Inyaniso Ngemibhiyozo Ethandwayo

AMAGQWIRHA neziporho, amathanga namadangatye omlilo, ukufumana izipho okanye ukoyikisa. Kulula ukubona iimpawu zeHalloween. Kodwa yona neminye imibhiyozo efana nayo isuka phi? IHalloween ikwabizwa ngokuba yiAll Hallows’ Eve, ubusuku obungaphambi koMhla Weengcwele. Noko ke, ukubizwa kwayo ngegama lobuKristu kuyayifihla imvelaphi yayo ekude kakhulu nobungcwele. Enyanisweni, abaphengululi bathi imvelaphi yeHalloween isusela kwixesha lakude kudala ngaphambi kobuKristu—ixesha laxa amaCelts amandulo ayehlala eBritani naseIreland. Esebenzisa ikhalenda, amaCelts ahlula unyaka waba ngamaxesha amabini—iinyanga ezimnyama zobusika neenyanga ezikhanyayo zehlobo. Xa inyanga iphelele ngakuNovemba 1, amaCelts abhiyozela iSamhain, ethetha “Ukuphela Kwehlobo.”a

Lo mbhiyozo owawuphawula ukuqala konyaka omtsha kumaCelts, wawubakho ekupheleni kwehlobo, xa sele kuhlanganiswe isivuno naxa imihlambi sele ibuyisiwe emadlelweni yafakwa ebuhlanti. AmaCelts ayekholelwa kukuba njengoko iintsuku zishokoxeka, kwakuyimfuneko ukuvuselela ilanga ngokwenza izithethe namadini athile. Njengembonakaliso yokuphela konyaka omdala, kwakucinywa imililo, kuze kwamkelwe unyaka omtsha ngamadangatye emililo engcwele ekwakuthi onke amalungu ebutho labantu athabathe kuwo umlilo wokulumeka amaziko awo. La madangatye emililo—abakho namhlanje naseBritani ngoBusuku beGuy Fawkes kwanaseBrazil ngemibhiyozo kaJuni—kwakucingwa ukuba anokoyikisa imimoya engendawo.

Kwakukholelwa ukuba ngombhiyozo weSamhain, umkhusane phakathi kwabantu nelemimoya wawuvuleka ize ke imimoya, emibi nelungileyo, ihl’ inyuka emhlabeni. Kwakucingwa ukuba imiphefumlo yabafi yayibuyela kumakhaya abo, yaye iintsapho zazidla ngokubeka ukutya nesiselo kwezi ndwendwe ziziziporho ngenjongo yokuzixolelanisa nazo nokususa amashwa. Ngenxa yoko, namhlanje xa abantwana abanxibe njengeziporho okanye amagqwirha bengena kwizindlu ngezindlu befuna izipho zeHalloween okanye begrogrisa ngokonakalisa, bengaqondi benza isithethe samandulo seSamhain. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Halloween, histoire et traditions (Halloween—History and Traditions), uJean Markale wenza la magqabaza: “Xa bephiwa okuthile, babonisa ngandlela ithile ukuba ababuqondi ububele obuphakathi kwezinto ezibonakalayo nezingabonakaliyo. Kungenxa yoko izinxibo zeHalloween . . . zingamatheko angcwele.”

Ekubeni abantu babekholelwa ukuba imida phakathi kwabantu nelemimoya isusiwe, babecinga ukuba abantu banokuya lula kwihlabathi lemimoya. Ngenxa yoko, iSamhain yayilixesha elililo lokutyhila iimfihlelo zekamva. Ama-apile neehazelnuts, ezazijongwa njengeziqhamo zemithi engcwele, zazisetyenziselwa iinjongo ezingcwele zokufumana inkcazelo ephathelele umtshato, ukugula nokufa. Ngokomzekelo, ama-apile aphawulweyo ayefakwa kwisitya esinamanzi. Ngokuthatha eli apile ngomlomo, kuthiwa umfana okanye intombi wayenokukwazi ukubona owayeza kuba liqabane lakhe. Oku kuvumisa kusenziwa nanamhlanje kumdlalo weHalloween wokukhupha ama-apile emanzini ngomlomo.

NgeSamhain kwakunxilwa ngendlela engaphaya kwengqondo. UMarkale uthi: “Imilinganiselo yemveli, ukuba yayingabekelwa bucala, yayitshintshwa. Izinto ezazingavumelekanga zazivunyelwa yaye izinto ezazivumelekile zazingavunyelwa.” IHalloween isenziwa ngolo hlobo nanamhlanje, nto leyo ebangela ukuba ithandwe kangaka. Igqabaza ngoku iThe Encyclopedia of Religion ichaza iHalloween yale mihla “njengexesha laxa abantu abasele bekhulile benokuwela imida engokwesithethe baze balahle indlela abaziwa ngayo ngokuzifica ngobusuku ekungekho milinganiselo kubo. Ngenxa yoko, lo mbhiyozo wamiselwa ngamaCelts njengendlela yaminyaka le kwizinto eziqhelekileyo nolindelo, uye waqhubeka ukutyhubela inkulungwane yamashumi amabini.”

