Do you know that the Augustinian Order celebrates All Saints Day every November 13? Pope Boniface IV formally started what would later be known as All Saints Day on May 13 in 609 AD when he dedicated the Pantheon in Rome as a church in honor of the Virgin Mary and all martyrs.
The current date of November 1 was established by Pope Gregory III during his reign (731-741 AD) when he dedicated a chapel in Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica in honor of all saints.
While this celebration was originally limited to Rome, later in 837 Pope Gregory IV ordered the official observance of All Saints Day every November 1 and extended its celebration to the entire Church.
Do you know too that Samhain, a Celtic pagan feast is observed from sunset on October 31st to sunset on November 1st? That does not necessarily mean the All Saints Day is pagan in origin it is just a coicidence on the date. In Ireland, the Church celebrated All Saints’ Day on April 20, to avoid associating the day with the traditional harvest festivals and pagan feasts associated with Samhain, celebrated at the same time.
If you celebrate Halloween by dressing up scary costumes, dead people on October 31, you are celebrating Samhain not Halloween becase Halloween is Hallow Eve – which means the eve of the Holy Day Day of the Saints which is finally celebrated on November 1.
So stop saying “Dont celebrate halloween because it is a pagan holiday”. Instead, you should say “Stop celebrating Samhain and start celebrating Halloween”
