During the fall season, the topic that typically makes the rounds on social media and in conversation is Halloween, often followed by the question in Christian circles, “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?”
Unfortunately, this debate has not only led to pride and conflict among Christians but also to a lack of historical understanding of the relationship between Halloween and the church, otherwise known as Allhallowtide. What is Allhallowtide? Was Halloween always pagan? How do these two things go together? Let's explore these topics to gain a better understanding this fall season.
What are the Origins of Allhallowtide?
In the high churches of Christianity (Catholics, Lutherans, Anglicans, etc.), Allhallowtide occurs once a year from October 31st to November 2nd. October 31st is All Hallow’s Eve, November 1st is All Saints' Day, and November 2nd is All Souls' Day. The word “Allhallowtide” is a combination of three words that have a unique meaning. What all three have in common is the commemoration of the Saints of the Church and the recently departed.
Allhallowtide has a rich history not just among Roman Catholic Christians but continued after the Reformation with Lutherans, Anglicans, and a few other denominations. The same way that we remember loved ones who have died—whether recently or years ago—so we do so with the Saints who have gone on to heaven. To quote Heather Riggleman from Christianity.com, “...the word ‘Halloween’ is a ‘direct derivation of All Saints Day’ with ‘All Hallows’ in Old English meaning ‘the feast of the saints.’ To hallow is ‘to make holy or sacred, to sanctify or consecrate, to venerate.’ The adjective hallowed, as used in The Lord's Prayer, means holy, consecrated, sacred, or revered. The noun hallow, as used in Hallowtide, is a synonym of the word saint. So, there are some differences between Halloween, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day, however they are tied together.”
To add on to Riggleman’s statement, the word “tide” refers to an ecclesiastical festival or season of the church. Other examples are Christmastide (the first 12 days of Christmas) and Eastertide (the first 50 days after Easter Sunday leading up to Pentecost).
So how does Halloween fit into all of this? What does it have to do with the church?
What are the Origins of Halloween?
Similar to Christmas Eve, Halloween comes from the first day of Allhallowtide, known as All Hallow’s Eve, where we prepare for the main day, All Saints Day. Prior to Christianity coming into places like England, Ireland, and France, Celtic roots and beliefs already existed on October 31st. This day was known as Samhain, and it marked the end of summer, the final harvest, and the beginning of the dark days of the year. Furthermore, there were some spiritual elements involved.
As Joel Ryan of Christianity.com writes, “According to History.com, the Celts and Druids believed that on Samhain, ‘The boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred.’ Furthermore, on October 31, the Celts believed that the spirit world would become visible to humans, and the ghosts of the dead would return to earth to cause trouble, damage crops, and otherwise play tricks on the living. For this reason, the Druids would often build large communal bonfires to offer sacrifices to the Celtic deities. The Celtic people also left token offerings outside of their village to appease the fairies, ghosts, and spirits. There were even occasions where the Celts would also tell each other’s fortunes, share scary stories, and wear animal or monster costumes to try and trick the roaming spirits into leaving them alone.”
Some Christians believe that the Roman Catholic Church created All Saints Day to combat the pagan Samhain holiday, but this was not the case for a few reasons:
1. The Roman Catholic Church today was not the Catholic (unified) Church prior. During this time period of the 5th Century, the Church was truly Catholic as one from East to West (they wouldn’t separate until the 9th Century, which is known as the Great Schism). This is important because even certain Protestant groups—i.e., Anglicans and Lutherans—celebrate All Saints Day given their heritage connection to the unified (Catholic) Church.
2. The original date of All Saints Day was May 13th, meaning that All Hallow’s Eve would be on May 12th. By this point, Christianity already had multiple feast days including Advent, Christmastide, Lent, Holy Week, Eastertide, and Trinity season (the time in between Pentecost and Advent). While some of these feast celebrations are rooted in Scripture, they are not commanded by Scripture to be celebrated. This is where Church tradition comes into play.
To help those of the faith remember important time periods in the Scriptures and the Church, feasts were created to commemorate those days through literal feasting, along with fasts and the consecration of the Mass. Allhallowtide was no exception.
The original date of May 13th for All Saint’s Day was proposed by St. Boniface IV, the Bishop (i.e. the Pope) of Rome, in 603 A.D. This day was proposed to commemorate all those who died in and for the faith. A little under 200 years later in 800 A.D., the feast day date was moved to November 1st and then was officially ordered to be kept that day in 837 A.D. by Pope Gregory III. The original reason for this was that it coincided with the dedication of St. Peter’s Basilica, which still stands today. Furthermore, similar to how we dress in Halloween costumes today, Christians themselves would dress up as their favorite Saints on this day to commemorate those who were their favorites or who were their Patron Saint.
So, we have talked about the origins and similarities between Halloween and Allhallowtide. What are the differences?
What are Some Key Differences between Allhallowtide and Halloween?
As previously mentioned, Allhallowtide is a Christian holiday that commemorates and honors deceased saints. Christians from different denominations celebrate All Saints Day in different ways. Lutherans and Protestant Anglicans celebrate this day by honoring those of the faith and remembering their sacrifices for the Gospel, similar to how someone might honor fallen soldiers on Memorial Day. Roman and Anglican Catholics go further by asking for the intercession of the Saints, i.e., asking them for prayer.
The same can be said for All Souls Day. This day is celebrated more by Roman and Anglican Catholics, as it is a time to pray for the dead who are 1) resting in the heavens between the first and second resurrection and 2) for souls thought to be in purgatory.
This religiously oriented celebration stands in stark contrast to the modern cultural celebration of Halloween. As previously mentioned, the Samhain pagan celebration has certain connections to Halloween today. One of these was the act of trick-or-treating, otherwise known as “souling." Both involve the practice of going door-to-door for treats, scaring off demons, and observing life on earth and the afterlife for the soul. Unlike Christians, however, pagans believed that during Halloween, departed souls were allowed to roam the earth again. Halloween's ties to pagan roots are very loose in the modern era, but, in contrast, Allhallowtide is celebrated similarly today to how it has been for hundreds of years.
What Christians Should Know about Allhallowtide and Halloween
Some Christians of the evangelical and non-denominational persuasion may still be skeptical about Allhallowtide due to stereotypes and misinformation. A great way to observe this celebration in person is to attend an Anglican, Lutheran, or other high church service on one or all three of these days. Observe how this day is celebrated in practice and feel free to ask the clergymen questions about it in order to deepen your understanding of why some Christians still think it's important to honor departed saints.
Another way to honor faithful saints is to read about them. A good book to start with is the Oxford Dictionary of Saints, 5th Edition. Here, you can find a summary about the lives of each saint in the early church from the Apostolic era to the Great Schism of 1054 A.D. You will be inspired and encouraged by their devotion and love for Christ in their lives, their work, and even in their deaths.
So we see that while Halloween has become a largely secular holiday focused on costumes and fun, Allhallowtide—comprising All Saints' Eve, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day—retains a deeply spiritual focus in Christian tradition. Allhallowtide emphasizes remembering and honoring the saints and faithful departed souls, making it a time for reflection and prayer. Christians can observe these days by focusing on faith and our ultimate home with Christ in heaven, distinct from the cultural celebrations of Halloween.
For Further Reading
Is Halloween Evil, and Should Christians Celebrate it?
What is the History of Halloween?
What is the Difference between Halloween, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day?
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Maya23K
