Salta, Argentina (Friday, 10.30.2015, Gaudium Press) As a way of bringing to light the virtues of the saints and to oppose the pagan celebration of Halloween, several cities in Argentine are celebrating All Saints in a special way this year.
In the northern city of Salta, for example, 400 students from two Catholic schools participated in a walk to the Cathedral to express their faith and celebrate this solemnity.
Students and teachers from the Scholl of Milagro and the School of Jesus marched with drums, big puppets and posters, singing songs and carrying posters with the names of saints and their related virtue.
“We’re marching in order to highlight the virtues of all the saints, in a total different focus of Halloween. We Catholics of Salta, with are known faith and fervor, we want to highlight the personality and virtues of our saints in order to imitate them” said Alejandra Saracho, a catechism teacher, as reported by “La Gaceta”.
This march, which was held also last year, ended up in the atrium of the Cathedral, where the children were blessed by Father Marcelo Singh.
A similar initiative takes place also in the city of Adolfo Gonzales Chaves, in the south of the province of Buenos Aires. The event is organized by the “Siloe” group, of the Immaculate Conception Parish, and will occur on November 1.
“Children are disguised as angels and do not make any disorderly movement, they will receive their sweets at the end of the parade. Many adults participate and help to take care of the children. There are some entertainments and stories of saints are being told which increase their education” said Veronica Marochi, one of the organizers quoted by AICA.
This year, the celebration of All Saints is being organized in the framework of what is called “White Party in the Street”.
“Everyone is invited to be wearing white cloth and come full of joy! There are also games and dances prepared by each school or dance academies. All will receive prayer cards and a drawing will be held for everyone to choose his patron saint for next year” said Marochi.
“Thanks be to God and to all the saints, every year we have a wonderful day of All Saints in Gonzales Chaves, celebrating the lives and virtues of those who are our examples to lead us to Heaven!” she added.
This festival has been declared of cultural interest by the City Council.
Source AICA
Students participate in All Saints Festival – Photo AICA