All Saints and All Souls celebration moved in Finland

In the Catholic liturgical calendar, All Saints Day is found on the first day of November, and All Saints Day is found on the second day of November.

However, as Lutheran practice has influenced the secular calendar in Finland, these both days have been integrated into one celebration. This “pyhäinpäivä” or “Saints Day” is celebrated always on a Saturday that falls between October 31 and November 6. Traditionally, Finns then usually visit the cemeteries to remember their past relatives, and light candles at the graves.

Due to this public occurrence, the Catholic Church in Finland has also made some changes in her local liturgical calendar. Therefore, All Souls Day is celebrated in Finland always at the same Saturday as the secular/Lutheran “Saints Day”, and the Solemnity of All Saints on the following Sunday.

This year, then, in the Catholic Church in Finland, All Souls Day is celebrated on Saturday, November 5, and All Saints Day, on Sunday, November 6.

The first two days of November are therefore celebrated as normal days of the week.

KATT