“Halloween” is an Old English word that means “Holy Evening” (next day is All Saints Day). It started as a time to mock the devil and death and our fear of death, all of which are real and scary to us. Many Christians have an unhealthy fear of the devil and allow this fear to dictate what they do. (A healthy fear is appropriate, but the devil is not All-Powerful. Only God is.) And it is also true that today, some people have sexualized and blasphemed in their selection of costumes. But Halloween is a secular holiday with Christian roots that Catholics should embrace in its original form.
Around AD 610 Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Roman Pantheon to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to all Christian martyrs and set aside May 13, day of the Lemuria Festival, a pagan Roman celebration, to satisfy the restless dead. About 100 years later, this day of All Saints was moved to Nov. 1.
In the pre-Christian Celtic world (Ireland and Scotland, etc.) the druids honored “the lord of the dead” at this time, very naturally because this is the time of the year when darkness and cold overtake light and warmth. They had to prepare for a long, cold winter so they built bonfires, carved gourds into lanterns, and set out treats for their dearly departed. They believed that at this time the world of death and of life were very close to each other. The Catholic Church did not prevent people from doing these practices. It encouraged them to pray for the dead at the same time.
n the 17th century the Puritans that ruled England and America tried to crush all “popish” (ie, sacramental) holidays, including Halloween. But the Catholic Church has tried to keep the memory and veneration of the saints, especially martyrs, in mind at this time of year. It is good to remember that the Church has always had a dark sense of humor in our veneration of the saints. For example, the Church named St. Lawrence of Rome, who was roasted over an open fire, as patron saint of cooks. St. Stephen, who was stoned to death, is the patron of headache sufferers. St. John the Evangelist, who wanted to call down fire and brimstone to consume his enemies, is a patron of burn victims. So why not let a child dressed as John the Baptist carry his own head on a platter door to door and explain to the neighbors that he lost it defending the sanctity of marriage?
Is Halloween Satanic? Halloween is only associated with Satanism in certain circumstances and in very recent times. Historically, it has nothing to do with Satanism. Satanism as a religion only began in 1966. Satanism wants to attract Satan. Halloween wants to keep evil spirits away!
A man named Anton LaVey formed the Church of Satan in 1966 and wrote a Satanic Bible. He calls for three holidays for his version of Satanism: First, each Satanist’s own birthday, being very egotistical. Second, April 30. Third, October 31, Halloween. Popular culture considers these two dates as “witch holidays”. But he adopted Halloween less because of any inherent Satanic meaning in the date and more as a joke on those who had superstitiously feared it.
So what is wrong with your child dressing like a fireman, nurse, superhero, etc.? These are all people who want to be saints. And if they want to dress like vampires and ghosts to scare people, is that so bad? The origin of the holiday is to make fun of our fear of death and the dark. This is one way to teach ourselves not to be so afraid of these things. Saints are people who overcome their fears. It can be good to make fun of things that we fear.
The decorations, the costumes, the games, the candy, - they can add enjoyment to the celebration, yet they are but trappings. The true joy of the holiday is Christ’s victory over death, his triumph over evil, and the invitation to share in that victory. If we take back Halloween as a Christian holiday, if we are not afraid to confront the principalities and powers that struggle to take away our victory and triumph in Christ, then those who seek to do so will realize that they cannot steal our Halloween joy.
Christ says, “Do not be afraid!” One of St. Pope John XXIII’s favorite sayings about religious controversy is: “In essentials, unity; in doubtful matters, liberty; in all things, charity.” Never forget that the reason to exist of Halloween is holy mockery of the devil. As St. Thomas More observed of the devil, “The proud spirit cannot endure to be mocked.”
This celebration has roots in many countries and times, especially Ireland, Scotland, Germany, and ancient Rome. In the northern hemisphere, October 31 is the time between the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the “darker half of the year”, the time of death. “Halloween” means “hallowed evening” or “holy evening”. On this night it was said that the souls of the dead would come back to visit their homes and the people would put out food and drink for them. Prayers would be said and candles would be lit. In some places children would dress as these spirits and use “jack-o-lanterns” as torches as they went from house to house to receive their food and drink. Holy Evening (Halloween) has been celebrated for a very long time as the time to prepare for All Saints Day (a Holy Day since the 8th century), and All Souls Day.
By the end of the 12th century they had become holy days of obligation across Europe and involved such traditions as ringing church bells for the souls in purgatory. In addition, "it was customary for criers dressed in black to parade the streets, ringing a bell of mournful sound and calling on all good Christians to remember the poor souls."
The custom of baking and sharing “soul cakes” for all baptized souls, has been suggested as the origin of trick-or-treating. The custom dates back at least as far as the 15th century and was found in parts of England, Flanders, Germany and Austria. Groups of poor people, often children, would go door-to-door during Holy Evening collecting soul cakes, in exchange for praying for the dead, especially the souls of the givers' friends and relatives. Soul cakes would also be offered for the souls themselves to eat, or the 'soulers' would act as their representatives. Halloween soul cakes were often marked with a cross, indicating that they were baked as alms.
On the custom of wearing costumes, it is said: "It was traditionally believed that the souls of the departed wandered the earth until All Saints' Day, and All Hallows' Eve provided one last chance for the dead to gain vengeance on their enemies before moving to the next world. In order to avoid being recognized by any soul that might be seeking such vengeance, people would don masks or costumes to disguise their identities".
It is claimed that in the Middle Ages, churches that were too poor to display the relics of martyred saints, at Halloween let parishioners dress up as saints instead. Some Christians continue to observe this custom at Halloween today.
