CEBU CITY, Philippines – Eerie attire and haunting decorations are some of the familiar sights and sounds now that Undas or Kalag-Kalag has finally arrived.
Several celebrities and even ordinary people have taken to the internet to share their imaginative and spine-chilling creations, embracing the Halloween season with an outpouring of creativity and enthusiasm.
READ: All Souls’ Day: Why do we pray for the dead?
However, this Halloween culture has sparked a discussion among the Catholic Churches.
They believe that the growing focus on the spooky and secular elements of Halloween might overshadow the more sacred observances, such as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.
On Monday, October 30, Fr. Vicente Gabriel Bautista, Vice Rector of the Manila Cathedral, in reports discouraged people from wearing scary costumes and displaying spooky decorations to commemorate Halloween.
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According to Baustisa, the real meaning of Halloween is ‘holy’ and what we truly celebrate is the history of the saints (November 1) and departed souls (November 2).
Fr. Glenn Guanzon, the head of the Commission on Worship in the Archdiocese of Cebu, expressed a similar viewpoint.
“Halloween is the holy celebration to remember the saints in heaven and all the dead. That’s why we have events like children or adults mimicking the saints so that we can remember them,” Guanzon told CDN Digital on Tuesday, October 31.
READ: Why All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day are celebrated
Guanzon said that the Catholic Church has long discouraged the use of horror themes during Undas or Kalag-Kalag, as these solemn occasions are meant to be reverent and should not be associated with such elements.
“Dili man gud na ungo-ungo gud (That is not about monsters or ghosts). It’s for the saints and the dead who are not yet saints, but our future saints,” Guanzon said.
READ: All Souls’ Day: Why do we pray for the dead?
He strongly advised that Cebuanos must choose saintly attire over scary costumes, as they align with the respectful and sacred spirit of the occasion.
“This is the day to remember all saints. We must pray to them and for our departed loved ones,” Guanzon said.
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