Ubutshaba Bonqulo

Emva kwendlala eyabangelwa ziitapile ngenkulungwane ye-19, abaphambukeli baseIreland bathabatha iHalloween namasiko anxulumene nayo baya nayo eUnited States. Ukusuka apho iye yabuyela eYurophu kwiminyaka embalwa edluleyo. Noko ke, ukuthandwa gqitha kweHalloween akuzange kwamkelwe ngumntu wonke. Ngokutsho kwephephandaba iLe Monde, “iHalloween, engqamene neMini yeAll Saints neyeAll Souls (engoNovemba 1 no-2) nenokuthabatha indawo yazo, yonwabisa oonovenkile kwelinye icala ikhathaze abefundisi.”

Abameli becawa eFransi baye bavakalisa inkxalabo yabo ngokungabhiyozelwa kwezi holide zesithethe zamaKatolika ngenxa yeHalloween, beyijonga ngengesimbo “sokwenziwa kwebutho labantu libe ngabahedeni.” UStanislas Lalanne, isithethi seNgqungquthela yooBhishophu bamaKatolika baseFransi, uthi iHalloween ‘isingela phantsi intsingiselo yobomi nokufa.’ Ubhishophu waseNice, uJean Bonfils, wathi “lo mbhiyozo nezithethe zawo awunanto yakwenza nesithethe sethu saseMeditera nesobuKristu,” waza walumkisa amaKatolika “ngowona mbhiyozo ubalulekileyo wobuSathana ehlabathini lonke.”

Egqabaza ngokuyeka kwamaFrentshi izithethe zamaKatolika ngenxa yemibhiyozo yobuhedeni, uHippolyte Simon, ubhishophu waseClermont-Ferrand, uthi: “Kubonakala ngathi abantu baseFransi bebefuna unqulo lukawonke-wonke olunokuthabathela indawo ubuKristu.” Ubhala athi: “NgeHalloween kulinganiswa abafi yaye ‘iziporho’ zabo ziyabuya zize kusoyikisa zisisongele ngokufa. Ngokwahlukileyo, ngeMini yeAll Saints, siqinisekisa ukuba abasishiyileyo bayaphila yaye sithenjiswa ngokuba siya kuphinda sibe nabo kwisiXeko sikaThixo.”—Vers une France païenne? (Toward a Pagan France?)

Ngokufanayo, uCarlo Maria Martini, oyikhadinali yaseMilan, eItali, wabongoza amaTaliyane ukuba angazityesheli iiholide zamaKatolika, evakalisa ukuba iHalloween “yahlukile kwisithethe sethu, esibaluleke ngendlela engathethekiyo nesimele singayekwa. IMini yeAll Souls ngumbhiyozo ebesiwenza kwamhlamnene. Lixesha lokutyhileka kwethemba lobomi obungunaphakade, ixesha laxa iNkosi isenza siqonde ukuba sinokuninzi ebomini kunobomi emhlabeni.” Ngokungathandabuzekiyo amaKatolika amaninzi azimiseleyo avakalelwa ngendlela efanayo. Kodwa ngaba umahluko phakathi kweHalloween neMini yeAll Souls ucace njengokuba la magqabaza esitsho? Uhlolisiso olunenyameko ngemvelaphi yezi holide zamaKatolika lutyhila ntoni?

Izivatho Zokunika Imbeko

IThe Catholic Encyclopedia ichaza iMini yeAll Saints njengetheko “lokunika imbeko kuzo zonke iingcwele, ezaziwayo nezingaziwayo.” Ekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesibini, abo kwakusithiwa ngamaKristu baqalisa ukunika imbeko kwabo babulawelwa ukholo lwabo, yaye njengoko babekholelwa ukuba babekunye noKristu ezulwini, bathandazela ukuba babamele. Ukubhiyozelwa kwayo rhoqo kwaqalisa xa ngoMeyi 13,b 609 okanye ngowe-610 C.E., uPopu Boniface IV wanikezela iPantheon—itempile yamaRoma yoothixo bonke—kuMariya nakubo bonke abafeli-nkolo. UMarkale uthi: “Oothixo bamaRoma banikela indawo yabo kwiingcwele zonqulo oloyisayo.”

