take today: forgive someone, help a person in need, pray more faithfully, or do our work well.
All Saints, Halloween, and Día de Muertos
The word Halloween comes from All Hallows' Eve, the evening before All Saints. Over time, the night filled with costumes and customs that have little to do with the Christian feast. Many parishes celebrate the eve by dressing children as saints and telling their stories.
In Mexico and parts of Central America, November 1 is also dedicated to deceased children within Día de Muertos, and November 2 to adults. On the following day, the Church celebrates All Souls' Day, when we pray for those who have died.
How to live November 1 as a family
- Take part in the Mass of the solemnity.
- Look up the story of each family member's name saint and pray to them together.
- Pray the short litany before a meal.
- Read the Beatitudes aloud and choose one to live during the week.
- Visit the cemetery: between November 1 and 8, the Church grants a plenary indulgence applicable to the dead to those who visit and pray for them, under the usual conditions.
Closing prayer
Lord, in your saints you show us the way of the Gospel. Helped by their example and intercession, may we live in faith, hope, and love, until we share with them the joy of your house. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
To finish, you can pray a Gloria in thanksgiving for all the saints.