Before the Pumpkins: The Martyrs Who Sanctified the Night

Long before costumes, candy, and carved pumpkins, the night we now call Halloween was kept holy as the Eve of All Saints — a time to remember those who lit the darkness with faith.

Before the Pumpkins: The Martyrs Who Sanctified the Night retells the powerful true stories of men and women who faced persecution with unflinching courage and even joy. From Ignatius of Antioch’s steadfast journey to Rome, to Polycarp’s firelit defiance, to Perpetua and Felicity’s unbreakable sisterhood, and Lawrence’s holy wit upon the flames — these were the lives that gave meaning to All Hallows’ Eve.

Drawing from the earliest Christian writings and modernising their words for today’s reader, Luke J. Wilson invites us to rediscover the faith that conquered fear, and to remember that the light of Christ once turned even the darkest night into holy ground.