Origin & history
All Saints Day originated in the early Christian period, when the Church began to commemorate martyrs and saints. In Vatican City, as the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, the holiday has been observed since the establishment of the Vatican as a sovereign state in 1929, though its roots trace back to the early Church. Pope Gregory III (731–741) dedicated an oratory in St. Peter's Basilica to all saints, fixing November 1 as the feast day, a date that was later adopted universally.
Customs & traditions
In Vatican City, All Saints Day is a public holiday and a holy day of obligation. The Pope presides over a solemn Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, attended by clergy, religious, and lay faithful. The Vatican Museums and other institutions may close, and the day is marked by prayer and reflection. Families often visit cemeteries to honor deceased loved ones, though this is more associated with All Souls Day on November 2.
Why it is celebrated
All Saints Day celebrates the holiness of all those who have attained heaven, serving as an inspiration for Christians to strive for sanctity. For Vatican City, it underscores the universal call to holiness and the communion of saints, reinforcing the Church's teachings on the afterlife and the intercession of saints.