‘All Hallows’ Eve’

Linda Bongiorno
Monday 2 November 2020

Greetings…

… on Hallowe’en, aka All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints Day, which reflects the Christian belief in the communion of saints, that those whom we trust are with God in heaven are to be remembered.  Indeed, Monday deepens this idea with All Souls Day, the remembrance of all who have died in the faith.

When I was young, between about 11 and 15 years old, I would go guising on Hallowe’en, dressing up in a random assortment of clothes discovered at home and assembled into some kind of costume.  With a friend or two we’d walk round neighbouring roads, knock on doors and be welcomed into halls and sitting-rooms.  There we would have to give our party-pieces – poems, jokes or magic tricks which I invariably forgot in the heat of the moment.  By the end of the night, however, no matter how poor our offerings, we were rewarded with bags of sweets, apples, nuts in their shells and coins, given by neighbours largely to make us go away, I think.  I have no recollection of pumpkins, but do recall spending a long time carving out a turnip (properly a swede).  It was meant to look something like this:

There were occasional parties, perhaps at the cubs or at school, when we’d dook for apples, plunging our mouths into a bucket of water to grasp apples with our teeth.  This was not easy and, I suppose, not very hygienic.  We didn’t care.

It all seems innocent in a way, compared to the elaborate costumes available even in supermarkets today, but also compared to the anxiety we feel about strangers, and, this year, the rules against being in someone else’s house.  I am also more aware of possible roots of Hallowe’en in Samhain, a Celtic Harvest festival.  It undoubtedly reflects human awareness of mystery around death and beyond.

However you celebrate, I hope there are more treats than tricks for you.

All Saints Day will be celebrated tomorrow in our morning service in St Salvator’s Chapel, with music by Handel, and choral scholars singing hymns for the occasion.  The visiting preacher hopes to be with us in person – he is Revd John Bremner, the Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer for the United Reformed Church in Scotland.  As I write, there are still 14 spaces available to reserve at https://events.st-andrews.ac.uk/events/sunday-worship-49/

The service will also be live-streamed at https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/community/worship/

Then in the evening tomorrow, Sunday 1 November, we hold our annual service commemorating St Leonard, in St Leonard’s Chapel, at 6 pm.  This is a rare chance this year to be in St Leonard’s Chapel, near the Cathedral, with entry from South Street or the Pends, and for the postgraduate community to gather in person, though the service is open to undergrads, staff and the wider community.  There will be music from St Leonard’s Chapel Choir members and organ scholars, and an address from me on Too Many Books, exploring what draws us into research, and why it matters more than ever.  We cannot live-stream this service, but there are still nine spaces available to reserve at https://events.st-andrews.ac.uk/events/commemoration-of-st-leonard-3/

Take care, especially if out in Storm Aiden.

Yours,

Donald.

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