Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Happy Allhallowtide!


  We are all familiar with tomorrow’s Holy Day of Opportunity, the Solemnity of All Saints, but did you know that what we now call Halloween was once part of a mini-triduum of sorts, Allhallowtide?  According to ChurchPOP, Christians have been celebrating All Saints’ Day, known as Hallowmas, since the first millenium, to honor all those great saints and martyrs whose lives we couldn’t celebrate during the rest of the year (because, to be frank, we just ran out of days!).  The Vigil for this feast was All Hallows’ Eve, and was originally a day of fasting and prayer.  Much later, St. Odilo of Cluny added All Souls’ Day (November 2) to the calendar, to remember the rest of the faithful departed.  And believe it or not, in the 15th century, this three-day celebration was extended into an entire octave – a whole week of praying for the dead, saints and sinners (though this was eliminated by Pope Pius XII).

  So pray for the dead tonight, on Halloween, and throughout the month of November.  Add the names of your departed family members and friends to the Book of Remembrance in the church.  And watch this blog for more posts meant to help us remember all those who have gone before us…

During the month of November, we remember all souls…

For more information on how Christianity co-opted some of the symbols associated with pagan celebrations at this time of year, click here.

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