Allhallowtide

thumb|upright=1.3|right|Church militant and church triumphant|The Church Militant and the Church Triumphant, fresco by [[Andrea da Firenze in Santa Maria Novella, ]] Allhallowtide is the Western Christian season encompassing the triduum of All Hallows' Eve (Halloween), All Hallows' Day (All Saints' Day) and All Souls' Day, as well as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (observed on the first Sunday of November) and Remembrance Sunday (observed on the second Sunday in November) in some traditions. The period begins on 31 October annually. Allhallowtide is a "time to remember the dead, including martyrs, saints, and all faithful departed Christians." The present date of Hallowmas (All Saints' Day) and thus also of its vigil (Hallowe'en) was established for Rome perhaps by Pope Gregory III (731–741) and was made of obligation throughout the Frankish Empire by Louis the Pious in 835. Elsewhere, other dates were observed even later, with the date in Ireland being 20 April. In the early 11th century, the modern date of All Souls' Day was popularized, after Abbot Odilo established it as a day for the monks of Cluny and associated monasteries to pray for the dead.

== Etymology == The word Allhallowtide was first used in 1471, and is derived from three words: the Old English word , meaning 'holy', the word tide, meaning 'time' or 'season' (cf. Christmastide, Eastertide), and all (from Old English ) meaning "every". The latter part of the word Hallowmas is derived from the word Mass. The words hallow and saint are synonyms.