Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-01
TRo GREAr FESTIVALS.
All saints' and All SOuIs' Days and
Their bssrVanee.

nblE btBA N-@~NH
The festival of All Saints, one OF the
oldest in the Christian church, occurs to-
day, and is observed with special services
in the Episcopal and Roman Catholic
churches, particularly the latter. II
takes its origin from the conversion In the
seventh century Of the Pantheon at Rome
into Christian place Of worship.
The anniversary OF this event was al
first celebrated on May ], but the DAY
was subsequently changed 10 NOV. /. Lts
annual return. notably among the SCOTCH
English and Irish nations was anciently
regarded with as much interest and lively
anucipations as Christmas day. it was,
however, the night previous 70 All Saints
day which was the Occa-l ion OF gene
rel rejoicing and feetiVitY. HalloWe cen
stands IN the same relation % All SAINTS
day as that which shrOve Tuesday bears
TO the first day Of the lenten season. The
Ob ervance OF Halloween by the Scotch Is
one Of their oldesr traditions and, like The
celebration of May day by the English, Is
one Of the most deepiy-roOted popular
festivals. Among the simple-hearted and
innocent country people y Scott md, Eng
land and Ireland the social gatherings on
Halloween is one Of the events OF the
year. The festival to-day will be observed
with appropriate services IN all OF the
Episcopal churches, and at st. Patrlck's
and the Cathedral.
All Souls day, the day following the
festival of All Saints, falls on tomorrow,
Nov. 2. In the Catholic churches 1t IS an
occasion of solemn COmmemoratlon OF
and PRAYER for all the souls in pnrgatory.
In the Episcopal church its origin is as
cribed 10 the continuous commemOratiOn
at the holy com munion OF the 'souls OF
all those who have died in tue commu-
MON OF the body and blood Of our Lord"
The history of the first observance OF
this day is not clear; the most generally
received opinion being that the sOlemnity
was in tituted A. d. 993 by Abbott Odilo,
Of Clugny, for all the mOnasteries of his
congregation. Its Obser ance In early
days was esteemed Of such Importance
tnat in the event of its falling on Sunday
II was ordered not to he postponed till
Monday, as in the case OF other celebra.
tlons, but to take place on the previous
Saturday, that the souls of the departed
might suffer no detrment from the want
Of the prayers of the church. 1t was
customary in former times on this day for
persons dressed in black 10 traverse the
streets ringing a dsmal-tOned bel. al
every corner, and calling on the inhabi-
tants to remember the souls suffering
penance IN purgatory, and to join IN
PRAYER for their Liberation and repose.
At Naples it used to be the custom on
this day TO throw open the charnal houses,
which were lighted up with torches and
decked with flowers, while crowds thrOng
ed the vaults to visit the bodies of their
friends and relatives. the fieshless skele-
tons of which were dressed up in robes
ana arranged in inches In the walls.
At Saerno a custom prevailed previouf
to the fifteenth century of providing il
every house on the eve OF All Souls day
"A sumptuOus entertainment for the souls
in purgatory who were supposed to revisit
and make merry In the scene Of then
earthly pilgrimage. Every one quilted
their habtation, and after spending thC
night at church returned IN the morning
to flnd the whole feast consumed, it being
deemed iuauspiciOus j. a mOrsel OF Wit
uals remained uneaten. The thieves who
made harvest of this pious custom, as
sembling from all parts of the country
took good care to avert any such evil
omen from the inmates of the house by
carrying off whatever they were unable
to consume.