Throughout the ages, the feast of All Hallows has commemorated those faithful Christians who currently do God’s work and those have gone on to rest. On November 1st, we celebrate this feast by attending services, baptizing new Christians, visiting the graves our of loved ones, and praying for the souls of the dead. The other ancient tradition related to this holiday is the baking of the Soul Cake, a small round sweet bread that was once handed out on the eve of All Hallows. These cakes were a form of prayer and given in generosity on behalf of the dead who were held in memory. A mixture of children and the poor would go “souling” from door to door, begging for these sweet cakes and other food gifts. Today, this holiday is most popularly known as All Saints Day, but it is also called Dia de los Muertos (the day of the dead); and Pao-por-Deus (bread in the Name of God). As the celebration of All Hallows traditionally begins the night before, you may also have heard of “All Hallows Eve.” Today, we celebrate it by the phonetically shortened name: Halloween. Despite popular misconception, the name and practices of Halloween are rooted in Christian tradition. The feast of All Hallows was originally founded by Pope Boniface IV in AD 609, and has been observed by Christians ever since. Some of our modern customs such as jack-o-lanterns do come from Celtic influences, but the early Irish churches were so concerned about people confusing Halloween with pagan holidays such as Samhain, that they actually observed Halloween in April. If there is confusion: for those people who wish to celebrate the pagan holiday of Samhain, the traditional practices are the slaughtering of animals in preparation for the winter, the burning of bonfires on hilltops, the carrying of torches, and the casting of divinations. For those wishing to practice the Christian holiday of Halloween, the traditional practices involve dressing up in costumes and going door to door asking for food. This year, if you are a Christian, consider observing the ancient Christian holiday of All Hallows Eve. Give a Soul Cake or some candy to the children who come to your door, and give it in memory of a loved one who has passed on to be with God. Visit the graves of family and friends and pray for their souls. Allow this holiday to be a sacred moment where you remember the saints, both living and dead. Then, on the Sunday that follows, go to church and celebrate the observance of the feast of All Hallows, or as we call it today: All Saint’s Day. Remember that you too are a saint, and then go out into the world and do God’s work.
Posted on: Fri, 31 Oct 2014 17:02:38 +0000
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