Several parishes under the Archdiocese of Cebu recently organized a “Parade of Saints,” featuring children and parishioners dressed in holy garments rather than traditional Halloween costumes depicting ghosts and ghouls.
According to an official archdiocesan statement, the event sought to realign the holiday with its spiritual origins.
“The initiative echoes the call of Cebu Archbishop Alberto “Abet” Uy to reclaim the Christian meaning of the season by placing holiness above horror and celebrating the lives of the saints rather than focusing on the popular imagery of ghosts and ghouls,” the archdiocese stated.
Archbishop Uy emphasized the importance of presenting holiness through a joyful lens.
“Make the celebration creative, beautiful, and joyful. Let our children discover that saints are not boring people from the distant past. They were people who loved greatly—and God is still calling saints today,” Archbishop Abet was quoted as saying.
“Let us transform a night often associated with fear into a celebration of faith. Heaven is our destination. Holiness is our calling. And joy is our path,” he added.
Parishes such as the Sta. Monica Parish in Pinamungajan actively participated, with community members portraying figures like St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony de Padua, and St. Joseph.
The archdiocese noted that the modern holiday stems from Christian traditions, originating from “All Hallows’ Eve,” which marks the evening before All Saints’ Day, with “hallow” translating to holy.
Organizers hope the annual parade will continue to remind families that the season centers on faith and virtue, encouraging children to view sainthood as an attainable personal calling rather than a distant concept.
The archdiocese concluded its announcement with a prayer asking for the intercession and inspiration of all the saints.