For twelve years, the Diocese of Alcalá de Henares (Spain) has been celebrating “Holywins”, a play on words that “wins holiness”, on the eve of the Solemnity of All Saints, which will be celebrated next Saturday evening, October 31.

At Holywins, children and adolescents are encouraged to participate in games, testimonials, and songs dressed as their favorite saints, with the aim of learning about their exemplary lives and remembering God’s call to holiness of all Catholics.

According to the Diocese of Alcalá, “this initiative was born in the Diocese of Paris in 2002” and in the Diocese it started in 2009.

“The phonetic resemblance to the word ‘Halloween’ is not coincidental, as Holywins intends to amplify the Christian All Saints Day, in light of the increasing solar eclipse suffered by the powerful implantation of the pagan holiday of Halloween,” it assured. Spanish diocese.

The diocese clarified that although “Halloween in English means ‘All Hallows’ Eve’, this celebration is currently unrelated to the Christian faith. On the contrary, his approach to life and death, good and evil, is completely different from that of the Gospel of Christ and the tradition of His Church”.

This is how Holywins was born, an initiative that aims to encourage the breaking of “the cult of death and the glorification of the monstrous or ugly it brings, as the hallmark of Christians is to celebrate the triumph of life and promote beauty and goodness.” ‘ they specified.

It tries “to convey the same message: life is beautiful and the goal is heaven, there are many who have already arrived and we are all called to share their happiness because we can all be saints,” he said.

The diocese also recalled that “for the costumes of the living dead that fill the streets of the cities on October 31” for the Halloween celebrations, “more and more dioceses are participating in the Holywins celebration.”

“Catholics want to bring this day back to its true meaning and celebrate all who have heroically followed Jesus Christ with a luminous All Saints Day celebration overflowing with joy and hope,” he concluded.

According to a recent statement, the diocese has indicated that this year’s celebration for children will begin at 5 p.m., who will be welcomed with age-appropriate games and workshops in the Plaza de Armas of the Archbishop’s Palace. At 6.30 pm there is a procession to the cathedral and a prayer.

At 7:30 PM, children, young people and adults can participate in a mass presided over in the cathedral by the Bishop of Alcalá de Henares, Mons. Juan Antonio Reig Pla.

There will then be an evangelism vigil at 8:30 PM. At 10:00 PM, the Blessed Sacrament will move to the Plaza de Armas of the Archbishop’s Palace.

Already in the square, at 10:15 pm, the faithful will be able to adore and praise Jesus the Eucharist and also hear testimonies related to this date.
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