Memento mori
“In all thy works remember thy last end, and thou shalt never sin.“
Ecclesiasticus (Sirach): 7: 40
“‘It is in regard to death that man’s condition is most shrouded in doubt.‘ In a sense bodily death is natural, but for faith it is in fact ‘the wages of sin.‘ For those who die in Christ’s grace it is a participation in the death of the Lord, so that they can also share his Resurrection.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, par. 1006-1009; 1013-1014
Death is the end of earthly life. Our lives are measured by time, in the course of which we change, grow old and, as with all living beings on earth, death seems like the normal end of life. That aspect of death lends urgency to our lives: remembering our mortality helps us realize that we have only a limited time in which to bring our lives to fulfillment:
‘Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, . . . before the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.‘
Death is a consequence of sin. The Church’s Magisterium, as authentic interpreter of the affirmations of Scripture and Tradition, teaches that death entered the world on account of man’s sin. Even though man’s nature is mortal God had destined him not to die. Death was therefore contrary to the plans of God the Creator and entered the world as a consequence of sin. ‘Bodily death, from which man would have been immune had he not sinned’ is thus ‘the last enemy’ of man left to be conquered.
Death is transformed by Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, also himself suffered the death that is part of the human condition. Yet, despite his anguish as he faced death, he accepted it in an act of complete and free submission to his Father’s will. The obedience of Jesus has transformed the curse of death into a blessing.“
“Death is the end of man’s earthly pilgrimage, of the time of grace and mercy which God offers him so as to work out his earthly life in keeping with the divine plan, and to decide his ultimate destiny. When ‘the single course of our earthly life’ is completed, we shall not return to other earthly lives: ‘It is appointed for men to die once.‘ (…)
The Church encourages us to prepare ourselves for the hour of our death. In the ancient litany of the saints, for instance, she has us pray: ‘From a sudden and unforeseen death, deliver us, O Lord‘; to ask the Mother of God to intercede for us ‘at the hour of our death‘ in the Hail Mary; and to entrust ourselves to St. Joseph, the patron of a happy death.“
It is due to Adam and Eve, due to their sin we inherited, that we all must die. Besides birth, there is no other fact of life that will inevitably realize itself one day both for the rich and the poor, whether one is young or old, healthy or sick, strong or weak, famous or most obscure, respected or despised, a king in splendid robes or a poor peasant. In the late Middle Ages, they began to depict this in an allegorical figure which is called in French “la danse macabre“ – “the dance of death“.
But as the Catechism teaches us: in Christ, the curse of Adam has been turned into a blessing; in Christ, death has been redeemed.
It has become possible for us to die “a happy death“, to die in peace, reconciled with God, in the hope for His salvation. Those who belong to Him, who will come to judge the living and the dead, do not need to fear death as the pagans did and do – but only Him, their Creator and their Savior, with a filial, not servile fear, with the awe of piety and love.
Autumn is the season to contemplate the four last things: death, judgment, heaven, and hell. A time to remind ourselves that the Church has always known a practice called memento mori – remember your death.
In a certain way, even the pagan philosophers of antiquity employed the concept of memento mori, and included meditations on death in their teachings. The great ones, Plato and Socrates, established a link between the discipline of philosophy – of love of wisdom – and the contemplation of our mortality.
“Ordinary people seem not to realize that those who apply themselves in the right way to philosophy are directly and of their own accord preparing themselves for dying and for death.“
Socrates
According to Socrates, then, the wise ones – the philosophers, the “friends of wisdom“ – are the ones ready to die, unlike “ordinary people“. Yet Sacred Scripture – the wisdom of God – turns it around: Those who remember their death, and who recall their Creator who made them and to whom they must give an account of their lives, shall become wise in how to live their lives.
There are kind of two explicit memento mori times in the Catholic liturgy: There is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, when Catholics receive a cross of ashes on their foreheads and are told:
“Remember, man, that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.“
Ash Wednesday Liturgy
And there is Hallowtide at the very end of October and beginning of November when it‘s already quite dark and cold outside, and the first trumpet blow in a trilogy of trembling and rejoicing comes along, All Hallows‘ Eve, the original Halloween – the vigil of the feast day of All Saints.
Baroque art, and vanitas
Baroque art – whether in sonnets or paintings – was obsessed with emphasizing the transitoriness of our existence during a time of wars and pandemics. Vanitas is Latin for “emptiness, futility, vainglory, or foolish pride“, and these works of arts attempted to contrast the vanitas of pleasure and earthly goods with the certainty of death.
