All Saints' Day

While we were in the Ukraine, we had the opportunity to observe the elaborate decorating of the graves of loved ones which occurs on the first day of November. All Saints’ Day is a very important holiday for Hungarians, especially Roman Catholics, on which they remember the saints of the Church as well as relatives who have passed away. People selling bright yellow mums and other flowers filled Beregszasz’s central square and surrounded the entrances of the cemeteries. Along with flowers, lanterns, usually red, holding votive candles are used, giving the cemeteries a beautiful glow at night. The multitude of flickering candles illuminating the graves evoked the image of a distant city at night.

It is said that November 1 was chosen to be All Saints’ Day in order to supplant the pagan day of the dead, called Samhain. Members of the Druid religion believed that Samhain, celebrated between the seasons of summer and winter, was a point in time when the worlds between life and death were at the closest proximity to one another and so they would recognize the deceased. All Saints’ Day has retained the decorating of the graves practiced on Samhain. While the Hungarians were typically not members of the Druid religion, as Catholics they began to celebrate All Saints' Day and to adopt the practices of other European Catholics.

Today, people travel long distances to place flowers and candles on the graves of loved ones to help their souls find their way. Special masses are held in remembrance of Christian martyrs and saints as well as the souls of other departed. While the holiday is Catholic, many Portestants also use the day to decorate the graves of loved ones.

Stephanie