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| Culture Class: Holidays in Denmark, Lesson 25 - All Saints' Day |
| Hello and welcome to the Culture Class: Holidays in Denmark Series at DanishClass101.com. |
| In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Danish holidays and observances. I’m Michael, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 25, All Saints' Day. In Danish, it’s called allehelgensdag. |
| All Saints' Day is a mixture of All Souls' Day and the original All Saints' Day, which always falls on the first Sunday in November. |
| Therefore, the day is suitably called All Saints' Sunday, which many people spend at least part of in church. |
| In this lesson, you'll learn what the Danes do on All Saints' Day. |
| Now, before we go into more detail, do you know the answer to this question: |
| Why have All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day been combined into one Sunday? |
| If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening. |
| The All Saints holiday includes All Hallow's Eve, All Souls' Day, and All Saints' Day, but today, All Hallow's Eve is celebrated in the form of Halloween. |
| The remaining two days have been combined into All Saints' Sunday. First and foremost, people commemorate loved ones they have recently lost. This is done either in church or at home. In the church, a special "service", or gudstjeneste, will be held, and in smaller towns it is also normal to read aloud the names of those who have passed away during the year. Sometimes candles are lit for them too. |
| In the Middle Ages, people commemorated those saints who did not have their own day. |
| According to the Catholic church, they were to be celebrated because they helped carry on the Christian faith. However, in today's Protestant Denmark, the Catholic saints are no longer celebrated in the same way, so instead, All Saints' Sunday is also a day in memory of all deceased Christians. |
| If it is not possible to light a candle for the deceased inside the church, it is tradition to place candles on the "graves," or grave, instead. |
| Lighting candles is a symbol of "hope", or håb, because you ignite a light in the darkness — not only literally in the autumn darkness, but also in the mourners' darkness. It is also a way to feel certainty that the deceased are in a better place. |
| The theme of the texts of the service on All Saints' Sunday is, perhaps paradoxically, praise. Although it may be difficult to find joy in deep sorrow, people can find comfort in each other when assembled. |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question: |
| Why have All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day been combined into one Sunday? |
| Because King Christian the 7th's personal physician and counselor Johann Friedrich Struensee carried out a holiday reform that removed many official holidays from the Danish calendar. |
| Originally, All Saints' Day was on November 1 and All Souls' Day was on November 2. |
| How did you like this lesson? Did you learn anything interesting? |
| Do you celebrate All Saints' Day in your country? |
| Leave us a comment telling us at DanishClass101.com! |
| And I’ll see you in the next lesson! |
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