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Anchorage, Alaska (Catholic Anchor) - On Nov. 1, Catholics celebrate the feast of All Saints — honoring all the saints in Heaven — who are known and yet unknown by the church. According to Canon Law, the feast is a holy day of obligation, like a Sunday, so Catholics must attend Mass and “abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s day, or the suitable relaxation of mind and body.”

The vigil celebration of All Saints Day takes place the night before, on Halloween — which means “all hallows eve” or “all saints eve.”

Christians have reverenced the saints from early times. In the fourth century, it was common practice to mark the anniversary of a martyr’s death at the site where he or she was martyred. But there were more martyrs than days in the year — and many were martyred together in groups. In order not to miss anyone, it became necessary to establish a general memorial. In the ninth century, Pope Gregory IV declared Nov. 1 as the day for the entire Church Militant (those on Earth) to honor all the Church Triumphant (those in Heaven).

On Nov. 2 — All Souls Day — the church also remembers the faithful departed souls in Purgatory who are on their way to Heaven.

The Catholic Church teaches that the souls of people who die in the state of grace but who have not completed the temporal punishment for their venial sins make that reparation in Purgatory.

Especially on All Souls Day, Catholics can help the souls in Purgatory speed the purifying process by assisting at Mass, praying for them and giving alms. Also, during the week of Nov. 1 to Nov. 8, the faithful who visit a cemetery, pray for the dead and fulfill certain other conditions, can secure a plenary indulgence for souls in Purgatory. A plenary indulgence entirely remits the punishment due to sin.

In his 2006 All Saints Day homily, Pope Benedict XVI explained that remembering all the saints helps “reawaken within us the great longing to be like them; happy to live near God, in his light, in the great family of God’s friends. Being a Saint means living close to God, to live in his family. And this is the vocation of us all . . . .”