November 1 is All Saints Day, a day to remember all the saints known and unknown. This image is of San Sebastiano from Castelvetrano’s Chiesa di San Domenico. Saint Sebastian, who is the patron saint of police, soldiers, archers, and holy death, was ordered to be killed in the late 3rd century because of his devotion to Christianity. On All Saints Day, we remember martyrs as well.
I would prefer an All Saints celebration here in the US instead of the highly commercialized and silly Halloween we celebrate. It seems much more appropriate to honor our dead at a time of year, autumn, when earth is closing up in the Northern Hemisphere and there is some sadness and grieving to that.
I agree. It’s a time to recognize the earth’s cycle of death and embrace it as part of life. But then, we’re not so comfortable with death, so we make fun of it instead with Halloween. Not sure that’s so beneficial.