ALL SAINTS DAY

1st November is  in reality  All Saints  Day.  But  in the Philippines,  there  is  a  misconception that  it  is  also  the  day  for  our departed loved-ones.   While  the  Gregorian  calendar – that  we  follow -, indicates 2nd  November  is  actually  All Souls  Day,  the  day  to remember  our  deceased  loved-ones.   But  it has  been  a  tradition  in  almost  all the  devout  Catholic countries like the  Philippines,  to  celebrate  the  “day  of the dead”  on 1st November.   It no longer matter  what the  calendar  says.  What matters  most   is  for us  to  remember  our  defunct  loved-ones. 

If you come  to think  deeply  about  it,  how lucky  are  those  who  have already gone  to  the  “other  side”.   They’re  already  “rested”,  away  from  the  restless mortal  world,  far  off  from  the  sufferings,  the  grief  and the  difficulties  that  every  living  being remain  to confront  with in this  world.   But us,  the  “living”,  should  be  happy  to  remain  “alive”  despite  the  difficulties we face in  life  because  there is so much  to do  and  there  is  so  much  to  be  gratified  for  in our  existence.  Our existence  is  a  journey that  we  have  to take  and  we  are headed   somewhere which is  undoubtedly  beyond  what  our thoughts  could ever fathom. 

This  author   believe  that  it  is  just  timely  to  write  something  about    life,  now that  we  are  celebrating  All  Saint’s  Day  and  All Soul’s  Day.   In  any  case,   these  days’ celebration  could  either  mean  to  me,    “what life had been”   and  “what  life  will there  be”.

Back in the Philippines,  the  celebration  of  All Saint’s  Day  is  one  of the most  important event  the Filipinos  await during the  year. It is  a day to feast,   to party,   specially  the halloween.   It is the day  to remember  our  lost  family member,  our  lost  friend.  We  cannot  though  lay  aside the  Nativity –  the birth of  Jesus Christ – which is  the most longed-for date  by  all  without  exception  –  Christians  or  even  by  those  believers  of other  religion.  

All Saints Icon

But  what is All Saints Day  about?  I’ve  done  a  research  and  here is what  I  found:

“Initially the calendars of saints and martyrs varied from location to location, and many times local churches honoured local saints. However, gradually feast days became more universal. The first reference to a general feast celebrating all saints occurred in St. Ephrem the Syrian (d. AD 373). St. John Chrysostom (d. AD 407) assigned a day to the feast, the first Sunday after Pentecost, where in the Eastern Churches the feast is celebrated to this day. In the West, this date was probably originally used, and then the feast was moved to May 13th. The current observance (November 1) probably originates from the time of Pope Gregory III (d. AD 741), and was likely first observed on November 1st in Germany. This fact makes the connection of the All Saints Feast with the pagan festival Samhain less likely, since Samhain was an Irish pagan feast, rather than German.

The vigil of the Feast (the eve) has grown up in the English speaking countries as a festival in itself, All Hallows Eve, or Halloween. While many consider Halloween pagan (and in many instances the celebrations are for many), as far as the Church is concerned the date is simply the eve of the feast of All Saints. Many customs of Halloween reflect the Christian belief that on the feast’s vigils we mock evil, because as Christians, it has no real power over us. However, for some Halloween is used for evil purposes, in which many Christians dabble unknowingly. David Morrison explains the proper relationship between Christians and Halloween. Various customs have developed related to Halloween. In the Middle Ages, poor people in the community begged for “soul cakes,” and upon receiving these doughnuts, they would agree to pray for departed souls. This is the root of our modern day “trick-or-treat.” The custom of masks and costumes developed to mock evil and perhaps confuse the evil spirits by dressing as one of their own. Some Christians visit cemeteries on Halloween, not to practice evil, but to commemorate departed relatives and friends, with picnics and the last flowers of the year. The day after All Saints day is called All Soul’s Day, a day to remember and offer prayers up on behalf of all of the faithful departed”. Source: http://www.churchyear.net

There  you have  it  ladies and gentlemen,  All Saint’s  day..

May our  departed loved-ones  find  the light  and peace…beyond..

Happy  Halloween  to  all…Eric