Season of Hallowtide

November: The season of Hallowtide

Guest Columnist

Father Michael Bergeron

In the Catholic tradition, November is traditionally a month of remembrance of the dead. The month begins with the Solemnity of All Saints on Nov. 1 and the Commemoration of the All the Faithful Departed (All Souls’ Day), on Nov. 2.

All Saints

All Saints’ Day used to be called “All Hallows.” Hallow, in Old English, means “holy” or “sacred.” Therefore, “Hallows’ Eve,” or “Halloween” simply means “the evening of holy persons” and refers to the evening before All Saints’ Day. The traditional activity on All Hallows Eve is to hold a vigil and pray for the martyrs and saints. Churches often hold celebrations for children in which the children dress up as saints as an alternative to the secular celebration of Halloween.

The tradition of declaring a special day for saints started in the 4th century. By that time, so many Christians in the Roman Empire had been martyred that the church set aside a special day to honor them. In 607, Emperor Phocas presented the Roman Pantheon temple to Pope Boniface III. The pope removed the statues of Jupiter and the pagan gods and consecrated the Pantheon to “all saints” who had died from Roman persecution in the first 300 years after Christ. Many bones were brought from other graves and placed in the rededicated Pantheon church. Since there were too many martyrs for each to be given a day, they were lumped together into one day. In 609 Pope Boniface IV declared May 13 the Feast of Holy Martyrs. Pope Gregory IV included all the saints to the Feast of Holy Martyrs and renamed it the Feast of All Saints while moving the date to Nov. 1 in 837.

All Saints’ Day recognizes those whose sainthood is known only to God. Even so, Catholic observances tend to focus on known saints – those canonized by the Catholic Church. Regardless, on All Saints’ Day, Christians remember all “men (and women) of good will” (saints). These may be great ones, forgotten ones, and those who have died as martyrs for the faith. They are men and women of all ages and all walks of life who we believe went to heaven.

All Saints’ Day is a holy day of obligation. Whenever Nov. 1, solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the obligation to attend Mass is lifted. At Mass on All Saints’ Day, we praise and thank God for their example, their selflessness, and their holiness. We express our faith that they are now around God’s throne, where they “sing his praise forever.” And we ask them to give us “both strength and good example” so that one day we will meet them when we enter eternal life with God.

All Souls

According to tradition, there was a pilgrim returning from the Holy Land. He took refuge on a rocky island during a storm. While there, he met a hermit who told him that among the cliffs was an opening to the infernal regions where flames ascended and groans of the tormented could be heard. The pilgrim told Odilo, the Abbot of Cluny in France about this. The abbot then appointed the following day of Nov. 2, 998, as All Souls’ Day, a day to be set apart for “all the dead who have existed from the beginning of the world to the end of time.” This includes all those in purgatory. At Mass on All Souls’ Day, we pray that through Christ’s loving mercy, God’s “departed servants … may be granted pardon and peace, and be brought to the joy of God’s eternal home.” All Souls’ Day is not a holy day of obligation.

According to the teachings of the Catholic Church, Catholics can shorten the time a soul spends in purgatory (a place where souls are purified before entering heaven) by visiting a church and praying the Our Father and the Creed on All Saints’ or All Souls’ Day.

One of the early All Souls’ Day traditions was “souling.” Poor people would go door-to-door among the homes of wealthy families who would give out soul cakes (small, sweet cakes spiced with cinnamon) and ask that the recipient prays for the souls of the family’s deceased relatives. As the years went on, it became an activity primarily for children. Children who went out on All Souls’ Day would go door-to-door asking for treats like a

money, food and drink. Today, we know this as “trick-or-treating” which takes place on Halloween.

In many Latin countries, All Souls’ Day is a national holiday - the Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos. It’s the climax of three days of celebration: All Hallow’s Eve, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. People often dress as skeletons as a way of remembering the dead and celebrating their ancestors. Altars are set up in homes to honor dead relatives. These are adorned with food and drinks (ofrendas), photos, candles, flowers and candy skulls inscribed with the name of the deceased. Incense sticks are lit to help the departed find their way.

Superstition had it that on All Souls’ night, the dead revisit their homes. So that night people would light candles and leave them out to guide them. Meals and wine were left out for them.

According to Hungarian superstition, all work and housework is forbidden on All Souls’ Day. It is seen as disrespectful to the dead, and it is believed that any work done will be sabotaged by them. According to a superstition from the Philippines, when it rains on All Souls’ Day, the raindrops are tears of the dead.

Hallowtide

All Saints’ Day, together with All Souls’ Day are collectively known as Hallowtide (Hallow meaning holy and tide meaning time or season). In earlier times, people visited their loved ones’ graves on All Souls’ Day. This has gradually changed to visiting on All Saints’ Day, the day the cemeteries are blessed. Cajuns observe All Saints’ Day in the traditional French manner by laying wreaths and bouquets and lighting candles on even the most obscure graves. In Latin communities, families bring favorite foods of the deceased to the gravesite. In Italy, All Saints’ Day bread is baked and shared among loved one. In France and Germany, people have the work day off and businesses are closed.

The month of November is traditionally a time in which the Catholic community remembers those who have died. It is related to the fact that the end of November is the end of the Liturgical Year with a new year starting the First Sunday of Advent – the four-week period of preparation before Christmas. The church then uses this end of the year period as a time to think of the end of life and the end of all things and the great hope that our earthly end is a transition into a new life in God’s heavenly reality. We give thanks for those who have gone before us and we look with prayer and hope to their new life in heaven and our desire to join them there one day.

In his homily on All Souls’ Day in 2018, Pope Francis’ said: “Remembering is what strengthens a people because they feel rooted, they have an identity and history. Memory reminds us that we are not alone. We are part of a people. Let us ask the Lord today, to give us the grace to never lose or hide the memory of loved ones, the grace to continue to hope and the grace to understand what are the lights that can accompany us on the journey so that we do not err and so we can arrive where they await us with such love.” BC

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