As October fades into November, the calendar presents a triptych of days steeped with history, namely Halloween, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day. While modern culture often celebrates this season with costumes and carved pumpkins, its origins run much deeper. Between October 31 and November 2, centuries of bygone Christian faithful have observed this time as a moment to reflect on holiness and mortality.
Contrary to belief, Halloween was not a Christian appropriation of the Celtic festival of Samhain. Instead, the early Church, deeply attuned to both nature and the rhythm of the human soul, consecrated this same autumnal threshold as a moment when the year turns toward darkness, a time to honor light: the light of the saints and the soul’s awaiting redemption.
In the medieval world, All Hallows’ Eve was both solemn and joyful, a vigil before the Feast of All Saints. It was marked by gatherings, storytelling, and acts of charity such as “soul caking,” where the poor would receive food or coins in exchange for prayers for the dead. The following day, November 1, is celebrated as All Saints’ Day in glory. Church services filled the air with incense, chant, and candlelight, transforming sanctuaries into glimpses of heaven. Gold and white vestments shimmered as symbols of victory over death, reminding the faithful that holiness was not confined to the past; it was a living call for all believers to follow in its footsteps.
All Souls’ Day, established in the 11th century, brought the focus closer to home. It invited the faithful to pray for loved ones in purgatory as their souls were being purified in the presence of God. In an age without electric light, when the darkening world mirrored the fading of the year, this act of remembrance shone as a beacon of compassion and continuity.
Today, these observances continue to be a rich source of reflection. Although centuries have passed, the questions they raise about mortality, redemption, and the enduring light of faith continue to speak powerfully to the practice of medicine and the healing of the human spirit. As Dr. James C. Wittig’s upcoming Faith and Medicine series explores, the relationship between faith and healing is not confined to history books; it is written in every patient’s story, every moment of compassion, and every act of hope against darkness. So as candles flicker this week and the season turns toward quiet reflection, we are invited to look beyond the masks and myths of Halloween and to remember the saints who inspire us, the souls who await our prayers, and the eternal light that even death cannot extinguish.
