Appenzell priest Lúkás Hidber (53) believes: The commemoration of the dead on All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day is not a hope, but a promise. On the other hand, the spooky tradition of Halloween does not really hold here.
Regula Pfeifer
How important is All Saints Day to you personally?
Lúkás Hidber*: All Saints’ Day brings back memories of my childhood. I grew up in Sarganserland, which – like Appenzell – is an area steeped in tradition. Only All Saints’ Day was part of the holiday. That was the day we remembered those who died. For me as a boy, it was mainly my grandparents. Like many others, we went to the cemetery. The graves were everywhere decorated and many candles were burning. That is still the case today.
Pfarrer Luke Hidber
What is the significance of the holiday today?
Hidber: All Saints Day is a beautiful festival, especially in the morning, when the saints are remembered. On the other hand, it is also a celebration where people think about their deceased loved ones. We do this with Christian hope. All Saints’ Day is a little Easter celebration in the foggy days, which are getting shorter and darker.
“The customs related to death are very anchored in our Catholic region and they are maintained.”
How important is All Saints’ Day to the Catholic people of Appenzell?
Hidber: It is still the same today as I experienced it as a child. All Saints’ Day is a central part of the church year. The customs related to death are very anchored in our Catholic region and are maintained. And – as I said – it is not a hopeless memorial to the deceased. Rather, we have a purpose and a promise. I think it’s more important than ever these days to celebrate consciously.
Cross in the cemetery
How do you celebrate the festival in Appenzell?
Hidber: On the morning of All Saints’ Day, the focus is on full communion with God. There will be a beautiful service at which the church choir will also sing. In the afternoon we have the memorial service. In the church, the names of those who have died since the last All Saints’ Day are read out. And there is a candle burning for everyone. Then you go to the cemetery and to the church there. The next day’s event is special.
What kind of event?
Hidber: On All Souls Day there is a tradition in Appenzell of celebrating All Souls Mass at 8:30 a.m. The church choir sings a requiem. Afterwards, the graves are visited again, which are right next to the church.
“The cemetery is not foreign territory here.”
Has anything changed compared to before?
Hidber: I think little has changed. People remember the dead. Families who live far apart often come in a different way. But the dead are only commemorated on All Saints’ Day and Names’ Day. Many people visit the graves after work or after going to church on Sunday. The cemetery is not unfamiliar territory here. This can be seen from the fact that the graves are looked after throughout the year and have candles on them.
Grabber
Why is the memory of the saints so closely linked to the memory of the dead? How do you put this together?
Hidber: On All Saints’ Day we remember the known and unknown saints, but also other deceased people who are now allowed to have full communion with God. And on All Souls Day we also pray for the dead who, according to the old Christian idea, are still in purgatory. You don’t just think about the deceased person you know, but everyone.
You also dedicate the Children’s Star Tomb on All Saints Day, is that new?
Hidber: Yes. We have always heard about people who have star babies, ie babies who died before birth. The number of unreported cases is large. We wanted to give the mourners a chance to stay at a place of remembrance. This memorial site has now been newly established and will be blessed and installed on All Saints’ Day. I think that is a very good thing.
Halloween, hollow jack-o-lanterns.
“This culture of horror is not our culture.”
Is the Halloween tradition slowly replacing All Saints Day?
Hidber: I don’t see it that way. Halloween was all hype at first. Today, however, the custom is in decline; Many people who ask to trick or treat on Halloween evening don’t even know the background. Halloween is originally a Celtic custom that migrated to America with immigrants and was commercialized. Back in Europe, I don’t think it really got a foothold. Because this culture of horror is not our culture. Especially given the state of the world today, we must cling not to death and destruction, but to the hope of Easter.
Appenzell is considered particularly traditional – does that also apply to All Saints’ Day?
Hidber: All Saints’ Day is not an Appenzell custom, but a custom in a Catholic context. It also exists in other places, with slightly different forms.
*Lucas Hidber is a professional priest of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden and priest of the Appenzell pastoral care unit, parish representative for Appenzell. Hidber is also a member of the cathedral chapter, which means that he is involved in the election of the new bishop of St. Gallen.All Saints memorials are held in the parish church of St. Maurice, Appenzell.
© Catholic Media Center, October 31, 2024
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Ny communities are focusing more on traditional celebrations. The essence of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day remains strong in our culture, emphasizing remembrance and communion with God, rather than the commercialized aspects of Halloween. While Halloween brings a certain excitement, it doesn’t fundamentally alter the significance of our observances for the saints and the departed. People still connect deeply with their heritage and traditions during these special days, prioritizing meaningful remembrance over fleeting trends.