The end of October marks the beginning of a busy holiday season; Halloween, Samhain, All Saints’ Day, All Souls Day, and Día de los Muertos.
Halloween – October 31st
Halloween, also known as All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve. It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival of Samhain; that may have had pagan roots; and that Samhain itself was Christianized as Halloween by the early Church. Besides your typical trick-or-treating, costume parties, pumpkin carving, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, and scary stories and films, the Christian religious observances of All Hallows' Eve includes church services and lighting candles on the graves of the dead.
Samhain (saah-win)
As October turns to November, thousands of Witches, Wiccans, Druids, and other Pagans across America, Canada, Europe, and elsewhere observe the sacred time of Samhain. Samhain is a festival of the Dead. Meaning "Summer's End", a celebration of the end of the harvest and the start of the coldest half of the year. For many, Samhain is the beginning of the spiritual new year.
Samhain originated in ancient Europe as a Celtic Fire festival. The timing of contemporary Samhain celebrations varies according to spiritual tradition and geography. Many celebrate Samhain over the course of several days and nights, and these extended observances usually include a series of solo rites as well as ceremonies, feasts, and gatherings with family, friends, and spiritual community. In the northern hemisphere, many Pagans celebrate Samhain from sundown on October 31 through November 1.
Others hold Samhain celebrations on the nearest weekend or on the Full or New Moon closest to this time. Some Pagans observe Samhain a bit later, near November 6, to coincide more closely with the astronomical midpoint between Fall Equinox and Winter Solstice.
All Saints’ Day (November 1st) & All Souls Day (November 2nd)
All Saints' Day is also known as All Hallows Tide, All-Hallomas, or All Hallows' Day, and it's celebrated in many areas of the United States, especially where there are large Roman Catholic populations.
In New Orleans people gather in local cemeteries and decorate graves with flowers. The descendants of French Canadian settlers around St Martinsville, Louisiana, observe this day in the traditional French manner by laying wreaths and bouquets and lighting candles on even the most obscure graves.
All Saints' Day, which is celebrated globally, is closely tied with All Souls’ Day, which was first instituted at a monastery in France in 993 CE and quickly spread among Christians.
All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day are also closely linked with Halloween, which is shortened for the name “All Hallows' Eve”.
In the United Methodist Church, All Saints' Day is observed on the first Sunday in November to remember deceased members of the local church congregation. A candle is lit as each person's name is called out, followed by a prayer offered for each soul.
Día de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) November 1st and 2nd
The Day of the Dead is not the same as Halloween. While Halloween is celebrated Oct. 31, Day of the Dead is celebrated right after, on Nov. 2. Many communities that celebrate the Day of the Dead also celebrate Halloween.
Day of the Dead originated in ancient Mesoamerica (Mexico and northern Central America) where indigenous groups, including Aztec, Maya and Toltec, had specific times when they commemorated their loved ones who had passed away.
After the Spanish arrived the commemoration of the dead was intertwined with two Spanish holidays: All Saints Day (Nov. 1) and All Soul’s Day (Nov. 2). Day of the Dead is often celebrated on Nov. 1 as a day to remember children who have passed away, and on Nov. 2 to honor adults.
Today, the Day of the dead is celebrated mostly in Mexico and some parts of Central and South America. Recently it has become increasingly popular among Latino communities abroad, including the United States.
It’s a celebration of life, not death. Ancient Mesoamericans believed that death was part of the journey of life. Rather than death ending life, new life came from death. This cycle is often associated with the cyclical nature of agriculture, whereby crops grow from the ground where the last crop lies buried.
The ofrenda is often the most recognized symbol of the Day of the Dead. This temporary altar is a way for families to honor their loved ones. Pictures of the deceased, along with items that belonged to them, and objects that serve as a reminder of their lives are placed on the Altar. Every ofrenda includes the four elements: water, wind, earth and fire. Water is left in a pitcher so the spirits can quench their thirst. Traditional paper banners represent the wind. Earth is represented by food. Candles are often left in the form of a cross to represent the cardinal directions, so the spirits can find their way.
Ministers Message
This is a good time of year to contemplate the endless cycles of life, death, and rebirth. We gather the final harvest of our gardens and our fields become brown. Many trees have lost all their leaves and gone dormant. Darkness overtakes the light of the day as our nights get longer. With the loss of light our temperatures get colder. Through our traditions of Halloween, Samhain, All Saints Day, All Souls Day and Día de los Muertos, we take time to remember and honor the dead.
Ceremony to honor the dead
Place some fresh rosemary on the Altar for remembrance.
We remember those who have lived and died before us, those who have crossed through the veil and are no longer with us. We remember.
The north is a place of cold
The earth is silent and dark
The east is a land of new beginnings
The place where breath begins
The south is a land of sunlight and fire
who’s flames guide us through the cycles of life
The west is a place of underground rivers
The sea a never-ending, rolling tide
The Wheel of the Year turns once more
and we cycle into darkness
At the end of that darkness comes light
And when it arrives
We will celebrate once more
The gateway between our world and the spirit world is thinnest.
We honor our ancestors and the Ancient Ones.
We honor this time of transition from light to dark, from outward to inward.
Spirits of our ancestors, we call to you
We know you watch over us always, protecting & guiding us, and we thank you.
We invite you to join us and share your wisdom.
Each person lights a candle for their ancestors and states who they are and their lineage.
I am (name), the son/daughter of (name), grandson/granddaughter of (name), etc. I light this candle for my ancestors, known, unknown & for those who have been forgotten.
Meditation
Connect to our ancestors and honor the cycles of life, death and rebirth.
Ribbons - White for life, black/midnight blue for death, red for rebirth.
Braid or knot your three ribbons together
We bind these strands together remembering those we have lost.
Sharing
Share a special memory, a new message or an experience that came to you while braiding your ribbons.
Give Thanks
We give thank for our ancestors, for their wisdom, guidance and protection.
Reverend Felecia Mulvany, D.D.
President
Sacred Foundations, Inc.
Spiritual Center and School of Divinity
www.sacredfoundations.net
Spiritual Gatherings held at 10:30 AM
The 2nd & 4th Sunday's of the month
At Laughing Giraffe Therapy Center
100 O'Connor Drive #14, San Jose CA 95128
Join our Meetup Group @ https://www.meetup.com/Sacred-Foundations-Inc
Sacred Foundations, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit church. We affirm the Divine in all its manifestations on earth. We honor all paths and embrace the wisdom of all the Sacred Text across the globe. We believe that only through dialog, education, and community sharing that humanity will find a way to live peacefully together in tolerance and diversity.
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