Nov 1st is 'All Saints Day'. Halloween is the eve of All Saints Day.

And not just for remembering 'saints' ...

Of course these days all this is more associated by the general public with pumpkins and fancy dress and witchy poo palaver than with saints or departed souls.

It is why I asked 'what it means' to any of you personally.

Anyway it means nowt here in the pumpkin witchy dress up sense. Not a sniff of it anywhere around here tho' I did read in the Anglo Info Cyprus forum that they are holding a 'graveyard cocktail theme party' somewhere on the island - probably Paphos as that is almost a British enclave now.

Meg, this is why Nov 1st is known as All Saints day to encompass all the saints that don't actually have their own day
LS I've missed my chance at making my fortune then

Yes because we are the only nation on earth not allowed to be proud of ourselves....

Hi No but quite a few,when i was at convent school every day at breakfst there would be a piece of shiny coloured paper about the size of the cards you used to find in tea,and a picture of the saint and a quotation from the bible.Gemini54

When I was at Convent School we had to BUY our 'Holy Pictures' lol!

Before you said you only needed one book, the bible , to know the saints . but many saints were
After the bible, so you would need to research more than the bible to find out who they are?

I think you will find (when you have time to speed read it KYes lol) that no saints are mentioned by name in the Bible! And almost all references are to 'saints' plural with none or only one in the singular.

But hell I don't want to get involved in any RELIGIOUS debates with Gemini as she is probably talking about a 'different' bible than the one I am! I'm sure she will be along shortly to back up what she has stated.



I'm reminded here of one of my favourite Woody Allen quotes:
“I took a speed-reading course and read War and Peace in twenty minutes. It involves Russia.”
[Woody Allen]

It is a tradition in many countries in Europe and elsewhere to celebrate a 'name day' (usually regarded by them as more important than their 'birthday') when they celebrating the day of the year associated with the saint name (or closest thing to it) of their own name.

This is the case in Poland where my DiL hails from and also here in Cyprus.

*when I 'went out to work' I used to say I was only interested in the 'special days' that entitled you to a day off work! Although any reason to celebrate and be happy is welcome.

Hi I was trying to explain,these pieces of paper,were from the diocese and they always issued them on the saints day plus a quotation from the bible,so as far as I am concerned when I was young these must have originated from the bible. Now priest's can put a name forward to the Vatican,who will deliberate and eventually a new saint will be born.Gemini54

I like it Nippy.