Ukutshintshwa kwalo mhla waba ngoNovemba kwabangelwa nguPopu Gregory III (731-741 C.E.), owanikela indlu yecawa yaseRoma kuzo zonke iingcwele waza wayalela ukuba zinikwe imbeko ngoNovemba 1. Asaziwa kanye kanye esona sizathu sokwenza kwakhe oku. Kodwa kusenokwenzeka ukuba kungenxa yokuba le holide yayisele ibhiyozelwa ngalo mhla eNgilani. IThe Encyclopedia of Religion ithi: “ISamhain yahlala ingumbhiyozo othandwayo ngamaCelts ukutyhubela ixesha lokufakwa kobuKristu kwiGreat Britain. Icawa yaseBritani yazama ukutshintsha lo mdla kumasiko obuhedeni ngokongezelela umbhiyozo wamaKristu kwikhalenda ngomhla omnye neSamhain. . . . Ukukhunjulwa koMhla weAll Saints ngamaxesha aphakathi eBritani kusenokuba kwakhuthaza ukubhiyozelwa kwalo msitho ehlabathini lonke kuzo zonke iicawa zamaKristu.”

Kwakhona uMarkale uthetha ngempembelelo enamandla yeemonki zaseIreland kulo lonke elaseYurophu ngeli xesha. Kwakhona iNew Catholic Encyclopedia ithi: “Ngosuku lokuqala lwenyanga eIreland kwakudla ngokwenziwa amatheko, yaye ekubeni uNovemba 1 wayekukuqala kobusika baseCelt, wayengumhla ofanelekileyo wetheko lazo zonke iingcwele.” Ekugqibeleni, ngowe-835 C.E., uPopu Gregory IV wawenza lo mbhiyozo jikelele.

Xa sisiya kwiMini yeAll Souls, ekwakusithi ngayo kucengcelezwe imithandazo ngelokunceda imiphefumlo ekwindawo yentlambululo iyokonwaba ezulwini, le holide yafakwa kuNovemba 2 ebudeni benkulungwane ye-11 ziimonki zaseCluny, eFransi. Ngoxa iMini yeAll Souls ngondlela-mnyama iyiholide yamaKatolika, licacile elokuba abantu abaqhelekileyo babedidekile. INew Catholic Encyclopedia ithi “ukutyhubela amaXesha Aphakathi kwakukho inkolelo ethandwayo yokuba imiphefumlo ekwindawo yentlambululo yayinokuvela ngale mini njengelitha, amagqwirha, amaxoxo, njalo njalo.”

Njengoko yayingakwazi ukuncothula iinkolelo zobuhedeni kumhlambi wayo, icawa yasuka yazifihla “ngobuKristu.” Igxininisa le ngongoma iThe Encyclopedia of Religion ithi: “Umbhiyozo wamaKristu, iTheko leAll Saints, wokukhumbula iingcwele ezaziwayo nezingaziwayo zonqulo lwamaKristu kanye njengokuba iSamhain iye yenjenjalo yaza yanika imbeko kwizithixo zamaCelts.”

Imibhiyozo Ethandwayo Kunye Nawe

Umele uxhalabe kangakanani ngemvelaphi yeHalloween neyeminye imibhiyozo ethandwayo efana nayo? Ngapha koko, ezingqondweni zabantu abaninzi, iHalloween lixesha nje lokuzilungisa baze bonwabe. Kodwa ngaba akuvumelani nelokuba kubalulekile ngabazali ukuqinisekisa ukuba nakuphi na ukuzihlaziya ababandakanyeka kuko abantwana babo kufanelekile yaye akuyongozi?

Omnye umhloli wezikolo waseFransi obengumfundisi-ntsapho ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-20 wabuzwa ngempembelelo iHalloween enayo kubantwana abancinane. Wathi: “Iyandikhathaza into yokungena kwizindlu ngezindlu besoyikisa abantu abasele bekhulile ukuze bafumane izimuncu-muncu kuba loo nto inokuba nemiphumo engemihle ebantwaneni. Inokubenza babe ngoondim-phambili, bazicingele gqitha. Bafunda ukuba xa benyanzelisa, befuna izinto ngenkani, besoyikisa abanye abantu, banokufumana izinto abazifunayo.” Ngoko abazali bamele bazibuze, ‘Abantwana bam baya kufunda ziphi “izifundo” ngokubhiyozela le holide?’

