English:
All Saints Day Sanok.
During Hallowmas, many
Christian
believers visit graveyards
in order to place flowers and candles on the graves of their loved ones. |
Development of artifacts and
symbols associated with Halloween formed over time. The turnip has
traditionally been used in Ireland and Scotland at Halloween, but immigrants to
North America used the native pumpkin, which is both much softer and much
larger – making it easier to carve than a turnip. Subsequently, the mass
marketing of various size pumpkins in autumn, in both the corporate and local
markets, has made pumpkins universally available for this purpose. The American
tradition of carving pumpkins is recorded in 1837 and was originally associated
with harvest time in general, not becoming specifically associated with
Halloween until the mid-to-late 19th century.
The modern imagery of
Halloween comes from many sources, including national customs, works of Gothic
and horror literature (such as the novels Frankenstein
and Dracula) and classic horror films
(such as Frankenstein and The Mummy). One of the earliest works on
the subject of Halloween is from Scottish poet John Mayne, who, in 1780, made
note of pranks at Halloween; "What
fearfu' pranks ensue!", as well as the supernatural associated with
the night, "Bogies"
(ghosts), influencing Robert Burns' Halloween
1785. Elements of the autumn season, such as pumpkins, corn husks and
scarecrows, are also prevalent. Homes in the United States are often decorated
with these types of symbols around Halloween. The autumn colors are most
commonly associated with All Hallow's Eve because of the time of year that it
takes place during.
Halloween, as with many other
holidays, has frequently been associated with unsavory themes; themes
like
death, evil, the occult, and mythical monsters because there are many
people
who are entertained and preoccupied with this kind of negativity. If we
allow
others to take what can be thoughtfully understood and celebrated for
positive
reasons, every holiday no matter what the origins, will be manipulated
to the
advantage of those in our culture to represent what they care about.
Halloween has long been misrepresented in popular American culture as
something evil, but it does not need to be.
All Hallows Eve is was often celebrated
to be about the triumph of good over evil for many centuries. On Hallowe'en
(All Hallows' Eve), in Poland, believers are taught to pray out loud as they
walk through the forests in order that the souls of the dead might find
comfort; in Spain, Christian priests toll their church bells in order to allow
their congregants to remember the dead on All Hallows' Eve. The Christian
Church traditionally observed Hallowe'en through a vigil "when worshippers
would prepare themselves with prayers and fasting prior to the feast day
itself." This church service is known as the Vigil of All Hallows or the Vigil
of All Saints; an initiative known as Night
of Light seeks to further spread the Vigil
of All Hallows throughout Christendom. After the service, "suitable
festivities and entertainments" often follow, as well as a visit to the
graveyard or cemetery, where flowers and candles are often placed in
preparation for All Hallows' Day or All Saint's Day.
The origin of the festival of All Saints
celebrated in the West dates to 13 May 609 or 610, when Pope Boniface IV
consecrated the Pantheon at Rome to the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs; the
feast of the dedicatio Sanctae Mariae ad
Martyres has been celebrated at Rome ever since. There is evidence that
from the fifth through the seventh centuries there existed in certain places
and at sporadic intervals a feast date on 13 May to celebrate the holy martyrs.
The origin of All Saints' Day cannot be traced with certainty, and it has been
observed on various days in different places. However, there are some who maintain
the belief that it has origins in the pagan observation of 13 May, the Feast of
the Lemures, in which the malevolent and restless spirits of the dead were
propitiated. Liturgiologists base the idea that this Lemuria festival was the origin of that of All Saints on their
identical dates and on the similar theme of "all the dead".
The feast of All Saints, on its current date, is traced to the foundation by Pope Gregory III (731–741) of an oratory in St. Peter's for the relics "of the holy apostles and of all saints, martyrs and confessors, of all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world", with the day moved to 1 November and the 13 May feast suppressed.
This fell on the Celtic holiday of Samhain, which had a theme similar to the Roman festival of Lemuria, but which was also a harvest festival. The Irish, having celebrated Samhain in the past, did not celebrate All Hallows Day on this 1 November date, as extant historical documents attest that the celebration in Ireland took place in the spring: "...the Felire of Oengus and the Martyrology of Tallaght prove that the early medieval churches [in Ireland] celebrated the feast of All Saints on April 20."
A November festival of all the saints was already widely celebrated on 1 November in the days of Charlemagne. It was made a day of obligation throughout the Frankish empire in 835, by a decree of Louis the Pious, issued "at the instance of Pope Gregory IV and with the assent of all the bishops", which confirmed its celebration on 1 November. The octave was added by Pope Sixtus IV (1471–1484).
The festival was retained after the Reformation in the calendar of the Anglican Church and in many Lutheran churches. In the Lutheran churches, such as the Church of Sweden, it assumes a role of general commemoration of the dead. In the Swedish calendar, the observance takes place on the Saturday between 31 October and 6 November. In many Lutheran Churches, it is moved to the first Sunday of November. In the Church of England it may be celebrated either on 1 November or on the Sunday between 30 October and 5 November. It is also celebrated by other Protestants of the English tradition, such as the United Church of Canada, the Methodist churches, and the Wesleyan Church.
Protestants generally regard all true Christian believers as saints and if they observe All Saints Day at all they use it to remember all Christians both past and present. In the United Methodist Church, All Saints' Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in November. It is held, not only to remember Saints, but also to remember all those who have died who were members of the local church congregation. In some congregations, a candle is lit by the Acolyte as each person's name is called out by the clergy. Prayers and responsive readings may accompany the event. Often, the names of those who have died in the past year are affixed to a memorial plaque.
In many Lutheran churches, All Saints' Day and Reformation Day are observed concurrently on the Sunday before or after those dates, given Reformation Day is observed in Protestant Churches on 31 October. Typically, Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" is sung during the service. Besides discussing Luther's role in the Protestant Reformation, some recognition of the prominent early leaders of the Reformed tradition, such as John Calvin and John Knox, occurs. The observance of Reformation Day may be immediately followed by a reading of those members of the local congregation who have died in the past year in observance of All Saints' Day. Otherwise, the recognition of deceased church members occurs at another designated portion of the service.
The feast of All Saints, on its current date, is traced to the foundation by Pope Gregory III (731–741) of an oratory in St. Peter's for the relics "of the holy apostles and of all saints, martyrs and confessors, of all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world", with the day moved to 1 November and the 13 May feast suppressed.
This fell on the Celtic holiday of Samhain, which had a theme similar to the Roman festival of Lemuria, but which was also a harvest festival. The Irish, having celebrated Samhain in the past, did not celebrate All Hallows Day on this 1 November date, as extant historical documents attest that the celebration in Ireland took place in the spring: "...the Felire of Oengus and the Martyrology of Tallaght prove that the early medieval churches [in Ireland] celebrated the feast of All Saints on April 20."
A November festival of all the saints was already widely celebrated on 1 November in the days of Charlemagne. It was made a day of obligation throughout the Frankish empire in 835, by a decree of Louis the Pious, issued "at the instance of Pope Gregory IV and with the assent of all the bishops", which confirmed its celebration on 1 November. The octave was added by Pope Sixtus IV (1471–1484).
The festival was retained after the Reformation in the calendar of the Anglican Church and in many Lutheran churches. In the Lutheran churches, such as the Church of Sweden, it assumes a role of general commemoration of the dead. In the Swedish calendar, the observance takes place on the Saturday between 31 October and 6 November. In many Lutheran Churches, it is moved to the first Sunday of November. In the Church of England it may be celebrated either on 1 November or on the Sunday between 30 October and 5 November. It is also celebrated by other Protestants of the English tradition, such as the United Church of Canada, the Methodist churches, and the Wesleyan Church.
Protestants generally regard all true Christian believers as saints and if they observe All Saints Day at all they use it to remember all Christians both past and present. In the United Methodist Church, All Saints' Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in November. It is held, not only to remember Saints, but also to remember all those who have died who were members of the local church congregation. In some congregations, a candle is lit by the Acolyte as each person's name is called out by the clergy. Prayers and responsive readings may accompany the event. Often, the names of those who have died in the past year are affixed to a memorial plaque.
In many Lutheran churches, All Saints' Day and Reformation Day are observed concurrently on the Sunday before or after those dates, given Reformation Day is observed in Protestant Churches on 31 October. Typically, Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" is sung during the service. Besides discussing Luther's role in the Protestant Reformation, some recognition of the prominent early leaders of the Reformed tradition, such as John Calvin and John Knox, occurs. The observance of Reformation Day may be immediately followed by a reading of those members of the local congregation who have died in the past year in observance of All Saints' Day. Otherwise, the recognition of deceased church members occurs at another designated portion of the service.
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