Hallowe'en - Eve of All Saints - Suggestions for Reclaiming this Christian Feast

Women for Faith and Family ^ | Helen Hull Hitchcock

[Salvation]

All Hallows Evening bump!

(Shorten to Halloween in the U. S.) And of course, the meaning has become completely misconstrued.

[Conservative til I die]

I agree that is high time Christians not necessarily "take back" (because I think Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty, and Trick or Treating is harmless fun and a part of our culture, but we should also celebrate the religious aspects of it and avoid the materialism (Christmas) and mischief (dressing up like the devil on Halloween).

[raynearhood]

Actually, shortened to Halloween hundreds of years ago, somewhere in the British Isles. It was (and, lyrically, still is) common to shorten written words to reflect common pronunciation. Hallowed evening became Hallow' eve became Halloween.

This isn't at all like X-mas. (which, by the way, has some historical background, also).

As for the meaning of the holiday. This article is only partially correct. When Christianity spread through the western world, the missionaries found themselves in the middle of literally hundreds of different pagan religions. Alot of the converts heard the word and believed but had trouble giving up their old practices. Christians made an attempt to replaces alot of the pagan holidays with coinciding Christian celebrations.

If you will notice in the old testament, celebrations and recognitions of God's work is required (Passover feast). In the New Testament, there is nothing that says celebrate the birth of Christ, or the Resurrection.

So, what the Christians did was celebrate new holidays around the time of the pagan holidays to make the transition smoother. Before Halloween was called Halloween it was the day of the dead. Celtic people would remember there dead family members on this day, even praying to them, it was a sad day. But it was followed immediately by the Harvest feast. No there was no witches and warlocks. This was not wicca, but Celtic paganism. All Hallowed Eve and All Saint's Day replaced these. Of course outside of the church buildings, these holidays never completely took.

EASTER, the name of the holiday is actually the pagan name for the holiday. Ostara was the pagan Celtic goddess of life and rebirth. All world religions recognized spring and rebirth in the world. I believe God had planned the passover and the celebration this way. To coincide with the death and resurrection of Christ, to symbolize rebirth at the beginning of spring. So, the Christians tried to replace Ostara's spring celebration with Resurrection Sunday. Once again, never completely took. Although the pagan meaning behind this has seriously lost it's luster, symbols from the pagan goddess can still be seen. Ostara was represented by the Celts with a hare, and was worshipped with feasts of eggs, as eggs were representations of birth.

[raynearhood]

Wow, did I mess up some. Sorry. Mixed some Celtic gods with other pagan gods. Estre/Ostara was Germanic. Should have re-researched as it has been years since I've had this discussion. Sorry. See links below.

http://www.wcg.org/lit/church/holidays/sineastr.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter

Also, see the writings of Venerable Bede.

[raynearhood]

Whoa, did I mess up. Ostara/Eastre was Germanic. I was mixing pagan religions from different areas up. I should have re-researched before posting. Sorry. See links below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter

http://www.wcg.org/lit/church/holidays/sineastr.htm

Also see the writings of Venerable Bede.

[Salvation]

You are correct on the shortening of the word All Hallows Evening in England.

[Dumb_Ox]

My suggestions: Every time you see a devil costume, shout "Hail, Satan, King of the Losers!" The devil cannot abide to be mocked, nor can his stupid teenage admirers.

More pious: Revive the tradition of visiting the graveyard and maintaining the graves of your loved ones on All Souls Day, Nov. 2.

[NYer]

¯4 ??ggestions: Every time you see a devil costume, shout "Hail, Satan, King of the Losers!" The devil cannot abide to be mocked

Hey, I like that! Great idea. One of my basset hounds has a devil costume, horns and all. Given his 'devilish' disposition, it seemed so appropriate. Unfortunately, he stepped on and ripped the cape the first time he wore it. I've now transformed him into a ladybug - totally out of character but wings in place of the cape. With time, he may emerge as an angel :-)

[AnAmericanMother]

LOL!

The idea of dressing up as the martyrs certainly provides lots of opportunities for blood and gore.

I always thought St. Lucy, with her eyes on a plate as she is depicted in some southern Italian churches, would be a real hit.

[ArrogantBustard]

Parents and Children, Come Dressed as your Favorite Saint !!!
Prizes for the Best Costume in each Category!!!
Price of Admission - one bag of candy per family!!!

RSVP to ckrieger@stveronica.net by Fri., Oct. 28!!!!!

PRIZE DONATIONS NEEDED!!
PLEASE DROP OFF IN PARISH OFFICE!!
THE MORE PRIZES, THE BETTER!!!

