All Saints' Day Description
All Saints' Day honors all saints and martyrs of the Catholic Church. Throughout Portugal, families visit cemeteries to place flowers and candles on graves. The tradition includes children going door-to-door asking for "pão-por-Deus" (bread for God), receiving cakes, dried fruit, and small treats in return — a custom similar to trick-or-treating. Bakeries sell traditional "broas dos Santos" (sweet potato cakes). Banks, government offices, and most businesses close. Some municipalities incorporate the ancient pagan tradition of "Magusto" with chestnut roasting.
