The inquiry centers on the Catholic Church’s stance and participation in the observances typically associated with October 31st. This encompasses understanding whether Catholic doctrine and practice align with or diverge from the secular and sometimes pagan traditions surrounding that date.
Historically, the evening preceding All Saints’ Day has been connected with various customs, some pre-Christian in origin. The Catholic Church emphasizes All Saints’ Day as a solemnity honoring all saints, known and unknown, and All Souls’ Day, which follows on November 2nd, is dedicated to praying for the departed. These liturgical celebrations provide a framework within which individual Catholics may choose to engage with secular Halloween traditions, or not.