|
October 31
ALL HALLOWS' EVE
Halloween or All Hallows' Eve is not a liturgical feast on the Catholic calendar, but the celebration has deep ties to the Liturgical Year.
Saints or holy people are called "hallowed," hence the name "All Hallow's Day." The evening, before the feast (All Saints Day) became popularly known as "All Hallows' Eve" or even shorter, "Hallowe'en."
In Newfoundland the name All Hallows has been adopted as the name of a number of Catholic parishes, schools and cemeteries including All Hallows Parish, North River and All Hallows Parish, Corner Brook.
Since the night before All Saints Day, (November 1) now known as Hallowe'en, was the vigil and required fasting by Catholics, many recipes and traditions were developed for this evening. Some of the better known recipes are boxty bread or pancake (a potato bread or pancake made with flour and egg); barmbrack (Irish fruit bread with hidden charms), colcannon (combination of cabbage and boiled potatoes).
Many of the customs we now associate with Halloween are also derived from ancient celebrations.
Trick or Treat
For example, the current custom of going door-to-door to collect treats actually started in Ireland hundreds of years ago. Groups of farmers would go door-to-door collecting food and materials for a village feast and bonfire. Those who gave were promised prosperity; those who did not received threats of bad luck. When an influx of Irish Catholic immigrants came to North America in the 1800s, the custom of trick-or-treating came with them.
Pumpkin Carving
Does your family carve a pumpkin to place on your porch for Halloween? If so, then you can once again thank the Irish for the tradition. Actually, the custom began with a turnip. People would hollow out the turnips and place lighted candles inside to scare off the evil spirits. When the Irish came to North America, they discovered the pumpkin as a larger substitute for the turnip. And so, we now carve pumpkins instead of turnips for Halloween.
For more information on this and other related subjects contact the Archives of the R.C. Archdiocese. www.stjohnsarchdiocese.nf.ca
Other “Archival Moments” will be posted at this site on a regular weekly basis. If you have friends or colleagues who would like to receive these "archival moments" please send us their e mail address or forward this moment to them from your desk!!
Larry Dohey
Archives of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. John’s
P.O. Box 1363
St. John’s, NL
A1C 5M3
709-726-3660
E-mail: archives@nf.aibn.com
We hope that you have enjoyed this archival moment.
|
|
