All Saints Day

Home » All Saints Day

All Saints Day

November 1st is a Holy Day that is often looked over by many Protestant churches in their excitement of the Reformation. It may be a smaller holiday compared to Easter or Christmas, but All Saints Day is a universal holiday.
Webber all saints1
1Webber, F. All Saints. 1927. Church Symbolism. Cleveland: J. H. Jansen, 1927.


Ecclesiastical Sewing Symbols for Saints

Each renowned saint has his or her own symbol in ecclesiastical sewing. A church that is named after a blessed saint can place that saint’s symbol on a piece of ecclesiastical vestment. For a list of saint symbols see the book I have referenced below. All Saints Day, however, is the celebration of all of the Christian saints. During the mass persecutions, saints were martyred and there was no way to keep track of them all and mark each day as their own saint’s day. And so All Saints Day is the day we remember them. We decorate our churches in white, which reminds the feasting eyes of the congregation of the triumph of the saints, washed of their sins and made as white as snow by the all-availing sacrifice of Christ Our Saviour. Appropriate symbols to embroidery would be a sheaf of wheat, a Manus Dei (shown above), or a crown, all wonderful ideas.

Be sure to know your church’s stance on this holiday. What I mean is that some churches believe that All Saints is in celebration of the Christians who have gone to heaven before us. While others believe that All Saints is in celebration of all Christians, the living as well as the dead. These beliefs are specific to various denominations. Always know your background when planning a liturgical vestment that features a symbolic meaning.

And so, if your church is celebrating only All Saints Day or celebrating it along with Reformation Day, you can use these symbol designs to plan your church’s celebration. For more information on symbols, especially those of the Blessed Saints, browse through Church Symbolism, by F. Webber.

~Nihil Sine Deo~

Be sure to visit our online store front Ecclesiastical Sewing where you may shop for Liturgical Fabrics, altar linen fabrics, church vestment-making patterns, liturgical machine embroidery designschurch vestment trims and notions and so much more. You may also find us on  Ecclesiastical Sewing on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Sign up for our mailing list at the bottom of the page on our online store front and receive a free copy of our Small Linens Booklet as our way of saying thank you for following along.

Webber, F. Church Symbolism. Cleveland: J. H. Jansen, 1927.

Exciting News! Pastoral Stoles

April’s Goals

April 25th & The Secrets of Venice

St. Urho

Epiphany: A Celebration with Varied Traditions

The Saint Andrew Christmas Novena Prayer