Today is the Feast of All Saints.  Remembering saints and martyrs and dedicating a specific day to them each year has been a Christian tradition since the Fourth century, but it was only in 609 A.D. that Pope Boniface IV decided to remember all martyrs.  Originally 13^th May was the date chosen but in 837 A.D. Pope Gregory IV extended the festival to remember All Saints and changed the date to 1^st November.  The transfer of the celebration this year to Sunday 2nd November means that 1^st November is kept as an ordinary weekday.  All Souls is kept on Monday 3rd November.