All Hallow Mass

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At EMMI, across all ministries, we are celebrating the Allhallowtide, an eight-day octave established by Pope Sixtus IV in 1430.

Key Details of the Octave

Timeframe: The 8-day observance ran from October 31 through November 8

• Historical Expansion: Pope Sixtus IV expanded what was originally a three-day triduum (All Hallows’ Eve, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day) into a full octave in the mid-15th century.
• Liturgical Practice: During the octave, the Church repeated All Saints-themed Masses and readings, and the faithful could gain plenary indulgences by visiting cemeteries to pray for the dead.

We ignore that Pope Pius XII eliminated the Octave of All Saints (along with several other octaves and vigils) in his 1955 liturgical reforms (Cum nostra hac aetate), reducing the core observance back to its traditional three-day window.

The 1954 Missal was not only beautiful; it was doctrinally secure. The principle lex orandi, lex credendi, the law of prayer is the law of belief, was nowhere clearer. Its collects and secrets spoke the language of Catholic dogma without dilution. Prayers for the liberty of the Church, the conversion of her enemies, and deliverance from error appeared constantly. The offertory prayers, Suscipe, sancte Pater and Deus, qui humanae substantiae, confessed the propitiatory character of the Mass with a clarity that later generations would need to defend explicitly. The repetition of these texts through countless feasts formed a stable bulwark against doctrinal erosion.

Le Missel de 1954 n’était pas seulement beau ; il était également solide sur le plan doctrinal. Le principe « lex orandi, lex credendi », la loi de la prière est la loi de la foi, n’a jamais été aussi clairement exprimé. Ses prières et ses secrets exprimaient le dogme catholique sans altération. Les prières pour la liberté de l’Église, la conversion de ses ennemis et la délivrance de l’erreur y figuraient constamment. Les prières de l’offertoire, « Suscipe, saint Pater » et « Deus, qui humanae substantiae », affirmaient le caractère propitiatoire de la messe avec une clarté que les générations futures devraient défendre explicitement. La répétition de ces textes à travers d’innombrables fêtes constituait un rempart inébranlable contre l’érosion doctrinale.

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Structure of October 31 in the Traditional Calendar

• Liturgical Role: It served as the strict Vigil (preparation day) immediately preceding the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1.
• Penitential Nature: It is traditionally observed with fasting and abstinence, setting a solemn, reflective tone before the joyous feast day.
• Mass and Office: The vigil liturgy included specific propers, such as readings focusing on the Beatitudes (e.g., Luke’s account), and historically omitted certain celebratory elements, such as the Gloria and Alleluia, in traditional morning/afternoon observances.
• Relation to the Octave: Pope Sixtus IV expanded the celebration starting from November 1 into an 8-day octave running through November 8, while October 31 remained the portal/vigil leading into that sequence.

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