According to Wicca, tonight the veil between the spiritual and material worlds will be thinnest and the stroke of midnight will mark the most auspicious hour for communing with the spirits. For Granby and her friends, members of the Compass Coven, tonight's observation will be particularly poignant. And Sunday, Granby, who was raised in the Jewish faith, will join worshipers at St. Petersburg's Unitarian Universalist Church for another observation of the holiday. A special liturgy has been planned, during which the congregation's ancestors and friends will be remembered, said the Rev. Dee Graham, minister of the church at 719 Arlington Ave. N. Much of this is no different from the ceremonies that will take place in many Christian churches this weekend, Graham said.
Some churches celebrate All Souls' Day.
From a UU perspective, the point of the holiday is honoring those who came before. Samhain is a historic holiday with roots back in the Celtic religion and the tribal religions of Africa and Native Americans. Asian countries also honor their ancestors. Wicca, or witchcraft, is a nature-based religion that is said to predate Christianity. Followers revere a variety of gods and goddesses and celebrate eight Sabbats, the most important of which is Samhain.