Halloween; Good or Bad? - video published on 31 Oct 2025
As Fr. Chris Alar explains, the evening we now call Halloween began not as a pagan ritual, but as a sacred Christian vigil—All Hallows’ Eve, the holy night before the solemnity of All Saints’ Day. This feast, instituted in the 700s, has always been a time to honor the saints and pray for the faithful departed. The Church’s ancient practice of vigils reflected the truth that holy days begin at sundown, anticipating the joy of what is to come.
Many claim Halloween is rooted in paganism, yet history says otherwise. Popes Gregory III and IV, who established the feast and its vigil, had no knowledge of the Celtic festival of Samhain. While certain customs like bonfires, costumes, and carved lanterns existed in pagan Europe, their Christian meaning transformed them: light overcoming darkness, prayers for the dead, and the triumph of holiness over sin. As with the Christmas tree, these cultural remnants were baptized—not banned—by the Church.
Our Catholic ancestors saw All Hallows’ Eve as a time to remember that life on earth is fleeting and that Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell are real. The “veil” between the visible and invisible was thought to thin, reminding us of the souls who need our prayers. Even “trick or treating” began as the holy custom of souling—children receiving soul cakes in exchange for praying for the dead. The jack-o’-lantern, too, once symbolized the light of Christ and the souls awaiting redemption.
Halloween became distorted after the Reformation, when anti-Catholic sentiment labeled the feast “pagan.” Puritans even outlawed it in early America, erasing its sacred meaning. But the Church has never ceased to teach that this vigil belongs to Christ. It is not a night to glorify evil, witchcraft, or fear—but a night to honor the saints, pray for the departed, and rejoice in God’s victory over death.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). May this Holy Eve draw us closer to the Communion of Saints and remind us that holiness conquers darkness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V87eok-5Q6I
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What is 'All Hallows' Eve'? Why do Catholics celebrate it on Halloween, just before the feast of 'All Saints Day'?
In this special episode of Kumment Kattoliku (divided into 3 parts), Fr. Ray Toledo gives some insights into these questions and encourages Catholics to stand firm in the Catholic faith.
True Light Catholic Media would like to thank the members and community of the 'Fergħa Ewkaristika' in Marsa, for their help in making these videos.
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Kumment Kattoliku: IL-HALLOWEEN - (with English Subtitles) - from: TRUE LIGHT CATHOLIC MEDIA Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEYDcemW6Gv_ybjBi0EntuAkBJ9GB_Vk0&disable_polymer=true
or
1st video --- Kumment Kattoliku 5: Il-Halloween L-Ewwel Parti (with English Subtitles)
2nd video --- Kumment Kattoliku 5: Il-Halloween It-Tieni Parti (with English Subtitles)
3rd video --- Kumment Kattoliku 5: Il-Halloween It-Tielet Parti (with English Subtitles)
October 31- Eve of SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS on November 1 ---- Halloween is a pagan, anti-christian feast
https://medjugorjemalta.blogspot.com/2010/11/holloween-parti-1-frhayden-williams-ofm.html.
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