By Bohol Island News Staff | 11:37 AM November 1, 2019
Photos: St. Michael the Archangel Parish, Jagna Activities
Unlike the usual scary costumes during Halloween, children at the St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Jagna town celebrated the Rosary Month and Hallow’s Day by dressing up to be holy.
For the fourth time, parishioners joined the “March of the Saints” on Thursday, October 31 where children donned costumes of little saints and angels instead of scary costumes of ghosts and demons.
Some 30 students from the town participated in this yearly spectacle in a bid to rid the hallowed tradition of All Saints’ Day of spooky Halloween practices.
Children dressed up as little Saint Lorenzo Ruiz, Saint Pedro Calungsod, Saint Paul the Apostle, Saint Augustine, Saint Rose, Saint Martin, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Saint Catherine of Siena, among others.
Prior to the parade, catechism classes were held for the children to know more about Christian doctrines and teachings, including the life of the saints. They also participated the Holy Eucharist at 2 p.m. before the marching at 3 p.m. and back to the church to conclude the event.
Msgr. Nash Reyes of St. Michael the Archamgel Parish said this annual tradition is meant to celebrate the holiness of the saints since All Saints’ Day is about the saints and not about ghosts and monsters.
It also aimed to counter the Western-inspired concept of Halloween and bring the celebration closer to its roots.
Halloween literally means “holy evening” and was meant to celebrate all holy men and women.
The same activity was also conducted at the St. Joseph Cathedral in Tagbilaran City.
