Our household/monastery has been experimenting with different ritual styles, altered states, and magical techniques and this year I was chosen to lead our Halloween observance — or as I call it Καταχθόνια, which honors Those Below from October 30th to November 1st.

Day 1: Earlier in the day we dig a trench or pit in the backyard, inaugurating the Katachthonia. Around 9:00pm we hold a feast for the Gods and Spirits of the underworld and afterlife. We make name tags or placeholders for all of the ones we wish to invite, lay out a full meal, and then eat in their presence while listening to thematic music. Unlike a traditional dumb supper we can have appropriately themed conversation. We should dress up as we would for a formal dinner.

Day 2: We paint our faces. Around 9:00pm we go outside and place offerings for the dead in the trench or pit: eggs, garlic, beans, grain, etc. and then over it we pour milk, wine, mead and olive oil. Then we sit on the benches and pass the horn, saying the name of one of our honored dead followed by, “may they never thirst.” Then drink or kiss the horn to their memory. If we want to tell brief anecdotes about them we can, but emphasis on brief as we’ve got a lot of dead folk to cover. This is only for individuals, not our various collectives. End with a toast to everyone we love, in case someone’s left out. And invite the wandering dead and the forgotten ones to partake as well. Before and after we can watch scary movies to get in the mood.

Day 3: We make a panspermia (or as the Orthodox call it koliva) and set it out along with salt, bread and vodka per Slavic custom beside an empty bowl. Then we take turns naming either a hero or collective, and dropping a bean into the bowl. (It would be cool to do this with pomegranate seeds, but I don’t think they are in season. Pennies would also make a fine substitute.) If we are so moved we can tell a story about them, or share why they are being honored. When we are finished each of us will then share a piece of art for the enjoyment of all. We will end by carrying the offerings outside and adding them to the trench or pit, and covering it back over or tossing in three handfuls of earth.

Katachthonia is officially declared to be over, with a promise to honor Those Below again next year and keep their memory alive within us every day.

What are you doing for your dead this year?