Sholeh Patrick downplays or completely ignores the role of the Church in converting the Irish and European peoples in her recent article, “Thank the Irish for Halloween”, published Oct. 27. The message tends to bias and appears to be anti-Catholic in its message.

Why anti-Catholic? First at the very onset, she points to a false perception and understanding of March 17 (the feast of St. Patrick) to the true meaning of this feast day held among Catholic Irish people and entire Catholic faithful. People may relate to figures of leprechauns and stout beer of this day to the Irish, however, the true meaning must give way as an example of the mercy of God and to the conversion these peoples.

Secondly, she points to the spiritualism of the Celts pre-Christian conversion as somehow superior to the work of the Church. They were enveloped in the darkness of Druid practices and rituals and were led by a Druid priestly caste which engaged their followers in un-Christian and pagan rituals such as animal, fruit, and vegetable sacrifice to their false gods. She points to the traditions and celebrations of the Druids' pre-Christian darkness, as a legacy of richness, somehow worthy of more praise than the light and good news of the Gospel brought by the Church in her instruments St Patrick and St. Columcille.

“All Hallows Night” (aka Halloween) began with the Celtic festival of the dead. The Celtic people were not only in Ireland but also in all of Europe. Their new year began on Nov. 1 and signified the beginning of winter. This was a time for the securing of harvest and cattle before the cold season. It was to the Celts a beginning and end of an eternal cycle.

This festival of the dead was known as Samhain (pronounced Sah-ween). The Celts observed this day as their most significant day. They believed that the souls of those who had died during the past year mingled with the living on this day. They gathered to offer sacrifices to their false gods and lit bon-fires to aid the dead in their journey to the underworld. Demons, fairies and ghosts were all believed to be abounding in this night of dark and dread.

So how did Samhain become Halloween? Despite heroic Christian missionary efforts, the Druids continued to observe this time of year as their high point. Once converted to Christianity, however, and in 601 AD , the Church under His Holiness Pope Gregory instructed the observance of the feast of ALL Saints on Nov. 1 to aid in their enlightenment. The day, All Saints, was otherwise known as All Hallows (meaning sanctified or holy).

Halloween’s observance to this day persists due to the ignorance of many and due to the evil intents of others well aware of the origins. We now have storefronts dedicated to this day year round. Many modern day witch and satanic cults conduct their black masses more intensely during this time period. The druids worshipped false gods, some suppose to be satan or other evil spirits.

The formally mentioned underworld, which I alluded to earlier, was the destination of traveling souls and is none other than hell. Many druid Celts resisted the conversion to Christianity holding fast to their symbolism representing deities in the forms of fairies and Leprechauns, etc.

Nov. 2, All Souls Day, was put on the calendar by the Church in the ninth century to further dissuade continuing error and symbolism of peoples' traveling dead beliefs. through embracing the truth of praying for the dead enroute to heaven, not hell. The pagan cults persisted in their errors under new guises. Oct. 31 became the significant day, Halloween, or “All Hallows” Eve, taking its guise and perverting it from the original intent of the Church, All Hallows or All Saints Day on Nov. 1. The “ween” portion probably coming from the last part of the pronunciation of the word Samhain (Sah-ween).

People continued the observance of the night of wandering souls attributing to them evil. The practice of trick or treating had its origins from the propitiation of these spirits through the placing of gifts of food and drink for their refreshment. Mumming, fairies able to save souls from witches, English soul cakes made for wandering souls, etc., is represented by present days strong Halloween symbolisms. Wearing costumes especially ghosts, witches, and skeleton figures are another example representing the wandering souls. Of course the additions of hundreds of other costume combinations only serves to downplay the original significance.

In summary, through Ms. Patrick’s neglect of and use of the term “pagans” and “demonic” when referencing the spiritualism practiced by the ancient druids, its association to Samhain, and her downplaying of the Catholic Church’s influence on these peoples and their conversions to the true faith, she sends a message that if not anti-Catholic, is at the very least ignorant of the facts.

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Esequiel Vasquez is a resident of Post Falls.