The name “Halloween” comes from the English expression All Hallows’ Eve, meaning “the eve of All Saints’ Day” in the Western calendar. The word hallow is an old English term meaning “saint” or “holy.” Halloween therefore originally referred to the evening before the feast of all the saints.
In the Christian sense, Halloween corresponds to the night before All Saints’ Day, celebrated on November 1 in the Western calendar. In the Orthodox tradition, the feast of All Saints is celebrated on the Sunday following Pentecost.
The origins of this observance go back to ancient times, when Rome and Europe were still deeply marked by the Christian faith, and the feast of All Saints was preceded by certain popular customs observed on the previous evening.
Meanings Contrary to the Christian Faith
Several mysterious and unusual practices now associated with Halloween have their roots in ancient Celtic customs from the British Isles.
For this reason, Halloween was long celebrated as a festival associated with fear, ghosts, and witches in Great Britain, the United States, and certain countries influenced by British culture.
Over time, these traditions spread to many other countries.
When Christianity arrived in Britain, it encountered Celtic populations that were still attached to certain pagan beliefs, especially those connected with Samhain, an ancient autumn festival.
According to some traditions, people believed that during this period the spirits of the dead could roam the earth and had to be appeased so that they would cause no harm.
According to certain customs, people would go from house to house asking for offerings or food.
The Church gradually opposed beliefs and practices it considered incompatible with the Christian faith.
Over time, certain popular traditions associated with ghosts, witches, skeletons, and other macabre representations became mixed with the celebrations of the eve of All Saints’ Day.
After the adoption of the Roman Julian calendar, these customs became associated with the night before November 1, the date of All Saints’ Day in the Western Church.
Thus, while Christians were preparing spiritually to celebrate the feast of all the saints, certain popular practices continued to exist alongside it.
For Christians, it is therefore important to discern the meaning of the symbols and practices in which they take part, and not to adopt without reflection customs that may be contrary to their faith.
Is Halloween Really Harmless?
Some may say:
“Today, Halloween is simply a celebration for children, who dress up, have fun, and receive candy.”
However, it is worth reflecting on some of the symbols that are constantly associated with this celebration: witches, demons, ghosts, occultism, death, and other disturbing representations.
The constant repetition of these symbols may contribute to making them seem ordinary, familiar, and harmless.
The issue, therefore, does not necessarily lie in the simple fact that a child receives candy, but rather in the symbolic world to which the child becomes accustomed.
Children may therefore be exposed from an early age to an atmosphere in which witchcraft, demons, spirits, and occult practices are presented as amusing or inconsequential subjects.
There are also occult and Satanist groups that attach particular importance to this night and organize their own celebrations.
As Christians, we must therefore be careful not to confuse our Christian identity with symbols that are foreign or contrary to it.
On that night, we can instead intensify our prayer and ask God to protect the world from evil, as we do every day in the Lord’s Prayer:
“… but deliver us from evil. Amen.”
We should also ask ourselves whether certain practices that appear harmless might gradually accustom us to symbols and a mindset that draw our hearts away from God.
Why willingly open a door, even a small one, to something that may distance us from our faith?
How Should We Guide Our Children?
If we clearly explain to our children why we choose not to celebrate Halloween in the same way as others, they may feel disappointed at first.
Over time, however, they can develop a greater awareness of their Christian identity and learn to discern what is and is not compatible with their faith.
It is also possible to offer them another way of experiencing this period by placing greater emphasis on the saints, light, prayer, and Christian joy.
In Lebanon, for example, some families may also turn to traditions connected with the feast of Saint Barbara, which has its own cultural and religious heritage.
What Is Our Role in Relation to the “Halloween Month” in Some Schools in Our Second Country, Canada?
In many Western schools, particularly at the elementary level, the month of October is often marked by decorations depicting witches, ghosts, pumpkins, and other Halloween symbols.
Christian parents are entitled to take an interest in the content to which their children are exposed and to explain to them their own understanding of these symbols.
We can teach them that not everything presented as entertaining or popular is necessarily compatible with our faith.
We can also explain to them, according to Christian teaching, that the dead do not return to wander among the living, and that we should not encourage fear of or fascination with spirits.
Parents should not remain passive, assuming that their children’s entire education is solely the responsibility of the school or their teachers.
They too have a responsibility to pass on their values, their faith, and their Christian understanding of life.
When necessary, they can speak with teachers and school administrators in order to better understand the proposed activities and respectfully communicate their convictions.
The goal is not to teach children to be afraid, but to give them the ability to discern and to grow in their Christian identity.
During this season, let us turn our attention more fully toward Christ, toward the light of the Gospel, and toward the saints whom the Church gives us as examples.
Instead of glorifying fear, darkness, or death, let us celebrate the One who said:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Father Gérard Abi Saab
