The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-01-01
ALL SAINTS DAY.
How tho First OF November Ia
Observed in Franco.
Tho Last OF October Set Apart for the
Cleaning of Tombstones of Depart a
cd Friends In Preparation
FOR the cMorrs w.

ior the cMorrt w.
There is French proverb which
says that all corn should be sown and
all fruit gathered in before All Saints
day, and that between November and
Christmas there can be neither too
much wind nor too much rain, for both
wind and rain are useful to the crops in
this season. All Saints day, as it's
name implies, is celebrated November
in honor of all the saints. In the Cath
Ollie religion it derives its origin from
the dedication made by Pope Boniface
Nv. in the Pantheon ut Rome in cor.
The old pagan temple was dedicated to
the virgin and to all the martyrs, and
took the name of Our Lady of the
Martyrs. Towards the year TS1 Pope
Gregory III. erected IL chapel in honor
of all the saints in the church of st.
Peter, of Rome. Since that time All
Saints day has always been regularly
cele brated in Rome.
In France the holiday was introduced
in the year S37, during the reign of
Louis the Debonairc, on the occasion
of a voyage Pope Gregory ~. made to
France. 1t was ut first adopted only
in Paris, but n few years after it's insti-
tuition in that city the French provincial
towns initiated the example set them by
the capital.
The Greek church FIRST cele brated the
holy day in the fourth century. by it's
followers it was observed on the first
Sunday after the Pcntccost. But in the
Roman church, since Gregory ILL.,, it
has always been fixed on November l.
Plus v. made some great changes in the
service, which he completely rear
ranged. All Saints day was celebrated
with greater solemnity and the cere-
mony was adapted to inspire congrega-
tions with more reverence and gravity.
The Encouragement contains some re-
markable passages, such as the Grafton
in the mass of Vigilius-Oratio de Spir-
itu-Sancto-and the anthems and re-
sponscs in the mass of the day and the
hymn "Placarc Christie Servulis."
After having celebrated the holy day
of all the saints, the church recalls to
the minds of 'the living that they are to
pray for the dead. The second day of
November has been set aside, since the
year 1929, as All Souls day.
In France and all Cathcl lie countries
1t was customary on the last day of Oc-
tobcr to visit the cemeteries and clean
the tombstoncs of departed relatives
md friends 1t is needless TO add that
nowadays only tho very poor classes
abide by this usage. The wcll-to-do
folks. and even the poor, pay fec to
have the necessary cleansing operation
performed. The following day, No
vcmber |, is Il general holiday. the
school doors are opened, the govern.
mcnt Offices and the exchanges are
closed In Paris people generally at
tend mass about eleven o'clock, and in
the afternoon 20 to a matinee at some
thcatcr, for they all give two perform
ances Toussaint, us All Saints day is
called. In fact, November is n regu-
lar holiday, and is kept up in exactly
similar fashion to Il Sunday. 1t is not
any more religious festival, nor is it
noisy holiday like carnival or New
Years day: it is something between tho
two An hour in the morning is gencr-
ally gwen up To worship and the whole
afternoon To aIuuscment-thcatcr
az; "a the races Only the more rcli-
"ium> PARTON uf the population thinks of
'l;t"'.. i:l% vcSpcrs at about three o'clock
IN ~" afternoon.
In the french provincial cities the
day H. spent in Iauch tie same fashion,
"niy th;.i lhe different ways of enjoy
ing oneself are more limited than in the
rio,!ern babylon, and. therefore, the in
habitants spend perhaps an hour or two
more III the places of worship.
So. TO resume, October 81 is spent, or
rather ought 10 be. in cleansing the
tombstones. Novcul Der | as general
holiday and November 9 as day given
up TO the dead All Souls day. called
in French Commemoration dies Morris, is
now only observed by those whose
business or other occupations do not
prevent them from visiting the burial
grounds. AS rule, out of every ten
persons in cemetery November one
can count nine women and children to
every one man. Ladies and little girls,
whether they belong to the rich classes
or the poor. carry bouquet, generally
f'crysanthemums. This they place on
the tombstoncs, kneel n few moments
in prayer, and leave the cemetery with
the words: "a l'annee prochaine" fun
til next year,.