Moscow, October 30, Interfax - The Moscow Patriarchate urges to cultivate in the growing generation the knowledge of religious culture of the country in which it lives instead of the borrowed customs like Halloween.
‘The Halloween celebration puts a question of cultural borrowing being done cautiously and speaks of cultural pantophagy and unscrupulousness of our people. I regard this trend as a very sad one,’ says chief of the communications service of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations Rev. Mikhail Prokopenko.
He expressed his regret for the Russians who ‘easily deny their roots and follow traditions and customs that appeared in another cultural and religious context.’
‘We ought to understand that Halloween is a masquerade, an entertainment with a commercial flavour as the shops fulfill the plan of their sales for six months. However, a young man who puts on a mask of a demon or a vampire often enough begins to show the state characteristic of them,’ Rev. Mikhail remarked.
He thinks that ‘investment of the evil with a musical comedy forms’ teaches one an irresponsible attitude to the struggle against evil in his own life.
The priest is bewildered with the school- and pre-school teachers who cultivate the Halloween celebration in children unaware of the culture and traditions of their nation.
‘Many people are afraid, without any ground, of the Foundations of Orthodox Culture and Orthodox traditions to be taught in schools and still easily introduce holidays like Halloween, Valentine’s Day and the like in schools and kindergartens,’ the priest added.
For a sermon by an Orthodox priest concerning Halloween, please see: http://www.stjohndc.org/russian/english.htm