We encounter the word vanitas in the book of Kohelet – the wisdom of Solomon – in the Old Testament:
“I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit. The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.“
Ecclesiastes 1: 14-15
Countless of these Baroque still life paintings like the one by Pierfrancesco Cittadini exist – symbols of death and mortality juxtaposed with symbols of beauty, art, status, success, and temporal adornments.
One could say that these paintings are a bit like a constellation of Saturn, Chronos, the clockmaster, the grim reaper, and Venus, the gracious and fine lady, in a square, in a tense and battle-like position towards one another.
Or is it – thanks to these artists’ Venusian genius beautifying death in a quite euphemistic arrangement of rich and earthy colors – even harmonious? Art is most certainly always open for interpretation.
Taking a closer look at the one above by Pierfrancesco Cittadini, we could take the reality of the skull for what it is, in a truly Christian manner: being in a paradoxical unity both the curse of Adam we must penitentially bear and the happy blessing to die with and in Christ.
Both is present at once: the ugly – yet at the same time refined and gilded – skull, reminding us that all material things of this world will turn to ashes, and still its golden shimmering speaks of eternity, too; and all around this symbol of death we encounter the beautiful and harmonious cosmic arrangement of the whole picture pointing to something or rather Someone beyond this world Who is the source of all harmonia, of all concord. So death is part of the picture – but what is at the very center of the whole painting? Flowers – a symbol of life, beauty, and fruitfulness par excellence; a symbol of hope on each and every gravesite.
Instead of detecting the vanitas, which death will relinquish in a day, in the knight’s vestments, we might see a man of valor like Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the soldier of Christ, who lived in the very same century as this Italian painter, or any other of the saints who fought “the good fight of faith, (laying) hold on eternal life“ (1 Tim 6:12); and in the bouqet of flowers we could smell the scent of the honoring of Our Lady in the Ave Maria and the Most Holy Rosary.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortae nostrae.
Ave Maria prayer
Our gracious Lady victorious in her battle with Chronos. Death entered the world through Adam, and Christ who is Eternal Life through the womb of the Blessed Virgin.
And thus we could interpret this picture not as an “accusation“ made towards the observer but rather as an encouragement that the life of the Christian is never meaningless vainglory, even if adorned with temporal honors, as long as there is some skull and bones of memento mori sitting right on top of his books – of his learning, understanding, and wisdom – and as long as he lends his suit of armor, his sword, his violin and artistic talent – his body, his power, and his gifts – to the service of Christ the King and to the Queen of Roses.
“Man is created to praise, reverence, and serve God our Lord, and by this means to save his soul.
Saint Ignatius of Loyola
And the other things on the face of the earth are created for man and that they may help him in prosecuting the end for which he is created.
From this it follows that man is to use them as much as they help him on to his end, and ought to rid himself of them so far as they hinder him as to it.
For this it is necessary to make ourselves indifferent to all created things in all that is allowed to the choice of our free will and is not prohibited to it; so that, on our part, we want not health rather than sickness, riches rather than poverty, honor rather than dishonor, long rather than short life, and so in all the rest; desiring and choosing only what is most conducive for us to the end for which we are created.“
The baroque age was still a Christian age, even though one already hurt by the division Protestantism had caused and obscured by its grim theology. As always, the best artists of that time did not seek to paint white-washed tombs for us – but the penetrating, paradoxical and “macabre“ truth. For our edification, and not for scaring us. For turning fools into wise men who use all their temporal goods and blessings for gaining eternal ones, for acquiring a “treasure in heaven“.
Chorea Maccabaeorum
“Macabre“, by the way, is most likely derived from “Maccabees“, and so is “la danse macabre“ – originially: Chorea Maccabaeorum, the “dance of the Maccabees“, referring to the martyrdom of the seven holy brothers as described in the second book of Maccabees, part of the Old Testament scriptures. And so we encounter once more, in the etymology of “macabre“, a celebratory Christian notion of death:
“The Maccabees were seven brothers who, with their venerable mother and the priest Eleazar, refused to eat pork flesh and were subjected to unheard-of tortures (…).“
Jacobus de Voragine: The Golden Legend. Readings on the Saints, Princeton University Press 1993, p. 419
“It came to pass also, that seven brethren, together with their mother, were apprehended, and compelled by the king to eat swine’s flesh against the law, for which end they were tormented with whips and scourges. But one of them, who was the eldest, said thus: What wouldst thou ask, or learn of us? we are ready to die rather than to transgress the laws of God, received from our fathers.“
2 Maccabees 7: 1-2; 20-38
“Now the mother was to be admired above measure, and worthy to be remembered by good men, who beheld seven sons slain in the space of one day, and bore it with a good courage, for the hope that she had in God:
And she bravely exhorted every one of them in her own language, being filled with wisdom: and joining a man’s heart to a woman’s thought, she said to them: I know not how you were formed in my womb: for I neither gave you breath, nor soul, nor life, neither did I frame the limbs of every one of you. But the Creator of the world, that formed the nativity of man, and that found out the origin of all, he will restore to you again in his mercy, both breath and life, as now you despise yourselves for the sake of his laws.
