All Saints’ Day in Sweden
In Sweden, All Saints’ Day is a public holiday fixed by law on the Saturday between 31 October and 6 November. Many people mark it by visiting cemeteries, lighting candles for people who have died, and attending church services or concerts.[1][2][3]
Date and legal status
Sweden’s Public Holidays Act names All Saints’ Day as a public holiday and places it on the Saturday that falls between 31 October and 6 November. The date therefore moves from year to year; the law does not assign a substitute weekday when it falls on a Saturday.[1]
The law establishes the holiday’s status and date, but it does not say that every worker has the day off or set out workplace substitute-day arrangements. Check your employer or applicable work agreement for your own schedule. The Swedish Institute describes the day as a public holiday and says most shops tend to use Sunday opening hours.[1][3]
Meaning and history
In the Christian calendar, All Saints’ Day remembers saints, including those without a dedicated day. The Church of Sweden describes the wider All Saints’ weekend as a time to remember both saints and people close to us who have died; its Sunday observance, All Souls’ Day, has a particular focus on deceased loved ones.[2]
The observance has roots in Sweden’s Catholic past. The Nordic Museum notes that the fixed 1 November date was removed as a public holiday in an 18th-century calendar reform, while the modern Saturday holiday was restored as an official holiday in 1953. The museum also traces the Swedish grave-candle custom to the late 19th century, with the practice becoming widespread after the Second World War.[4]
How people observe it
A common Swedish practice is to visit a cemetery and place a lighted candle on a grave or at a memorial grove. The Church of Sweden says candle lighting on graves became a Saturday tradition even though the church particularly remembers deceased loved ones on Sunday. People may also attend a memorial service, walk among the graves, light a candle at home, or use the church’s online prayer space.[2][3]
Churches across Sweden may hold concerts or services of light. Some people spend the day with family or friends and prepare a festive meal, though these are options rather than customs followed by everyone.[2][3]
What to expect
The date is a Saturday public holiday, and shops may follow Sunday opening hours, so check individual shop hours before travelling. Check opening hours with government offices and banks before you go; also check local transport, school and workplace arrangements directly.[1][3]
Frequently asked questions
When is All Saints’ Day in Sweden?
It falls on the Saturday between 31 October and 6 November. Its date changes each year.[1]
Is All Saints’ Day a public holiday?
Yes. Sweden’s Public Holidays Act lists it as a public holiday. The law does not specify whether an individual worker receives the day off or a substitute day; check your work arrangements.[1]
What do people do on All Saints’ Day?
Are shops and public transport open?
The Swedish Institute says most shops tend to use Sunday opening hours. Check local transport arrangements with operators and individual shop hours.[3]
Sources and references
Sources used for All Saints' Day in Sweden:
- Lag (1989:253) om allmänna helgdagar- Sveriges riksdag
- Allhelgonahelgen- Church of Sweden
- All Saints’ Day in Sweden- Swedish Institute (sweden.se)
- Alla helgons dag | Lär dig mer om högtider | Nordiska museet- Nordiska museet