Prize donations can include: fast food, restruant, or store gift certificates, small toys or religious objects, marketing/promotional stuff from the place where you work (e.g., hats, shirts, mouse pads, drink bottles, pens, squishy balls, etc.)

GAMES Bowl over the 7 Deadly Sins St. Andrew's Golf Links St. Michael Halo Toss Phlatten the Philestine St. Francis Bird House Toss St. Elizabeth of Hungary Bread Toss St. Peter Fishing for Men St. John Bosco Basketball Toss Pin the Halo on the Angle

ACTIVITIES Wall of Saints Guess the Saint Saint Trivia Moses, Know Your Commandments Mortification Mush Saints Coloring Table Prayers for the Faithfully Departed Guess the Amount (M&Ms, Candy Corn, Cheese Balls)

We will end the eveing with the "Litany of the Saints"

St. Veronica Catholic Church, Chantilly Virginia.

I'm more than half tempted to show up as St. Gabriel Possenti, complete with pistol.

[NYer]

That is just fabulous!!!! Do they do this every year?

I'm more than half tempted to show up as St. Gabriel Possenti, complete with pistol.

Naw ... too complex and confusing. Go classical! Go as this saint .....

Can you name him?

[NYer]

The idea of dressing up as the martyrs certainly provides lots of opportunities for blood and gore.

Especially St. Erasmus, who was disemboweled.

Bishop of Formiae, Campagna, Italy. Fled to Mount Lebanon in the persecutions of emperor Diocletian; was fed by a raven so he could stay in hiding.

Discovered, he was imprisoned; an angel rescued him. Recaptured, he was martyred. One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Namesake for the static electric discharge called Saint Elmo's Fire.

Died - disemboweled c.303 at Formiae, Italy

[ArrogantBustard]

Even if I didn't recognise St. Sebastian, I could have cheated and checked the image source ...

A monk's robe would, I think, be a more appropriate costume than a diaper. The weather here has definitely turned cold.

The Parish is very new ... last year, the facilities in which the party is being held were still under construction.

[AnAmericanMother]

That is EXTREMELY cute!

I'm going to Email the announcement to our youth director for some ideas for next year!

I like your idea about St. Gabriel Possenti, too.

Don't forget the lizard.

[Ciexyz]

Have a Harvest Party and have the kids dress up as Biblical characters or 'fun' characters (i.e., no devil or witch costumes). Have apple cider and candy apples (in addition to candy and other goodies) to emphasize the harvest aspect of the season. Lead the kids in prayer, thanking the Lord for the blessings of the Harvest.

[NYer]

A monk's robe would, I think, be a more appropriate costume than a diaper.

Excuses, excuses! Okay ... how about St. Francis. You could park a stuffed bird on your finger (or a basset hound near your leg :-). Ooops, be careful! I once had a hound who mistook my leg for a tree stump ;-(

The weather here has definitely turned cold.

You too? I changed over to flannel sheets today. Stay warm and dry. Think Franciscan or Dominican.

[ArrogantBustard]

How many "Saint" costumes give me an excuse to drag out my cap-n-ball revolver?

Hmmmm?

I do have a nice rubber iguana. I keep it on my computer display. It's a monitor lizard ... (Huhhuh Huhhuh)

The real problem is that I look more like one of Garibaldi's mercs than young Gabriel P.

I still have a week to think it over.

[NYer]

I do have a nice rubber iguana. I keep it on my computer display. It's a monitor lizard

ROFL!!!

Alright .. how about something truly extraneous - a saint that will confound everyone. Do you have a beard? a white beard? Could you pass as this saint?

And .... you get to wear a nice robe, too!

[marshmallow]

As one who has lived in several countries in Europe, America and Oceania, I can tell you that in few countries is Halloween given the "full monty" like the USA. It's almost on a par with Christmas, Easter and Thansksgiving in terms of the amount of decoration and festivity involved.

I've never understood why it is necessary to mix a perfectly harmless and even sweet custom (giving candy to children) with one which is thoroughly morbid and macabre (decorating one's home and person with symbols of the occult and death). In Portugal, for instance, children go from door to door and request candy (at least in the country areas) but they do it on All Saints Day, Nov. 1, and they do not dress up as witches and ghosts. They also have a sweet little rhyme which they say when they knock on the door; "Bolinhas, bolinhas, a porta todas os santinhos" or, "candy, candy, for all the little saints at the door".

A much more sensible practice, which retains the good but excludes all this occult trash.