Chapitre 263: Chapter 263: Halloween and Summoning Spirits
Bishop Romulus is his direct superior, and his Pluto Church is under the jurisdiction of this bishop.
As the bishop's personal monk, he naturally possesses the demeanor of a clergyman.
However, this knight-sword-bearing monk only came to notify him.
For instance, Bishop Romulus had already headed to the headquarters and reminded him not to forget the inauguration ceremony, among other things.
At the same time, his title started to change from this moment.
"Bishop York? Still doesn't feel quite right."
York watched the personal monk leave, feeling a bit unaccustomed in his heart.
He thought that compared to the title of Bishop York, Father sounded a bit nicer.
As for whether this is his quirky taste or some other reason, it remains unknown.
York turned his head back.
Eileen was standing behind the main entrance, silently watching, her face expressionless, just quiet.
"Did you hear that?" York smiled.
Eileen nodded, not hiding anything, "Yes, Father."
She paused for a moment and asked seriously, "Father, are you being promoted to bishop?"
"I suppose so."
York looked up at the azure sky, with only a month left of autumn, the weather was still pleasant, and the decorative trees by the roadside looked better than ever at this moment.
"If nothing unexpected happens." York confirmed, glancing around the environment subconsciously.
If nothing unexpected happens, he might have to leave Pluto Church.
But, he still had a choice.
"Let's go inside and think about how to prepare for tomorrow's Halloween."
York turned and walked towards the church, patting Eileen's shoulder as he passed her, "No matter whether I become a bishop or something else, you'll definitely be my deaconess."
After saying this, York walked slowly inside, leaving Eileen behind who slowly smiled and hurriedly followed him.
"Father, how do you think we should welcome Halloween?"
"Hm? Are you asking me?"
"Yes, Father…"
"That's your job, Eileen."
"Eh?"
"Cough cough, let's have a mass then." An awkward voice spoke.
"Halloween, after all! It's our holiday too. As clergy, we mustn't forget all the saints and deceased believers..."
"Oh right, besides the mass for souls, let's organize some activities for children too, striving to let them understand the meaning of Halloween better,
Eileen, we must create a safe, fun environment."
"Yes! Father!"
...
With laughter, the conversation drifted with the wind, growing fainter until it disappeared.
Halloween has arrived.
York became a true priest on this day.
He and the believers who came for the mass held a mass for souls, praying and commemorating the deceased, familiar believers.
It was a special ceremony to honor and respect deceased loved ones and believers.
Pluto Church, under the illumination of candles and sunlight, became very solemn.
York sincerely prayed for those who had died before, like old Brown and his wife, the nuns of the Saint Cata Monastery, and the strangers in the Reed Apartment Building.
The believers sitting on the pews with their eyes closed and fists clasped, including John Wick, Robert, and Eileen, also prayed for their deceased relatives and friends.
Everyone had their own prayer targets.
What was common was the mindset of their prayers.
...
"Father, are we really going to decorate?" Eileen asked quietly, holding a fake spider web, looking at the Father.
Seeing the Father holding a pumpkin lantern,
Eileen's gaze shifted stealthily. She saw John Wick and Robert busy around the floor-to-ceiling windows, hanging orange, purple, and other colored fabrics.
That was not all; some believers were enthusiastically helping.
"Why not?"
York smiled, moving the pumpkin lantern in his hand, "See, aren't they happy?"
Eileen followed the Father's gaze to see a few children playing and chattering happily, and some believers also appeared very comfortable.
"Yes, Father."
Hearing this, York said, "We also need to place some candies at the entrance that anyone can take. The trick-or-treaters should be coming soon."
"Okay, Father." Eileen replied seriously.
York looked at the young nun, seeing her always serene and uninvolved demeanor, couldn't help but pinch and lift her cheeks.
"Today is Halloween, be happy."
After saying this, without waiting for any response, York let go and patted her thin shoulder with a smile.
"Go on, get busy."
With such an action, Eileen didn't know how to react; she just nodded and left with the fake spider web.
During her departure, she tried to smile, although it was a bit stiff.
This made York chuckle, watching Eileen start to find some believers to help decorate, his gaze unconsciously sweeping over the entire scene.
"What I need to do next is…"
York made no movement, but the sanctity began to spread under his feet.
The spread was so vast, reaching the limit of the holographic image.
A circular array with a diameter of exactly two hundred meters centered on Pluto Church instantly formed, radiating pure white holy light.
The children passing by and pedestrians were like pieces on the array, unaware of it.
"The Holy Protection Array, possessing strong exorcism and protection capabilities, and the ability to resist evil invasions, should be enough."
York, holding the pumpkin lantern as if he had done nothing, walked outside.
Halloween is a holiday related to religion and the supernatural, so it has different meanings for different people.
Also, it's a day when cults like to cause trouble.
Churches commemorate and remember saints and others, while these cults perform sacrifices or engage in heretical practices.
He didn't care about other places since there were respective churches and organizations to guard them.
But here, nothing and no one was allowed to cause trouble.
That is, demons and ghosts were prohibited here.
This is the meaning of his guardianship here, protecting the believers of Pluto Church and the residents of this place is the duty of his priestly work.
"Father!!"
Just as he stepped outside, a group of four or five-year-old children playing in the yard didn't care about his towering figure and ran over excitedly.
"Ouch! Be careful, don't fall."
York smiled, holding a child of an old believer, his face full of smiles.
Before long, he was surrounded by children of various sizes.
Eileen and the believers were busy at the main entrance, glancing over there, touched by the happy Father.
She seemed to understand something.
Later, she understood even more.
Especially when Father York, holding those candy boxes, began to stand at the entrance, a crowd slowly formed by the roadside.
All were familiar believers.
They all brought their children.
"Bishop York."
That was Mrs. Isara, who smiled at the Father and then gestured for her child to grab some candy.
"Mm." York offered a gentle smile, handing out beautifully packaged candies to the somewhat shy girl from the basket.
The girl looked back at her mother, who nodded, before cautiously reaching out to take the candies.
"Good girl."
York patted her head and naturally placed one of the crosses prepared on the table around the girl's neck.
These were the crosses he had stored, not valuable but imbued with some of his consecrated holy power, having an effect of warding off evil.
"Thank you, Father." Mrs. Is
ara smiled. "I hope you have a pleasant day."
"Thank you, you too."
York nodded, allowing Mrs. Isara to lead her daughter away, making way for the next believer.
"Bishop York…"
This was a father, smiling with a five or six-year-old boy in hand.
"Go, Holl, go grab some candy." He let go, telling his child.
...
Likewise, familiar believers.
Eileen stood by, silently watching the Father distribute candy and hang crosses on the excited children's necks, blessing the believers to have a pleasant day.
In her eyes, Father York and these believers seemed to have gone through this process many times.
The whole process was in perfect harmony.
"Bishop York."
Even some children already knew of Father York's presence.
Because the Father would ask them about things.
Like now…
"Marsha, is school pressure too high lately?" York glanced at the girl's mother behind her and whispered.
This child's mother belonged to the elite group, occasionally talking about her child here, clearly having high expectations for her child.
"Not much." Marsha, appearing wise beyond her years, accepted the candy, cheerfully stuffing it into her pockets, casually responding.
York smiled, taking a cross handed by Eileen and hanging it around her neck.
"Then… it seems you're doing well in school?"
Hearing this conversation, Eileen also thought so, she couldn't help but glance at the child's mother, only to see her expression a bit awkward.
Then Eileen heard the child's crisp response.
"Not good! Not good at all!"
With bulging pockets full of candy, her assertive demeanor made Eileen and the waiting believers behind her burst into laughter.
"Hehe."
Even York was amused, he couldn't help but bend down to pat Marsha's head, seriously saying.
"Good, a smart child, very good, keep up this mindset."
"Okay!"
Marsha's carefree demeanor softened the hearts of all the adults present.
Her mother stepped forward, holding her daughter's hand, smiling, "Father, have a pleasant day."
"You too, Kay."
York nodded back, appreciating how this mother raised her child to be so free-spirited and humane, hopeful but not oppressive.
Kay nodded back, decisively leading her daughter, who cared only about the candies and tightly guarded her pockets, away from the spot, not wanting to hold up the line.
One believer after another, in a continuous cycle.
The candies and crosses prepared on the table slowly dwindled to almost nothing.
Fortunately, there was no one left in front of him.
Eileen handed the last few crosses to him, watching the Father send off the last believer.
"Father, have you always welcomed them like this?"
"Mm." York watched the last believer lead their child away, indifferently saying.
"It's been a long time, I don't know if it can continue in the future."
Eileen was silent.
York glanced at her, hanging a cross around her neck.
"Don't overthink it."
After saying that, York glanced at the time and started walking back.
"Let's prepare some more candy. There's another group of guests coming, and that's the real show."
Hearing this, Eileen had no choice but to put away all her thoughts, grabbing the cross and quickly following her Father.
"Yes, Father."
...
The guests York mentioned were not anyone specific but a group of costumed children.
After all, the grown-ups have grown accustomed to this holiday, so the happiest are these youngsters and children.
For the children, Halloween is quite meaningful.
Because they can dress up as their favorite characters.
This group of neighborhood children knocking on doors were a bunch of adorable little rascals.
One after another, they threatened in their childish voices for candies.
Like the phrase, "trick or treat."
But York was no longer responsible for greeting these children. Instead, Eileen led, with John Wick and Robert assisting in handing out candy.
It was lively outside.
While he was in the church, watching Little Red Riding Hood Hailey, whom he hadn't seen for a long time, and the girl a few meters behind her.
That was a blonde girl, appearing to be Hailey's age.
"Don't tell me, she's your girlfriend? You broke up with Bridget?"
Long-missed Hailey, with her short haircut, still had a cool demeanor, glancing at the Father.
"Bridget moved to another state, so we…"
York understood the meaning of this sentence, somewhat speechlessly saying.
"Hailey, you really have a way, one after another."
Hailey, unfazed, stretched out her hand.
"Candy! Give me candy, and I'll tell you something, something popular in our college group, and they're having a party tonight…"
York raised an eyebrow, digging out a piece of candy from his pocket and placing it in Little Red Riding Hood's hand.
He knew Little Red Riding Hood was a city dweller, and coming here was always with a purpose, very subjective.
Last time Bridget was the same, just not sure if this time it's also about her girlfriend's matter.
Hailey unwrapped the candy in her hand and popped it into her mouth.
"Somebody invited my girlfriend to a party tonight, and they're going to play a summoning game."
Summoning?
York looked at Little Red Riding Hood, silently listening to her continue.
"They have a model of a right hand, and supposedly, if you light a candle next to that hand, grasp it, and say 'respond to me' towards the void, you can see the ghost you wish to see…"
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