MANILA -- Cobwebs, ghosts and ghouls, candies, children wearing the latest superhero costume or a fairy outfit with a plastic pumpkin in tow. When you see these things, you know it's Halloween.

This harmless tradition has brought joy to many before the Christmas season kicks into high gear.

However, Halloween has a darker history than what most people may think.

Pastor Ramil Corpuz, senior pastor of Sola Scriptura Christian Church and the head of GotQuestions.Org Philippines (Tagalog), shared with ABS-CBN News that Halloween originated from a pagan practice called Samhain by the Celts in Europe and Asia Minor.

In this particular feast, people believed that the dead could visit the living "as this was the time that the barriers between the living and the dead or the natural and supernatural are broken."

This belief sparked the custom of lighting candles outside houses, which allegedly help visiting spirits find their way back to the afterlife.

During this period, people dressed up as ghosts to be one with the wandering spirits, according to Professor Fe Atanacio-Blas, a sociologist and Department of Education senior high school research coordinator.

The practice was brought from Europe to the Americas, which was shared to the Filipinos when the Americans conquered the country. It has become a common practice ever since.

PAGANISM IN THE PHILIPPINES

While the Philippines is known as a predominantly Christian country, Filipinos have increasingly embraced the celebration of Halloween.

Blas said the close-knit Filipino family structure strongly influenced the passing of the custom from one generation to another, which is called enculturation.

She said parents passed on to their children the tradition of celebrating Halloween without explaining its history.

The celebration has also evolved from being a dark pagan practice to a light, harmless time of trick or treating and dressing up.

"Kung masyado dark, gawin natin medyo gray, pag-costumin natin ng fairy, ibang characters. It will not do harm to children. Sa inosenteng isip ng bata, it's all fun kasi naka-costume siya, may candies. Pero pagtanda niya, how are you going to process it?"

(From a dark practice, it was made lighter by letting kids wear fairy costumes or other light characters. It will not do harm to children. In the innocent mind of a child, it's all fun because he's dressed up and was given candies. But when he grows up, how are you going to process it?)

"Halloween is already a part of our culture as a nation so for a long, long time we've been celebrating it. It is very hard now to eliminate it totally," said Corpuz.

THE CHURCH AND HALLOWEEN

CBCP Bishop Oscar Cruz explains that even if people only wanted to celebrate Halloween for fun, it is still against what the Catholic church stands for.

"Hindi naman talagang masasama ang hangarin kaya lamang, hindi naman siya ayon sa simbahan na All Saints Day, araw ng mga santo, at All Soul's Day, araw ng mga patay. Ang mga santo, dapat natin silang dasalan, ang mga patay, dapat natin silang ipagdasal," Cruz said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.

(They might not mean any harm, but this is against the Church's commemoration of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. We should pray to the saints, while we should be praying for our dearly departed.)

Pastor Corpuz shared that Biblically speaking, the traditional pagan practice of Halloween is the work of evil spirits.

"Eventually, it is adhering to the will of the devil itself kasi sabi sa Bible (the Bible says), the work of the devil is to blind the eyes of men."

He added: "It is God's command for believers to stay away from any guise of the devil. So Halloween activities today teaches wrong doctrines and it is often characterized by exaltation of imaginary evil characters like Dracula and zombies."

Blas also explains that the traditional practice of Halloween goes against the basic faith and belief of a Christian regarding cultism and witchcraft, which is why the church warns the people of the practice.

However, Corpuz also stands firm on saying that as long as a person celebrating Halloween does not dwell on its dark aspects, it is okay to join the activity.

"Anything goes as long as you know that your conviction and your reason for joining this activity with non-believers and God knows who you are, God knows your heart, no one can judge you that what you're doing is wrong," he said.

Bishop Cruz also believes that some people who join October celebration mean no harm.

"Siguro naman ang mga nagse-celebrate ng Halloween, hindi naman masama ang kanilang intensyon. Parang naging entertainment, tradisyon so to speak. So ayoko naman isipin na masama ang kanilang hangarin kaya meron silang Halloween day," he said.

(I think those who celebrate Halloween do not have evil intentions, instead they just do it for entertainment and as a tradition. So I do not want to think that they mean harm.)

Cruz reminds people that ultimately, Christians should pray for their departed on Halloween.