Beyond the Masks: Rediscovering the True Spirit of “Halloween”
Before the costumes and candy, Halloween was a night of holiness — a vigil of light before the Feast of All Saints. This year, let’s look beyond the shadows and reclaim its sacred meaning.
Each year, as October 31st approaches, our streets fill with costumes, candy, and carved pumpkins. For many, Halloween is a night of fun and fright — a time for spooky decorations and sweet treats. Yet few realize that this day has holy and ancient Christian roots. Behind the masks and marketing lies a story that calls us to rediscover the real meaning of Halloween and to celebrate it in a way that reflects its true spirit.
The Meaning of the Word: The name Halloween is actually a shortened form of “All Hallows’ Eve.” “Hallow” means holy or saint — as we say in the Lord’s Prayer, “Hallowed be Thy name.” “E’en” is an old term for evening. Put together, Halloween literally means “the evening of all the holy ones.” It is the vigil before one of the Church’s greatest feasts: All Saints’ Day on November 1st — the day we honor all the saints in heaven, both known and unknown.
The Origin of the Feast: From the early centuries of Christianity, believers have honored the memory of the martyrs and holy men and women who gave their lives for Christ. As their numbers grew, the Church set aside a single day to celebrate all who have reached heaven — the great family of the faithful who now live in God’s presence. By the eighth century, Pope Gregory III established November 1st as All Saints’ Day, and the evening before became known as All Hallows’ Eve. It was a time of prayer, reflection, and preparation — a vigil of hope before the great feast of light and glory.
How the Meaning Was Lost: Over time, as Christian Europe met different local customs and seasonal harvest traditions, some of the symbols of autumn and death became mixed with the Church’s holy vigil. In more recent times, especially in popular culture, Halloween has drifted far from its sacred roots. Instead of a night preparing to honor the saints, it often celebrates fear, darkness, and even things that mock the sacred. What began as a vigil of holiness has become for many a festival of horror — and, sadly, a highly commercialized one. The focus has shifted from honoring heaven’s glory to glorifying the eerie and grotesque.
A Call to Reclaim the Light: Yet this need not be the case. As Catholics, we are invited to reclaim Halloween and return to its true purpose — a time of joy, remembrance, and faith. Halloween, rightly understood, points us toward the victory of light over darkness, of life over death, of Christ over evil. We can restore the beauty of this feast by celebrating it in meaningful ways: Attend Mass or a vigil service for All Saints’ Day. Learn about and share stories of the saints, especially lesser-known ones. Host an All-Saints’ celebration where children can dress as their favorite saints or biblical figures. Pray for loved ones who have died, preparing also for All Souls’ Day on November 2nd. Light candles as symbols of Christ, the Light of the World, shining in the darkness. These practices remind us that Halloween is not about fear, but about faith — not about death’s power, but about the promise of eternal life.
Becoming Saints Ourselves: The true message of Halloween is one of hope. It calls us to remember that we are all made for heaven, and that sainthood is not reserved for a few — it is our universal call. As we honor the saints who have gone before us, we renew our own desire to follow their example of courage, charity, and holiness. So, this year, as pumpkins glow on porches and children laugh in the streets, let us also allow the light of faith to shine in our hearts. Let us celebrate All Hallows’ Eve as it was meant to be — a joyful vigil before the Feast of All Saints, a night when we look not into the shadows, but toward the radiant glory of God’s kingdom.
Fr. Varghese Puthussery SAC, St. Peter Church.
