All Saints' Day celebrates all saints known and unknown

The Church celebrates All Saints' Day on November 1 to honor the innumerable people who lived as witnesses to Christ. This includes both those officially recognized through canonization and those who lived in faithfulness to the Gospel but remain unknown.

The Diocese of Bayeux-Lisieux states the feast reminds Christians that holiness is accessible to everyone through different paths. The Diocese of Nîmes notes the day celebrates the communion of saints, including those who live in God through ordinary gestures like offering comfort or forgiveness.

All Saints' Day is distinct from the commemoration of the deceased. November 1 celebrates the saints, while November 2 is a time of prayer for all the faithful departed.