What is a saint? A boy went to church with his mother on a sunny Sundaymorning. He was enthusiastic about the many colourful glass figuresthat the sun traced through the stained glass windows onto the floor andhe excitedly asked his mother what this and that meant. She whisperedthat this was such and such a saint, and that was another. Some timeafterward, in religion class, the teacher asked if anybody knew what asaint was. The excited boy, raising his hand, said “I do”. “A saint issomeone that the light shines through!” —Various versions of this popular story of unknown origins exist. Photo: P. Burghardt/Shutterstock
This article first appeared in the November 2013 issue of the Anglican Journal.
All Saints’ or All Hallows’ Day, the Solemnity of All Saints, commemoratesall the unsung saints and martyrs throughout Christian history, those who haveno designated feast day in the calendar but are believed to have attained thebeatific vision of God in heaven. True believers are obliged to attend churchand avoid menial labour. Established circa 609 by Pope Boniface IV as the Feastof All Holy Martyrs, it was originally celebrated on May 13, and later moved toNovember. About 835, Pope Gregory IV fixed its date to Nov. 1. The EasternOrthodox Church observes it on the first Sunday after Pentecost.