The Church has encouraged believers to refrain from Halloween celebrations on October 31.
The holiday, which takes place on the evening before Catholic All Saints' Day, includes traditional activities such as trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, festive gatherings, costume parties, and indulging in treats.
Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, has expressed concerns about Halloween, saying it involves "dangerous practices" and leads to a growing number of "possessions" among participating youth, Poland’s interia.pl website reported.
Francis has called on authorities to consider banning the holiday.
The previous pope, Benedict XVI, described Halloween as “dangerous" and "anti-Christian."
Photo: Radio Poland
But the celebration is increasingly popular in Poland, with new activities added to the mix every year, according to Poland’s onet.pl website.
Poland’s Catholic Church leaders have warned that Halloween is "alien to Polish culture and tradition," and urged the faithful to focus on All Saints' Day instead.
Last Halloween, a special "forgiveness-seeking" service was held at the Corpus Christi Basilica in the southern Polish city of Kraków, private broadcaster Polsat News reported.
Participants prayed for God’s "forgiveness for Halloween," the organisers said.
About 92 percent of Poles declare themselves to be Catholics, according to statistics released by officials in 2022.
(gs)
Source: jedynka.polskieradio.pl, onet.pl, interia.pl, Polsat News, wprost.pl