{"id":83368,"date":"2013-11-01T07:44:29","date_gmt":"2013-11-01T14:44:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/?p=83368"},"modified":"2013-11-01T07:44:29","modified_gmt":"2013-11-01T14:44:29","slug":"all-saints","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/all-saints\/","title":{"rendered":"For All Saints"},"content":{"rendered":"

Happy Feast of All Saints! This is the day where we celebrate all the saints, known and unknown: the Church Triumphant<\/em>.<\/p>\n

T<\/span>his day has been a feast since the sixth or seventh century, and it was fixed on November 1 in the Roman calendar by Pope Gregory III in the mid 8th century.<\/p>\n

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The Forerunners of Christ with Saints and Martyrs
by Fra Angelico, circa 1423<\/p><\/div>Yesterday, of course, was the vigil or eve of All Saints… or in old timey English, All Hallows. How this got conflated with the Pagan Samhain, I’m not sure, since the “day of the dead” is more properly All Souls Day, which is tomorrow.<\/p>\n

There have been occasions where I can feel the almost physical<\/em> presence of the Saints close around me, particularly during the Sanctus<\/i> of the Mass. It doesn’t happen particularly often, but when it does, it’s a real consolation to me.<\/p>\n

Although not an official part of the liturgy for this day, it is traditional in many places in the world to sing or chant the Litany of the Saints<\/em> on this day. This is one of my favourite chants.<\/p>\n

Will you pray it with me?<\/p>\n