Anglican colonists in the Southern United States and Catholic colonists in Maryland "recognized All Hallow's Eve in their church calendars", although the Puritans of New England maintained strong opposition to the holiday. It was not until mass Irish and Scottish immigration in the 19th century that Halloween became a major holiday in North America. Confined to the immigrant communities during the mid-19th century, it was gradually assimilated into mainstream society and by the first decade of the 20th century it was being celebrated coast to coast by people of all social, racial and religious backgrounds. "In Cajun (French) areas, a nocturnal Mass was said in cemeteries on Halloween night.
Candles that had been blessed were placed on graves, and families sometimes spent the entire night at the graveside". (from Wikipedia)
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¿Por qué los católicos deberían aceptar Halloween?
"Halloween" es una palabra inglesa vieja que significa "Noche Santa" (el día siguiente es el Día de Todos los Santos). Comenzó como un tiempo para burlarse del diablo y la muerte y nuestro miedo de morir, los cuales son reales y nos causan miedo . Muchos cristianos tienen un miedo malsano al diablo y permiten que este miedo dicte lo que hacen. (Un temor sano es apropiado, pero el diablo no es todopoderoso, sólo Dios lo es). Y también es cierto que hoy en día, algunas personas han sexualizado y blasfemado en su selección de trajes. Pero Halloween es una fiesta secular con raíces cristianas que los católicos deben abrazar en su forma original.
Alrededor del año 610 el Papa Bonifacio IV dedicó el Panteón Romano a la Virgen María ya todos los Santos Mártires y dejo de lado 13 de Mayo día del Festival de Lemuria, una celebración pagana romana, para satisfacer a los inquietos muertos. Unos cien años después, este día de Todos los Santos fue trasladado al 1 de Noviembre.
En el mundo celta pre-cristiano (Irlanda y Escocia, etc.) los druidas Honraban al "señor de los muertos" en este momento, muy naturalmente porque esta es la época del año en que la oscuridad y el frío sobrepasan la luz y el calor. Tuvieron que prepararse para un largo y frío invierno, de modo que construyeron hogueras, tallaron calabazas en linternas y prepararon dulces para su difuntos queridos. Ellos creían que en este tiempo el mundo de la muerte y de la vida estaba muy cerca el uno del otro. La Iglesia Católica no impidió que la gente hiciera estas prácticas. Los alentaba a orar por los muertos al mismo tiempo.
En el siglo XVII los puritanos que gobernaron Inglaterra y América trataron de aplastar todas las fiestas "papistas" (es decir, sacramentales), incluyendo Halloween. Pero la Iglesia Católica ha tratado de mantener la memoria y la veneración de los santos, especialmente los mártires, en mente en esta época del año. Es bueno recordar que la Iglesia siempre ha tenido un oscuro sentido del humor en nuestra veneración de los santos. Por ejemplo, la Iglesia llamó a San Lorenzo de Roma, que fue asado sobre una chimenea, como patrón de los cocineros. San Esteban, que fue apedreado hasta la muerte, es el patrón de los enfermos de cabeza. San Juan el Evangelista, que quería llamar fuego y azufre para consumir a sus enemigos, es un patrón de las víctimas de la quemadura. Entonces, ¿por qué no dejar que un niño vestido como Juan el Bautista lleve su propia cabeza en un plato de puerta en puerta y explique a los vecinos que lo perdió defendiendo la santidad del matrimonio?
¿Halloween es satánico? Halloween sólo se asocia con el satanismo en ciertas circunstancias y en tiempos muy recientes. Históricamente, no tiene nada que ver con el satanismo. El satanismo como religión sólo comenzó en 1966. El satanismo quiere atraer a Satanás. Halloween quiere mantener alejados los malos espíritus!
Un hombre llamado Anton LaVey formó la Iglesia de Satanás en 1966 y escribió una Biblia satánica. Él llama para tres días de fiesta para su versión del satanismo: Primero, el cumpleaños de cada satanista, siendo muy egoísta. Segundo, 30 de Abril. Tercero, 31 de Octubre, Halloween. La cultura popular considera estas dos fechas como "fiestas de brujas". Pero adoptó Halloween menos debido a cualquier significado satánico inherente en la fecha y más como una broma a los que lo habían temido supersticiosamente.
Entonces, ¿qué le pasa a su hijo vestirse como un bombero, enfermera, superhéroe, etc.? Estas son todas las personas que quieren ser santos. Y si quieren vestirse como vampiros y fantasmas para asustar a la gente, ¿es tan malo? El origen de la fiesta es burlarse de nuestro miedo a la muerte ya la oscuridad. Esta es una manera de enseñarnos a no tener tanto miedo de estas cosas. Los santos son personas que superan sus miedos. Puede ser bueno burlarse de cosas que tememos.
Las decoraciones, los trajes, los juegos, los caramelos, pueden agregar diversión a la celebración, pero no son más que adornos. La verdadera alegría de la fiesta es la victoria de Cristo sobre la muerte, su triunfo sobre el mal, y la invitación a participar en esa victoria. Si retomamos Halloween como una fiesta cristiana, si no tenemos miedo de enfrentar a los principados y poderes que luchan por quitar nuestra victoria y triunfo en Cristo, entonces aquellos que buscan hacerlo se darán cuenta de que no pueden robar nuestra alegría de Halloween.
Cristo dice: "¡No tengas miedo!" Uno de los refranes favoritos de San Juan XXIII acerca de la controversia religiosa es: "En lo esencial, la unidad; en asuntos dudosos, la libertad; en todas las cosas, la caridad ". Nunca olvides que la razón de existir de Halloween es una santa burla del diablo. Como Santo Tomás Moro observó más del diablo: "El espíritu orgulloso no puede soportar ser burlado".
