All Saints’ Day in Finland
Known as Pyhäinpäivä, All Saints’ Day is a Finnish church holiday for remembering saints and departed loved ones. It falls on the Saturday between 31 October and 6 November, and cemetery candles are a familiar part of its observance.[1][2]
Date and status
The date moves from year to year but always falls on a Saturday between 31 October and 6 November. Finland’s University Almanac Office marks All Saints’ Day with an asterisk, its symbol for a paid public holiday, and identifies it as a church holiday.[1]
The Saturday placement has a history: the day was moved from 1 November to the first Sunday in 1771, then moved to the Saturday after 30 October in 1955. The Finnish name was changed from Pyhäinmiestenpäivä to Pyhäinpäivä in 1967.[2]
Meaning and history
The holiday combines two Christian observances: All Saints’ Day, which remembers martyrs and saints, and the commemoration of all the faithful departed. In Finland, the day is also commonly focused on remembering loved ones who have died.[1][3]
An autumn harvest celebration called kekri preceded the Christian holiday in Finland. The University Almanac Office says kekri was celebrated with the season’s harvest and merged with Christian All Saints’ Day during the 19th century.[2]
How people observe it
Many people visit cemeteries to place candles, flowers or wreaths on the graves of relatives and friends. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland says the custom of visiting graves and lighting candles began during the Second World War; the University Almanac Office says cemetery visits became widespread after the war.[2][3]
Congregations hold services and candlelit devotions. In many congregations, the names of members who died during the year are read aloud and candles are lit in their memory. Church concerts, including Requiem concerts, are also part of contemporary observances.[2][3]
Planning your day
All Saints’ Day is a paid public holiday according to the University Almanac Office’s calendar. As it falls on a Saturday, check the hours and timetables of places or services you plan to use.[1]
Frequently asked questions
When is All Saints’ Day celebrated in Finland?
It falls on the Saturday between 31 October and 6 November. The date changes each year.[1]
Is All Saints’ Day a public holiday in Finland?
Yes. The University Almanac Office marks it as a paid public holiday and a church holiday.[1]
What is Pyhäinpäivä?
What do people do on All Saints’ Day?
Are shops and public transport open?
Check opening hours and transport schedules with the specific shop, office or transport provider before setting out.[1]
Sources and references
Sources used for All Saints' Day in Finland:
- Flagging And Public Holidays Overview | Finnish Church Holidays- University Almanac Office, University of Helsinki
- Pyhäinpäivänä muistellaan edesmenneitä läheisiä- University Almanac Office, University of Helsinki
- Pyhäinpäivä- Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland