Italian Catholics resist excesses of Halloween
October 29, 2010
Italian Catholics are taking the lead in a campaign against the adoption of pagan symbols and practices in the celebration of Halloween.
“We are faced with a sort of revival of neopaganism,” warned Gioanni Paolo Ramonda, the head of the Pope John XXIII Association. He noted that the emphasis on the macabre in Halloween celebrations has distracted attention away from the authentic Christian traditions: honoring the saints and praying for the souls in purgatory.
“Halloween is not part of our culture,” said Bishp Giuseppe Fiorini Morosini of Locri. "We aren't against kids having fun but enjoyment cannot be pursued by destroying our holiest traditions and trampling on our culture.”
The conservative Northern League party chimed in with a statement that Halloween celebrations are not an “authentic” part of Italy’s heritage.
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