When is All Saints’ Day?
In 2026, All Saints’ Day falls on Sunday, November 1, 2026. It is classified here as a Lithuanian public holiday.
History of All Saints’ Day
All Saints’ Day, Visų Šventųjų diena, is a Catholic feast honouring saints known and unknown. In Lithuania it begins one of the year’s most recognisable periods of remembrance. The Labour Code treats November 1 as a public holiday, while the following All Souls’ Day continues the focus on the dead and on family memory.
As autumn darkness deepens, cemeteries become landscapes of light. Families clean graves, bring flowers and light candles for relatives. The custom is religious for many people, but it also works as a broad social ritual: a respectful return to family stories, places and generations.
November 1 has long been the legal All Saints’ Day holiday and is distinct from Vėlinės on November 2, which focuses more directly on the departed. In practice, cemetery travel and candle lighting flow across both dates, but the guides should preserve their separate Catholic identities. Article 123 lists each day independently; neither is a substitute for the other, and no later weekday is added after a weekend. Because consecutive holidays follow, Article 112 can shorten scheduled work before each holiday, including qualifying work on November 1 before November 2.
How All Saints’ Day is observed
A nationwide public holiday on November 1. Cemeteries, churches and roads can be exceptionally busy; many businesses use holiday hours.
Traditions of All Saints’ Day
Cemetery visits
Families travel to graves, clean them and lay flowers before nightfall. Participation varies among Lithuanian households, parishes, schools and municipalities.
Candlelight
Thousands of candles illuminate cemeteries, creating the defining visual image of the holiday. Participation varies among Lithuanian households, parishes, schools and municipalities.
Family remembrance
Relatives share stories, food and memories as they remember people who have died. Participation varies among Lithuanian households, parishes, schools and municipalities.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official Lithuanian legal and government guidance. Employer, school and local-service schedules can differ from the statutory public-holiday calendar.
History sources: Republic of Lithuania Labour Code: Article 123 public holidays, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: public holidays in Lithuania, State Labour Inspectorate: working time before public holidays.
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