All Saints Day, Nov. 1, is nearly upon us. Over the years, prayer to the saints has become one of my favorite Catholic beliefs to explain and defend because it is richly biblical and rooted in our ...

We venerate the Saints in heaven because of the excellence they attained in living a life in imitation of Christ. The Saints are like God's champion athletes.

Nov. 1 is the solemnity of All Saints — known more popularly as All Saints’ Day — the day on which the Catholic Church celebrates all who have attained eternal life with God in heaven.

Sanchez, from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, said Pope Gregory III established Nov. 1 as All Saints Day as a reminder that people are not just destined for life on earth, but also in Heaven.

All Saints' Day remembers and celebrates all saints, known and unknown. Catholics also observe All Souls' Day, honoring the faithful in Purgatory, who are awaiting full sanctification.

Debate continues among Latter-day Saint scholars and rank-and-file members about sex in the afterlife, given comments by church founder Joseph Smith and his successor Brigham Young.

If heaven is like a wedding banquet, then purgatory may be understood as preparation for a great celebration. It is not a dreary waiting room at the D.M.V., but a place of lively hope.