Rev Bill

Happy Halloween!

I probably don’t have to tell you that today is Halloween — a day when we normally think about ghosts and goblins — witches and vampires. 

It actually all began with saints!

You may be thinking — what do saints have to do with Halloween?
Well, it was the idea of honoring saints that began the tradition of Halloween.

Sort of.

A long time ago (many centuries ago, in fact) the church decided that there would be one day to honor all the saints who did not have other Feast Days. November 1 was selected as All Saints Day. It was a day for remembering saints, and evolved into a day for remembering friends and loved ones who had died. Some would go to worship — then go to the graves of friends and loved ones to lift up prayers in their memory.

Well, as usually happens, some people could not leave a good idea good — and had to mess it up! Some decided that if good and Godly things could have their day — then not so good and not so Godly things could, too — and if good things could go on in graveyards — then so could not so good things. They decided that the night of October 31 — the night before the November 1 All Saints Day celebration — would be the time for witches — ghosts — and other scary things to have their time to prowl — and for pranks in graveyards instead of prayers! So the tradition of Halloween — or All Saints Day (or All Hallowed’s Day) Eve began.

So — enjoy Halloween — but remember also to remember the Saints tomorrow!

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