We warmly invite you to a Gregorian Vigil of the Solemnity of All Saints on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 7:00 PM at the Church of St. Giles (kościół św. Idziego) at the end of Grodzka Street in Krakow. The singing will be led by the Vigilantes chant ensemble, and all participants will be able to take an active part in the prayer thanks to prepared sheet music booklets and translations of the texts.
More information can be found in last year’s invitation (the vigil took place at a different venue at the time):
It is worth mentioning that today’s name Halloween is most likely a contraction of All Hallows’ E’en, coming from the earlier All Hallows’ Eve—the eve/vigil of All Saints (as noted by Wikipedia).
The General Instruction of the Liturgy of the Hours includes a recommendation regarding the celebration of liturgical vigils, stating that “this custom is to be preserved and encouraged” (no. 71). Paragraph 72 reads as follows: “The Fathers and spiritual writers have very often exhorted the faithful, especially those who lead a contemplative life, to pray at night. By this prayer they give expression to their waiting for the Lord, and are urged on to it: At midnight a cry was made: Behold the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him (Mt 25:6); Watch, therefore, for you do not know when the lord of the house comes: at evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. Lest coming on a sudden, he find you sleeping (Mk 13:35–36). Those, therefore, are worthy of praise who celebrate the Office of Readings as a prayer during the night.”
The Vigilantes chant group is made up of people passionate about praying through plainchant. Although some members have formal musical training, they do not gather to approach chant from a purely academic standpoint—attempting to strictly reconstruct its original historical sound or prepare a concert performance. Rather, their desire is to bring the chant to life once more, so that the neumes become living music through which everyone taking part in the celebration can praise God.
We invite you to join us in prayer and to share the Facebook event so that as many people as possible can learn about it.
