Halloween and Seventh-day
Adventists
Dr. Gerhard Pfandl,
Biblical Research Institute
Each
year on October 31, millions of people celebrate Halloween by dressing up as
witches, devils, and demons. Besides parties for adults, the day has become an
occasion for children to go from house to house, often in costumes, demanding
“trick or treat.”
The
name Halloween derives from the Roman Catholic holiday All Saints’ Day, The
Feast of All Saints, or All Hallows’ Day (hallow means “to make holy” or
“consider something sacred”), celebrated on November 1. All Saints’ Day
commemorates the saints who have not been assigned a special day in the
calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. The day before All Saints’ Day was
called All Hallows’ Eve, from which Halloween is derived.
