Cebu prelate to faithful: ‘Reclaim’ Halloween meaning

TAGBILARAN CITY—As Christendom prepares to observe All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, the prelate of the country’s oldest Catholic community called on the faithful to go back to the real meaning of these holy days.

Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy has called on the faithful to reclaim Halloween’s Christian meaning by celebrating holiness and honoring the lives of saints, rather than dwelling on horror and frightening imagery.

In his pastoral message titled “Why a Parade of Saints?” Uy encouraged parishes, schools, families and communities to organize a Parade of Saints as an alternative to Halloween celebrations centered on evil, violence, horror and death.

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“Because what we repeatedly present to our children helps shape their imagination, their values and even their dreams,” Uy said.

Cebu prelate to faithful: ‘Reclaim’ Halloween meaning to the lives of men and women who exemplified faith, love and service to God.

“For Christians, therefore, this is a wonderful opportunity not simply to entertain our children, but also to introduce them to the men and women who show us what a beautiful human life can become when it is given to God,” he said.

‘Heroes of faith’

Uy described saints as “heroes of faith” who lived real lives marked by struggles, failures, prayer, sacrifice and love. They came from different walks of life, including the clergy, religious communities, families, schools, workplaces and missionary fields.

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“Instead of asking our children only, ‘What scary character do you want to be?’ perhaps we can also ask them, ‘What kind of saint do you want to become?’” he said.

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The archbishop cited St. Francis of Assisi, St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Carlo Acutis as examples of saints whose lives can inspire children to care for the poor and creation, value small acts of love, and pursue holiness even in the digital age.

Through a Parade of Saints, children can learn about the saints by wearing costumes, discovering their stories and understanding the virtues they embodied, turning religious instruction into a meaningful and engaging experience.

Uy said the celebration would also remind Christians that light is stronger than darkness, Christ has triumphed over evil, and death is not the end because of the promise of resurrection.

He clarified that celebrating faith does not mean abandoning wholesome Halloween activities, such as wearing costumes, sharing food and enjoying time with family and friends. Rather, these activities can also become opportunities to strengthen children’s faith.

He envisioned streets filled with children dressed as saints, singing, smiling and carrying flowers and candles as they learned that holiness can be joyful.

“That is more than a parade. It is evangelization in motion,” Uy said.

He encouraged parishes to make the celebration creative, beautiful and joyful, emphasizing that saints should not be viewed as distant but as people whose lives of love and faith remain relevant today.

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“Let our children discover that saints are not boring people from the distant past. They were people who loved greatly—and God is still calling saints today,” he said.