By Dennis Petersen
“Test all things; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
Have you noticed how, even before October begins, when the pumpkin decorations start rolling out in the stores, that the dark side of the celebration becomes more obviously evil every year?
Did you know that the word Halloween can be translated as holy night? But holy for whom? What happens when a night meant to be sacred is hijacked by rituals of death and darkness?
The word Halloween comes from something that sounds sacred. It means ‘All Hallow’s Eve,’ meaning the evening before All Saints Day. In the medieval Christian calendar, November 1st was chosen to honor believers who had died as martyrs. The night before became known as the eve of this holy day. When church leaders chose November 1st for All Saints Day, that date was already marked by ancient peoples across Northern Europe. It was a time for rituals far older than any Christian observance. The church tried to overlay a holy remembrance on top of existing pagan celebrations.
All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day, originated in the early Christian Church as a memorial day for martyrs who were executed for their faith in Jesus by pagan governments, like the Roman Empire. The first known collective celebration occurred in the 4th century. Early believers had reverence for martyrs like the Apostle John’s disciple, Polycarp. His celebrated model of faithfulness was documented in a written report called the “Martyrdom of Polycarp,” written shortly after his execution in AD 155. The observance of All Saints Day was moved to November 1st by Pope Gregory III in the mid-8th century when it became a universal holy day (from which we get the word ‘holiday’ which is a festival or feast day).
