Halloween, history, and Catholicism: a religious party pack

It’s that time of year when many of us fondly remember donning a costume and collecting candy. As small children, we were much more concerned with the amount and type of candy we were receiving from our benevolent neighbors, and we seldom considered the origins of a holiday or its cultural significance. 

There is significant debate and controversy surrounding the holiday and its history. In the Catholic sphere, this debate centers around the precise origins of the holiday. The name Halloween comes from Proto-English meaning “holy night,”  and is undoubtedly Christian in origin. 

However, the syncretic tradition of Roman Catholicism is undeniable, and to this author, there is only one answer to the question of Halloween’s origins. No matter the rebrand, Halloween is undoubtedly rooted in the pre-Christian Celtic festival of Samhain.

For those who may be wondering what exactly a “syncretic tradition” or syncretism is, Merriam-Webster defines syncretism as “the combination of different forms of belief or practice” or “the fusion of two or more originally different inflectional forms” which is all just a fancy way of saying that beliefs and religions adapt to the cultural contexts within which they exist. 

For example, the depiction of the Our Lady of Guadalupe is a syncretic symbol because Mary appears surrounded by ancient Aztec symbols.

To the pre-Christian Celts, Samhain was the time of the year when the supernatural world was merged with the natural. Spirits would roam the earth throughout the evening, and the Celts made sure none of their foodstuffs were harmed by mischievous spirits by offering them food. You have likely participated in this tradition yourself if you have ever put out a  Jack O’ Lantern. 

Jack O’ Lanterns changed throughout the ages and are a great example of Christian syncretism at work because, for later Irish traditions, a Jack O’ Lantern was a commemoration of Christian souls in Purgatory. 

Nov. 1 became All Saint’s Day in the 800s with an official Papal declaration, and the placement of its date over Samhain seems all too convenient. The early Church placed holidays on pagan festivals much in the same manner, the Romans placed theirs over others. Christmas is placed on the Roman feast of the birth of Sol Invictus is another example.

As a Catholic, I believe it is important to acknowledge the historical roots of our celebrations, and the season of Halloween is an apt time to do so. To not do so strips the holiday of centuries of human experience and diminishes its overall value. 

Regardless of your persuasion, history and humanity are two constants in an inconstant world. 

I will leave you with a rhetorical question: would a truly loving and all-knowing God present His mystery of salvation in a manner his children could not engage with in a way that made sense to them?

It’s often said that “God works in mysterious ways” and syncretism may very well show God’s love through unique human culture.