14
FROM TH
iiiOctober 27, 2023 | catholicnewsherald.com
A C E L E BR ATI O N O F
Happy Hallo A
s the liturgical year winds down and with Advent just weeks away, the Church celebrates the colorful season of “Hallowtide” – a three-day observance dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints, martyrs and all the faithful departed. The "triduum” of feast days begins Oct. 31 with All Hallows’ Eve (also called All Saints’ Eve, Day of the
PHOTO PROVIDED BY AMY BURGER
TEXT BY SPENCER K.M. BROWN
Preschoolers wore adorable costumes for an All Saints Day celebration at St. Mark School in Huntersville in 2018.
All Hallows’ Eve A
ll Hallows’ Eve falls on Oct. 31, the day before All Hallows’ Day (or All Saints Day), when the Church traditionally held a vigil as worshippers prepared themselves with prayers and fasting prior to the feast day itself. The name comes from the Old English “hallowed," meaning holy or sanctified – now shortened to the familiar word “Hallowe'en.” In the early Church, communities gathered to celebrate Mass and pray for the intercession of saints and for deceased loved ones. They built bonfires representing God’s light and victory over death and evil. The celebration has evolved to a more secular day of pumpkin carving, trick-or-treating, festive gatherings, costumes and treats.
A tradition of Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is reminiscing about departed loved ones at home altar
Create a home altar H
ome altars are usually comprised of triangular-shaped tiers representing three states of the Church: the living, the dead in purgatory, and the communion of saints in heaven. (Some refer to these as the “Church Militant,” the “Church Penitent,” and the “Church Triumphant.”) Follow these four steps to create your own Day of the Dead home altar:
Set up a three-tiered shelf or table in a prominent place in your home. On the top tier, prominently place a crucifix or icon of Our Lord, surrounded by images of saints or the Blessed Virgin Mary.
1
2
memora decease