Now Antiochus, thinking himself despised, and withal despising the voice of the upbraider, when the youngest was yet alive, did not only exhort him by words, but also assured him with an oath, that he would make him a rich and a happy man, and, if he would turn from the laws of his fathers, would take him for a friend, and furnish him with things necessary. But when the young man was not moved with these things, the king called the mother, and counselled her to deal with the young man to save his life.
And when he had exhorted her with many words, she promised that she would counsel her son. So bending herself towards him, mocking the cruel tyrant, she said in her own language: My son, have pity upon me, that bore thee nine months in my womb, and gave thee suck three years, and nourished thee, and brought thee up unto this age. I beseech thee, my son, look upon heaven and earth, and all that is in them: and consider that God made them out of nothing, and mankind also: So thou shalt not fear this tormentor, but being made a worthy partner with thy brethren, receive death, that in that mercy I may receive thee again with thy brethren. While she was yet speaking these words, the young man said: For whom do you stay? I will not obey the commandment of the king, but the commandment of the law, which was given us by Moses. But thou that hast been the author of all mischief against the Hebrews, shalt not escape the hand of God. For we suffer thus for our sins. And though the Lord our God is angry with us a little while for our chastisement and correction: yet he will be reconciled again to his servants. But thou, O wicked and of all men most flagitious, be not lifted up without cause with vain hopes, whilst thou art raging against his servants. For thou hast not yet escaped the judgment of the almighty God, who beholdeth all things. For my brethren, having now undergone a short pain, are under the covenant of eternal life: but thou by the judgment of God shalt receive just punishment for thy pride. But I, like my brethren, offer up my life and my body for the laws of our fathers: calling upon God to be speedily merciful to our nation, and that thou by torments and stripes mayst confess that he alone is God. But in me and in my brethren the wrath of the Almighty, which hath justly been brought upon all our nation, shall cease.“
“She thought that maternal love consisted in this, in persuading her sons to gain for themselves an eternal life rather than an earthly life.“
Saint Ambrose of Milan
The feast of the Holy Maccabees, of these seven brothers, is celebrated on the 1st August every year. But there are numerous links between the stories of the Maccabees and Hallowtide, one being the pious practice of offering up prayers and sacrifices for the departed as described in the second book of Maccabees.
Jacobus de Voragine tells us in the Golden Legend, that the seven holy Maccabean brothers represent all the saints before the first advent of Christ:
“The number 7 is the number of universality. In these seven saints are represented all the Old Testament fathers who deserve to be celebrated. (…)
Jacobus de Voragine: The Golden Legend. Readings on the Saints, Princeton University Press 1993, p. 419
These martyrs are set before the faithful as examples, in order that their constancy may encourage the faithful to be zealous for the faith, and to be ready to suffer for the law of the Gospel as the Maccabees girded themselves steadfastly to live by the law of Moses.“
“Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.“
William Shakespeare
“Thus ready for the way of life or death, I wait the sharpest blow, Antiochus.“
“The stroke of death is as a lover‘s pinch, which hurts and is desired.“
Catholic Halloween
There is a Catholic version of “trick-or-treat“, actually the true origin of this custom: It comes from Britain. People used to beg for “soul cakes“ from door to door with the promise to pray for the departed loved ones of those who would give these cakes to them.
Dressing up in costumes is another originally Catholic Halloween custom originating in France – “la danse macabre“ again.
And what about the hollowed out pumpkins turned into lanterns, the so-called Jack-o‘-lantern? Now a “Jack with the lantern“ or “Jack of the lantern“ is simply a man with a lamp, a night watchman.
Lighting, during a dark night inaugurating the month of November, candles for the vigil of a great and solemn Church feast celebrating the communion of all the saints in heaven who continually intercede for the struggling souls in purgatory and on earth sounds pretty Catholic, doesn‘t it?
But why a pumpkin lantern exactly? Hard to say. It comes from the Irish, and there might be some Celtic roots. Most definitely: pumpkins are simply around a lot at this time of the year, shortly after the autumn harvest.
