Hi. My apologies for the lack of updates -- I came down with a bad cold early Monday morning and have spent the better part of this week in bed. :( Fun stuff. I'm still not better, but I'm definitely getting there.
I had wanted to write this week about a series of holy days that the Church observed this week that are all interconnected -- All Saints Day on Nov. 1, All Souls Day on Nov. 2, and believe it or not, Halloween.
I know, that seems a little crazy. But the spookiest day of the year has more ties to Christianity than most people realize. As a matter of fact, I only learned this last week myself. I got most of my information from a homily by priest acquaintance of mine, Fr. Brian Ditullio, the Vocations Director in the Diocese of Paterson.
Most people know that Halloween traces its roots to two different cultures -- the Mexican Dia de los Muerte (Day of the Dead), and the ancient Celtic feast of Samhain, still celebrated today by Pagans and Druids worldwide. But as Catholicism began to spread around the world, the blending of these different cultures both eased the conversion process while creating a unique day of remembrance.
Of course, in many religions that believe in an afterlife, the deceased play various roles in faith even though they are no longer present. The Church has always honored its martyrs in the spring, but that feast was eventually moved to coincide with All Saints (this is where dressing up in spooky costumes comes from). The name Halloween comes from the phrase "all hallows eve," meaning the night before a sacred (hallowed) day. It was always the first day in a series of three to honor the dead -- one for the martyrs, one for those who are in heaven with God, and the last for those being purified before heaven in purgatory.
While it's true that Samhain has ties to occultism, especially in those faiths that contact the dead through witchcraft, it's got practically nothing to do with Satan.
So go on -- indulge in some of that super cheap post-Halloween candy and remember all of your loved ones who have passed on.
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Thanks for your interest in my blog! Please remember when commenting that this is an academic assignment, and while I will gladly answer any questions about Catholicism, I will only be able to respond regarding my own personal faith to a certain extent. If you would like to engage me about *my* faith, feel free to contact me privately. Peace! :)