October 31 and November 1, are the days where many people in the world celebrate Halloween by wearing costumes like Frankenstein, vampire, a ghost and wearing a devil horn headband or watch horror movies. But the main question is, what is Halloween and is it really for a horror celebration? As a Catholic and member of Christian Community, we must know these important details about the Halloween.
The meaning of the word Halloween is “All Hallows Eve” or “All Saints Eve”. Hallow means “Holy”, then the “Eve” is the short word of “Evening”. If you pray the Our Father, you will encounter a word “Hallowed be thy name” in other translation of the prayer. All Hallows Eve was celebrated in the evening of October 31 with a Holy Mass (also called Allhalomas), a day before the feast of the All-Saints Day which was celebrated in November 1. All Hallows Eve was celebrated since 8th Century and instituted by Pope Gregory III.
Yes. This feast is not only for the saints that was recognized by the church, but also for the Saints that only God knows.
In the previous century, the All Hallows Eve was celebrated with a mass, processions and prayers. But when the modernity comes to the world including the television, countries such as America who celebrate the All Hallows Eve for the Horror Creatures has spread and become a new tradition for the new generations. Sadly, a feast that was honored for the Holy has been honored to the horror creatures including the creatures that was not made by God. Most of these creatures that was used in costume was made by the devil.
It was said that wearing a horror costume was from the Pagans from Europe. For the Pagans, a portal from another world opens in November 1. The pagans wear costumes of the dead and sing to every house the songs of the dead in exchange for food. Then in 19th century, the americans adopted these pagan ways from Irish imigrants. It became popular to every child in America. America is the most popular country in the world, that is why other countries adopt this event.
The Feast of the All Saints Day was celebrated in November 1, but it was followed by the Feast of All Souls Day in November 2, which is for the people who left this world and currently in Purgatory. Many countries today mistaken the All Saints Day is for the souls in purgatory.
Sadly, the Christian learning in the world also in Schools has been stopped or not prioritized anymore. Even the Cathechism in every churches has slowly dissapeared after the Second Vatican Council. So, the people have less information about what the real Halloween is. But in recent years, some churches celebrate the Halloween by making the kids wear the clothing of the Saints including the popular ones like Saint Therese, Saint Padre Pio, Saint Augustine and Saint George.
Yes, according to an exorcist, Father Vincent Lampert which was published on Catholic Online, celebrating Halloween in this pagan way will put danger to the people because it glorifies evil and it invites evil to them including the devil. Other people will say that we just want to be happy on this special occasion and do not take these things seriously. But even we live in a modern time, we must becareful on what we act especially on what we wear. We can celebrate this occasion by having a feast, eat or drink but let’s refrain from wearing these horror costumes or glorify evil.
