This is something fun I wrote several years ago about Halloween and the Church. I like to bring it back out from time to time.

Long before there were ghouls, goblins, and witches out trick-or-treating on Halloween, there was a commemoration in the Church to give thanks for all saints in heaven and on earth. While the roots of this festival time come from pagan Celtic customs, the Church “adopted” these celebrations for Christian use. October 31 was known as the eve of Samhain and celebrated the beginning of winter and the first day of the new year. Due to the correspondence with harvest time and the coming of winter, this festival was a reminder of human mortality and the delicate cycles of life and death. It was a time when the souls of the dead were thought to return to their homes and bonfires would be lit to frighten off evil spirits. The Church now celebrates over the course of three days: All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween), All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day (or, the Commemoration of All Faithful Departed). October 31 actually becomes a vigil to remember all the children of God, those alive and those who have gone before us, as saints. The official remembrance then occurs on November 1, All Saints’ Day, with a special remembering of all who have died in the faith on November 2. Many times we simply remember those who have passed on at our celebration of All Saints’. The Book of Occasional Services contains a service specifically for All Hallows’ Eve consisting of a service of Lights with various readings and psalms. All Saints’ Day is one of the seven principal Feast days of the Church year. So give thanks to God during this festival time for all saints, known and unknown, and try not to eat too much candy!                                      

Remember, our Fall Festival will be this Sunday after the 10:30 service. I will also be blessing costumes during the service. Our own commemoration of All Saints’ will be next Sunday, November 5, as well as our annual Hymn sing that afternoon at 3:30.

Please continue to pray for one another, for our Cathedral family, for all people caught in war zones or subject to gun violence, for our nation, and the world.

For posts not listed here, visit our From the Dean Archive page.