October 31, 2026
The following is excerpted from a 2015 bulletin of the Basilica of St. John the Evangelist from a reflection by then-pastor Monsignor Stephen DiGiovanni.
Why are the traditional colors of Halloween black and orange? Odd colors, aren’t they? Modern celebrations of Halloween have little to do with the original. In fact, the only things left are the colors and the name: Hallowe’en—abbreviated Old English meaning Hallowed Evening— the vigil of the holy day of obligation on November 1st of All Hallow’s, or as we call it, All Saints Day, which is followed by All Souls Day, November 2nd.
In Catholic Europe, these days developed as a type of Miracle Play in small towns: a combination of pranks and costumes on October 31st, representing the triumph of the Evil One before the coming of Christ. As the sun rose on November 1st, emphasis shifted to the triumph of Christ and his Saints over the powers of Satan and Death. November 1st celebrates the victory of Christ, his Saints and his Catholic Church. November 2nd is the day when everyone remembered those who had died, praying for their eternal salvation.
The Halloween colors are taken from All Souls’ Day and funeral Masses: The traditional color of mourning worn by people at funerals is black; the traditional color for the Church in mourning, as well. So, at funerals, the priest often wears black vestments. Another traditional color for mourning is orange: the color of unbleached beeswax candles. The candles used on the altars are all made of bees wax: they are white, because they have been bleached clean. Unbleached bees wax is orange, a sign of imperfection or unfinished business. Like people’s lives when they die: unfinished business.
Halloween became a popular link between time before Christ when evil ruled, and the triumph of Christ over death through the Cross, as celebrated on November 1st and 2nd.
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