What Does the Bible Say About Halloween?

As soon as the calendar turns to October, Halloween—from the spooky decorations to the overflowing candy displays—is seemingly everywhere. Considering some of the darker aspects of the celebration, one might wonder: What does the Bible say about Halloween?

There's no mention of Halloween in the Bible since the holiday came into existence centuries after the text was written. So, when looking to the Good Book for guidance on the holiday, it’s helpful to understand the history of Halloween. So we'll start there. Then we'll explore perspectives on whether it's OK for Christians to celebrate Halloween and share some Bible verses to consider reading on October 31 too.

Halloween has Christian origins

It's right there in the name, meaning "holy evening." Shortened from All Hallows’ Eve, Halloween is the evening vigil before All Saints’ Day, a religious holiday honoring Christian martyrs. All Saints’ Day celebrations date back to 4th-century Rome, but Pope Gregory III is the one who set the date to November 1 in the 8th century. The holiday was officially added to the universal Church calendar in the 9th century. As the holiday spread to Christianized areas, traditions merged with local cultures—and this is the crux of the controversy.

Here's where it gets fuzzy

In ancient times, a Celtic festival called Sahmain marked the end of the harvest and the coming of winter, a time when the veil between the living and dead was believed to be especially thin. It also kicked off on the evening of October 31. So did the Church choose the date for the Allhallowtide season (including Halloween, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day) to displace the pagan celebration, or was it coincidental? Are traditional Halloween customs actually cultural artifacts of Sahmain?

Take the Irish custom of lighting jack-o-lanterns to ward away evil spirits. There is a Christian-themed legend associated with the jack-o-lantern—Stingy Jack, who tricks the Devil and escapes Hell, but whose dealings with the Devil keep him from Heaven. Instead, his soul roams the Earth, lighting his path with an ember held in a carved radish. Many Catholic sources say that jack-o-lanterns are not of pagan origin; critics argue this is likely a pre-Christian custom given a Christian explanation after the fact. (Though folklore studies and artifacts, such as a 1st-century B.C.E. bronze calendar found in France, provide insight on Sahmain, unfortunately, the ancient Celts did not leave written records.)

Trick-or-treating possibly evolved from Scottish guising, a secular version of the medieval Christian practice of “souling.” When souling, children and the poor went from door to door to ask for "soul cakes" in exchange for prayers for the dead on All Souls’ Day, the day after All Saints’ Day. (In Mexico, Día De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is also All Souls' Day—but with its own unique cultural traditions.)

In America, Halloween did not begin to take off until the second half of the 19th century when an influx of Irish and Scottish immigrants brought their customs stateside. During the first half of the 20th century, trick-or-treating as we know it today became a widely popular custom. And, of course, the commercialization of the holiday and activities like scary Halloween movie marathons are wholly modern, secular additions.

So, is it OK for Christians to celebrate Halloween?

How Christians celebrate Halloween, if at all, depends on one’s denomination, church, and personal beliefs.

Some Christians, according to the site LearnReligion, look to the verse 1 Corinthians 9:22 ("I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some") as a reason for not separating oneself from the world, including secular Halloween fun. Other Christians abstain from Halloween altogether, citing verses such as Ephesians 5:11 ("Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them").

Those of the Catholic faith can fulfill their All Saints' Day obligation by attending All Hallows' Eve Mass. Father Michael Rennier, of the Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in St. Louis, writes that gathering around a bonfire, carving jack-o-lanterns, and even reviving the tradition of soul cakes to hand out to trick-or-treaters are all appropriate activities for the first day of the Allhallowtide season. The three-day holiday may also include dressing up as saints and visits to family graves to pray for their souls.

Beyond Catholicism, some churches embrace Halloween as a community outreach opportunity. For example, in the late '90s, churches began organizing trunk-or-treats to offer a safe Halloween experience with darker themes removed.

Bible verses to read on Halloween

While there is no Biblical response to Halloween specifically, the Bible does have a lot to say about death, darkness, and evil. And for some, Halloween is a season to reckon with these themes. Below, we have gathered 13 Bible verses to read and maybe to share too leading up to Halloween.