Akumangalisi ukuba iintsapho ezininzi zikufumanisa ukunikezela kwinkani yabantwana yokufuna izimuncu-muncu neempahla kusidla imali eninzi. URobert Rochefort, umlawuli-jikelele weFrance’s Research Center for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions uthi: “IHalloween . . . asiyoholide, sisiganeko nje ekuthengiswa ngaso.” IHalloween yindlela yokuzalisa umnqweno wokufuna ukuthenga ngaphambi kweKrismesi. Ngamanye amazwi, yenye yezinto ezinyanzela abantu ukuba bachithe imali—kwiimeko ezininzi abantu ngebeyisebenzisele enye into loo mali. Ngaba ngokwenene umele ulandele isihlwele kule nkalo?

Noko ke, eyona nto amele ayixhalabele ngokunzulu amaKristu sisibakala sokuba iHalloween neminye imibhiyozo efana nayo zendele nzulu kubuhedeni. Umpostile uPawulos wabhala: “Andifuni nibe nento yokwenza needemon. Aninakusela indebe yeNkosi nendebe yeedemon.” (1 Korinte 10:10-22, New International Version) Waphinda wabuza: “Okulungileyo kunokudibana njani nokubi? Ukukhanya kunokuhlala njani nobumnyama? UKristu unokudibana njani nomtyholi? Okholwayo unokudibana njani nongakholwayo?” (2 Korinte 6:14-16, Phillips) Ngenxa yoko iBhayibhile iyayigxeka ingcamango yokwenziwa kwezinto zobuhedeni kusithelwa ngobuKristu!

Kwakhona, iBhayibhile iyalumkisa nxamnye noqheliselo lokusebenzelana nemimoya. (Duteronomi 18:10-12) Ngoxa liyinyaniso elokuba inkitha yabo babhiyozela iHalloween isenokuthi iyazichasa izinto ezinxulumene nobuSathana, noko ke sifanele silumke kuba le holide inxulumene ngokusondeleyo nobugqi. Ngenxa yoko, isenokukhokelela ekusebenzelaneni nemimoya, ingakumbi kulutsha oluchukumiseka msinya. Imibhiyozo yobuhedeni nezithethe ezidyojwe kukusebenzelana nemimoya ngeliphandle azinandawo kunqulo lwamaKristu; ziyingozi ngokwenene.

Ekugqibeleni, kukho isibakala sokuba iHalloween, iMini yeAll Saints neyeAll Souls zizonke zisekelwe kwiinkolelo zokuba abafi bayabandezeleka okanye ngandlel’ ithile banokubenzakalisa abaphilayo. Noko ke, iBhayibhile ibonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba ezo nkolelo aziyonyaniso, isithi: “Abaphilayo bayazi ukuba baya kufa; kodwa abafileyo, abazi nto konke konke.” (INtshumayeli 9:5) Ngenxa yeso sizathu, iBhayibhile iluleka ngelithi: “Konke esikufumanayo ukuba sikwenze isandla sakho kwenze ngamandla akho onke, kuba akukho msebenzi nakuyila nakwazi nakulumka eShiyol [ingcwaba eliqhelekileyo loluntu], kwindawo oya kuyo.” (INtshumayeli 9:10) Ekubeni abafi bengazi nto ngenxa yoko bengenakwenzakalisa abanye okanye babandezeleke, akukho nto sinokuboyika ngayo. Kwangaxeshanye, imithandazo yokubacelela uncedo akukho nto iyenzayo. Ngaba oko kuthetha ukuba alikho ithemba ngabafileyo bethu esibathandayo? Akunjalo. IBhayibhile isiqiniseka ngelithi “kuza kubakho uvuko lwamalungisa nabangengomalungisa.”—IZenzo 24:15.c

Xa unolwazi uba nenkululeko yokukhetha. Akulindelekanga ukuba senze ukhetho olubhadlileyo xa singenazo zonke izibakala. Emva kokuqwalasela izibakala eziveliswe kolu ngcelele lwamanqaku, uya kugqiba kwelithini?

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 20]

IHalloween ikhuthaza ubuxoki bokuba abafileyo bayaphila

[Amagama acatshulweyo akwiphepha 21]

Imibhiyozo yokuvumisa yamaCelt iye yaqhubeka nakwimidlalo yeHalloween

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

IHalloween isuka kwimibhiyozo yamaCelts, mhlawumbi apho kwakunqulwa khona uLug, uthixo wokukhanya

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

Amangcwaba aneminqamlezo yamandulo yamaCelts

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 20, 21]

Ukukhupha ama-apile ngomlomo kuyenye yemidlalo enemvelaphi yamaCelts

[Inkcazelo]

From the magazine: The Delineator October 1911

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 22]

UPopu Boniface IV wanikela iNdlu yeCawa yamaRoma kuMariya nakubo bonke abafeli-nkolo becawa

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 23]

IHalloween inayiphi impembelelo kubantwana bakho?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

AmaKristu okwenyaniso anandipha ukuzihlaziya okufanelekileyo njengeentsapho