Morning Prayer with the Oblates: Sunday October 31st

With Jarlath Kivlehan

Dear friends, join Jarlath in Dublin for morning prayer today. In the UK, the Feasts of All Saints is celebrated today. In Ireland, we celebrate that feast tomorrow on 1st November.

In ancient times the last day of October was a popular day for festivals – at the close of the harvest. The old Irish festival of Samhain was a typical case -it marked the ending of the harvest season and the beginning of Winter. Similar festivals existed in Wales, Scotland and England. With the conversion of our countries to Christianity, those celebrations were given a Christian significance. Samhain became All Hallow’s Eve or Halloween – The eve of all Saint’s Day. On all Saints’ Day we celebrate of the communion of saints, those people we believe are in heaven and we remember the outstanding people we knew – remarkable people, uncanonised, but outstanding in love.

Thanks for joining us today!