Every October, as Halloween approaches, Orthodox Christian parents often wonder: What are the boundaries for celebrating Halloween? Is it okay for our children to engage in certain traditions, or should we avoid the holiday altogether? These questions reflect broader concerns about how to live the Orthodox faith in a secular world.
Let’s take a closer look at Halloween’s origins, the teachings of the Church, and how Orthodox Christians have approached this holiday.
Please note: the Orthodox Church does not have an official position on Halloween. There is no mention of Halloween among the Fathers or the Saints. Likewise, the Church does not have positions on other holidays, like Chinese New Year or Kwanzaa. Therefore, each Orthodox Christian must employ discernment and prayer and consult with his/her spiritual father if celebrating Halloween is something he/she is considering for the family.
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What is Halloween?
The word Halloween has two definitions: the Christian one versus the pagan one. In the Christian context, Halloween is short for “All Hallows’ Eve,” the evening before the Western Christian feast day of All Saints. Hallow is an old-fashioned word for Holy (Saint), and E’en is short for evening. The recognition of All Hallows’ Eve began sometime during the episcopate of Pope Gregory III (731 – 741 AD), who dedicated an oratory in the original Saint Peter’s Basilica of Rome in honor of all the Saints on November 1st. In the Orthodox Church, we celebrate All Saints’ Day on the Sunday after Pentecost, which typically falls somewhere in late spring (May, June).
In the pagan context, Halloween traces its origins to the Celtic festival of Samhain, a time when people believed the barrier between the living and the dead was at its thinnest. Spirits were said to cross the veil into the world of the living. To ward them off, the people lit large bonfires and dressed in costume. Along with those practices, the modern-day secular celebration of Halloween includes trick-or-treating (requesting treats and harassing those who do not give) and the carving of jack-o-lanterns. In some circles, there is also a fascination with communicating with the spirit world via scrying and divination, as well as a fixation on the macabre and horrifying.
Living as Orthodox Christians in a secular world
For Orthodox Christians living in secular America, questions about Halloween are part of a larger challenge: How should we engage with the culture around us?
Most parents who object may say, “But Halloween is just a time for kids to dress up, get candy, and enjoy themselves. What’s the harm in that?” But we must remember there are invisible realities beyond what our eyes can see. Dressing as evil spirits (witches, vampires, etc.) or participating in rituals associated with fear and magic can blur the line between what is playful and what is spiritually unhealthy. Some parents rightly fear that this exposure may desensitize their children to practices the Church rejects, like witchcraft and necromancy.
As parents, we often attempt to justify participation in questionable activities because we want our children to fit in. We yearn for them to feel a sense of belonging and not feel left out among their secular friends. And though this is well-intentioned, it is not wise. As parents, we should not actively encourage the normalization of evil and demonic things in our children’s lives. Yes, your child may be disappointed about having to pass up Halloween. But she will emerge from it with a profound sense of her Christian identity, able to stand up against the things that go against her Faith.
What should we do on Halloween?
In every Liturgy, the priest prays several times: “Let us commend ourselves and each other, and all our life unto Christ our God.” Perhaps instead of conforming to our society, we can take a step toward healing society, our families, and our children by commending Halloween to the care of our Ever-present God. This means removing anything ungodly from the celebration and keeping Christ and His Saints at the center. Here are a few practical suggestions about how to do this:
- Speak with your parish priest about celebrating a Vespers and Paraklesis on October 31st, to pray together for the world.
- Have a discussion about what Halloween really means and what we should celebrate (the martyrs and Saints who gave their lives to God). Ask your children if you can love God and follow Him while celebrating evil at the same time. And ask them whose side they want to be on. You can also help them come up with responses should their friends ask why they aren’t “doing Halloween”.
- Have a family meal together thanking God for the harvest. Include things like apples, pumpkins, and corn, that serve as symbols of autumn.
- Instead of trick-or-treating, do something in service of someone else.
- Carve the cross on your pumpkins, or glue icons or other Christian symbols on them.
- If you would still like to hand out something for the children coming by your house, consider giving them quote cards with the Psalms or proverbs on them, along with a healthy snack.
- Say an intercessory prayer to St. John of Kronstadt, who was born on the day of Halloween.
- Set clear boundaries about what you will and will not participate in and why.
What about Halloween in public schools?
Celebrating Halloween in an Orthodox Christian way at home is easy enough. But what should parents do about school activities? Should we, as parents, go so far as to withdraw our children from school in the days surrounding Halloween? Ultimately, whatever response we take requires prayer, careful consideration of whether the activities are simply ‘art and craft’ or have more sinister undertones, and consultation with our priest.
We must consistently monitor what our children are being taught, what their activities are in class, etc. We must continue explaining the Truth to them and guiding them on the path to salvation. Witches are real and are not cute but evil. The dead do not leave heaven or hell; demons instead masquerade as the dead to frighten and mislead people. And so on.
Related: Strengthening Your Orthodox Children As They Navigate Public School
The education of our children is primarily our business as their parents, not the school board’s, administration’s, or teachers’. Chances are, there are other parents in your district (Orthodox or not) who don’t care for these Halloween activities either. If enough of you get together and ask for a change, changes can happen.
Philippians 4:8-9 is the perfect litmus test
Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report…meditate on these things…and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9
When we think to engage in any sort of activity, we must set it up against this “litmus test” from Saint Paul. Celebrating Halloween may be “fun” under proper supervision; however, it lacks significantly in the attributes laid out for Orthodox Christians in the Scriptures.
“Whatever things are true” excludes the goblins, witches, vampires and all the spooky fantasies that characterize Halloween. This could also apply to Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, arguably.
“Whatever things are noble.” We and our children are a royal priesthood, raised to honor ourselves with self-respect and dignity. How is dressing them in grotesque costumes that frighten others, noble? How it is dignified to be scared and humiliated by the things they would see while trick-or-treating? To be dignified, decent, and polite is the attribute of one made in the image of God.
“Whatever things are pure.” We are all baptized into a holiness that is spiritually protected by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. But we must choose to keep ourselves pure, free from all that is wrong, wicked, wild, and worthless. Temptations will come, and it is difficult, but not impossible, to preserve oneself from surrendering to the forces of iniquity.
“Whatever things are lovely.” When it comes to Halloween, this one is quite obvious! Halloween is all about macabre, grotesque ugliness, and gore.
“Meditate on these things and the God of peace will be with you.” Think about these things, not just as a vague ideal, but consider how to instill such virtues into our children, their families, and our Church.
We fight a spiritual war against demons every day
Evil is very real, and demons exist. Christ came into the world so that, through death, He might destroy him that had the dominion of death, that is, the Devil (Hebrews 2:14). Christians must see that our greatest foe is the Evil One who inspires nations and individuals to sin, and who keeps them from coming to the Truth. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12). Dressing up as devils, monsters, witches, or wizards – even as a joke – is spiritually dangerous. Because we are making fun of something deeply serious and real. Evil is not a joke, nor should it be taken lightly.
Keep Reading: Teaching Your Children (And Yourself) How To Pray