Have you heard about Naples, Italy Halloween? Wondering if Italians in Naples celebrate Halloween? Well, Halloween is fast approaching and in Naples, Italy people are to some degree not so excited to hear about that simply for one reason – Halloween is not a big event in Naples, Italy, just like the rest of the Italian cities.
Although that said, few people still celebrate the Americanized Naples, Italy Halloween. However, unlike the event celebrated in the United States, the Halloween in Naples is none other than the celebration of the All Soul’s and All Saint’s Day. Certain traditions are present though, but generally the Naples, Italy Halloween is not named as “Halloween”.
So what are the traditions maintained by the Italian people for their Americanized Halloween?
According to several resources, the Naples, Italy Halloween is typically observed with Ossa dei Morti on the tables for every household. Ossa dei Morti is actually a baked cake that is specially prepared for the occasion. It is also known throughout Naples as the Beans of the Dead, so called for the fact that the cake is shaped like that of the beans.
Along with the preparation of the Beans of the Dead, the people in Naples, Italy also prepare a feast not just for them to partake, but also for the souls of the departed. This feast is often prepared on the All Soul’s Day, which you may consider as part of the Naples, Italy Halloween. During this event, it is typical for every family in the city of Naples to set a table filled with bountiful meals. After the table preparation, families would visit the church for one particular purpose – to pray for the souls of their relatives who have already departed. It is also common for them to stay at the churches all day, while leaving their residences open, believing that the souls of the departed will enter their homes and enjoy the prepared feast.
Note that if the family members arrived home with the meals not consumed, it means that the spirits disliked their homes. If this happens, the souls are believed to work evil against the family members during the following years. That means bad luck for them.
On All Saint’s Day, which is but a part of the Naples, Italy Halloween festivity, families would visit church to pray in honor of the martyrs, including saints and those who have departed for the faith maintained by the Catholics. It is also usual for this day that people come to visit the graves of their families to clean and make them look worth visiting. Small lanterns and some sorts of wreaths are often put on the graves. There are also some instances when a mass is celebrated right at the gravesite. Well, this practice is also common in other Catholic areas in the world.
The Naples, Italy Halloween is not celebrated for the kids to enjoy. Unlike the ones celebrated in the United States, there are no tricks and treats in Naples, Italy during the Halloween event. What commonly happens is that adults, and not children, enjoy the event by simply wearing masks, somehow presenting a sort of Carnevale, which remains as Italy’s most well-known party time.