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish ones took their lamps, they took no oil with them. But the wise ones took oil in jars along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was taking a long time, they all got drowsy and started falling asleep. But in the middle of the night there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!‘ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. Now the foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, since our lamps are going out.‘ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, there won‘t be enough for us and for you. Instead, go to those who sell, and buy some for yourselves.‘ But while they were going off to buy, the bridegroom came. And those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. Now later, the other virgins came, saying, ‘Sir, Sir, open up for us!‘ But he replied, ‘Amen, I tell you, I do not know you.‘ Therefore stay alert, for you know neither the day nor the hour.“
Matthew 25: 1-12
“Watch with the heart, watch with faith, watch with love, watch with charity, watch with good work (…); make ready the lamps, make sure they do not go out (…); renew them with the inner oil of an upright conscience; then shall the Bridegroom enfold you in the embrace of his love and bring you into his banquet room, where your lamp can never be extinguished.“
Saint Augustine of Hippo
Catholics today often call their pumpkin lanterns “Saint-o‘-lantern“ instead of “Jack-o‘-lantern“. They carve a cross or the depiction of a saint into it rather than a scary grimace.
“There is a lot that is unsavory about the contemporary celebration of Halloween. What does the singular focus on violence, horror and death have to say about our culture? The traditional, Catholic Halloween placed these realities within the context of Christ’s victory over sin, death and the devil. The current secularized version of the festival has no salvific content and has been loosed from its theological moorings. It looks very much like a festival of death for a culture of death and for that reason I can see why parents might be concerned.“
Father Steve Grunow: Halloween and Catholicism, published on 27th October 2017 on: https://ucatholic.com/blog/halloween-and-catholicism/
The Catholic way of Hallowtide is in the very first place a joyous celebration of all the saints and a pious remembrance of all the holy souls, all the faithful departed, who will one day see the Light of Christ and breathe and move and have their whole being in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but until then have still a time of suffering in purgatory to undergo in penance for sins committed, as they are being purified for the communion of heaven.
And so these days are good tidings, not spooky, scary, “horrible“ ones at all, and they are reminding the Church Militant on earth of the virtues of piety, vigilance, courage, and magnanimity.
When the Church celebrates Christ‘s victory over death and evil and honors all His saints, “all the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure“ (Apoc 19: 14) who will follow Him when He comes again in the last days to make an end to the reign of the Anti-Christ, to judge the living and the dead, and to usher in the renewal of all things, then the ones who actually have reason to tremble in fear are Satan and all the demons who are reserved for the fire of Gehenna, hell.
Is it surprising, then, that they try whatever they can to twist and turn this feast day into their little “party“ and “reign“ instead of a foreshadowing of their final condemnation and punishment?
Is it a mere coincidence that Hallowtide precedes just by a few weeks the beginning of the Advent season which is the call of Maranatha, for Christ‘s second coming?
Or is it just by chance that the Jewish festival of Chanukkah is also not far away any more, coinciding with Advent, the festival remembering the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem by the victorious Maccabees – and maybe also anticipating the re-dedication of all creation after the reign of the Anti-Christ of whom the evil Greek king Epiphanius Antiochus was a type and a precursor?
Halloween is sort of “the dance of the Maccabees“, or maybe simply the first round of it – the dance of those who departed from this world and yet are alive, who have merited eternal life, who have attained to life in abundance, far beyond the ever waning and ever more suffocated shrinking liveliness of the “walking dead“ in a “culture of death“ that knows neither of trumpets for an ardent wake-up call nor of strong and vibrant memento mori frescos – but only of deceptive flutes to put everyone to sleep.
Not the sleep of peaceful rest though, but the drowsiness of vices, confusion, and of forgetfulness – slipping into the fog of oblivion, as would a limp man smoking hashish or a pale man numbing himself with many cups of dry and bitter gin, forgetting to remember who God is and who we are, and that birth, life, and death are really real.
As real as the blood the holy martyrs shed for our sake. So that, thanks to their extraordinary charity, we may believe in the One whom their holy bodies have preached – and be saved, “work(ing) out (our) salvation with fear and trembling“ (Phil 2: 12).
“Recall your exodus every hour; keep death before your eyes on a daily basis. Remember before whom you must appear.“
Saint Athanasius the Great
“Remember that you have only one soul; that you have only one death to die; that you have only one life (…). If you do this, there will be many things about which you care nothing.“
Saint Teresa of Avila
“I have never seen a compassionate and charitable man die a bad death.“
Saint Augustine of Hippo
Read on about the feast day of All Saints: