Source: Silouan
This post has been around the Internet for several years. Originally posted by Steve Lammert, It’s a description of one Orthodox Christian’s approach to how to handle the evening of October 31.
Every year, on Hallowe’en, I sit on the front porch of my house with a bowl of candy, a box of beeswax candles, and a large icon for the Feast of All Saints.
Every child who comes to the house gets a piece of candy, and may also light a candle and place it before the icon. Very few kids (even the jaded teenagers) turn down the opportunity.
For those who ask, I tell them that the meaning of the word “Hallowe’en” is “the eve of the Feast of All Saints”.
If they press me on the point, I tell them that they can think of the true meaning of Hallowe’en as being that, because of Christ, they can dress up like ghosts and goblins and whatnot, because we do not need to fear those things any longer.
I wish I had a few photos of the kids in Satan masks, lighting a candle and placing it before the icon…
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That suggestion I first heard from someone in New Zealand, but it seems to be a good one for places where Hallowe’en is a big thing. The Orthodox Hallowe’en is, of course, the Saturday after Pentecost.
The Sat. before Pentecost not after. There is also the Sat. before Last Judgment Sun.
God Bless you +
I’m converting to Orthodox Christianity and little things like this are so helpful for learning traditions that I probably wouldn’t get to learn about. Thank you!