Thought for the Week column by Canon Michael Storey:
Long ago, in about AD720, Pope Gregory III decided that November 1 should be the date to thank God for all the saints.
This date was chosen because October 31 was the date when pagan gods were thanked for the harvest.
Pope Gregory III thought that saints should be remembered at this time of year, rather than pagan gods. Hence the evening of October 31 was to be hallowed, in preparation for celebrating All Saints' Day on November 1.
Going round shops this October and seeing all the ghosts/spooky things, one would think that this is a pagan country. Some statistics do suggest that paganism is beating Christianity these days.
The challenge for all Christians is to act and speak against paganism and focus on following the saints.
For All The Saints will be sung in many churches on November 1.
May Christians do their best to try to become saints.