Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Midnight Mass
Netflix’s limited horror series Midnight Mass blends religion with dark horror elements, with each episode title also aptly corresponding to a book in the Bible. Midnight Mass is Mike Flanagan’s horror show follow-up to his successful Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor series. This time, Flanagan switches his usual terrifying haunted house and ghostly premise for vampires, intersecting them with some of the more horrifying aspects of religion. While Midnight Mass is dark and horrific with its vampiric plague, the series also focuses on the more personal horrors of a small town as their faith is tested.
Midnight Mass’s conflict begins when the new priest Father Paul arrives in the extremely small community of Crockett Island, replacing their beloved elderly Monsignor John Pruitt as he left for pilgrimage. After Father Paul’s integration into the church and community, strange things begin to happen to the residents, suddenly restoring the health of those who receive daily communion. The show, which was already featured in two previous Mike Flanagan movies, later reveals that Father Paul actually is a de-aged Monsignor Pruitt, having drank vampire’s blood and brought the “angel” back with him to share “God’s miracles” with the rest of the town. Eventually, this culminates with nearly all of the town becoming “resurrected” as vampires.
With religion and faith in Midnight Mass’s characters being so important to the series, it’s no wonder each episode’s title progresses through books of the Bible. Not only do the episodes bear the books’ titles, but the messages and stories from the books themselves also translate into the corresponding Midnight Mass episode. Here's the true meaning behind every episode title.
Episode 1 - Book I: Genesis
Genesis is the first book in the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament, which tells the story of the creation of the world. Christianity has also interpreted Genesis as prefiguring mankind’s eventual need for salvation and redemption, both of which are important themes in Midnight Mass’s first episode. In more literal terms, the reason why Midnight Mass episode 1 is titled Genesis is that this is the first part of the story. It means the introduction of Father Paul, who has come to Crockett Island with the vampire that will destroy the town and will bring miracles to the people. There’s also some symbolism with the nearing storm for Midnight Mass and its connection to the story of Noah’s Ark and the flood in Genesis. This book in the Bible also deals with mankind’s rebellion and sins, which are seen with the character of Riley as he returns to Crockett as a recovering alcoholic after serving four years in prison for killing a girl in a drunk driving accident.
Episode 2 - Book II: Psalms
Psalms is another book from the Bible, particularly dealing with a collection of hymns and sayings that are typically used for worshipping God. In Christian worship, several of the psalms are particularly important with respect to Lent, which is a Christian observance commemorating the 40 days that Jesus Christ spent fasting. Episode 2 of the Netflix horror TV series shows Crockett’s characters commencing for a potluck on Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent.
Episode 3 - Book III: Proverbs
The Book of Proverbs is an aggregation of collections of stories telling the ways of life that have lasted for a millennium. Proverbs is one of the “wisdom literature” books of the Bible, relating morals, values, the meaning of life, with its foundation being that the fear of God is the path to wisdom. It’s understood through the Bible's verses in Proverbs that wisdom was acquired by God first and He used it to create peace among the chaos. With this, one significant takeaway from Proverbs is that seeking wisdom is the goal and essence of religious life.
The complements of wisdom and religiosity come into play during a heated discussion at the school in Midnight Mass’s third episode. Bev Keane's decision to pass out Bibles to her class leads to pushback from some people in town, who suggest it is inappropriate in a public school that follows the United States’ first amendment right to religious freedom. Bev then accuses Sheriff Hassan (Rahul Kohli) of refusing to allow his Muslim son to read the Bible, while he says he has no issue with Ali reading it as long as it’s not being shoved onto him. Hassan believes reading it should be about the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, just as Proverbs indicates. This also comes into play with Riley revealing that he realized he’s an atheist while in prison. Riley says he read multiple texts from different religions trying to find what he believes through their wisdom, and came away understanding religion but not following any.
Episode 4 - Book IV: Lamentations
The Bible’s Book of Lamentations deals with five poems, each accounting for the destruction of a city that has sinned. Lamentations documents the city as a sad place that is home to many miseries of which are then described as grave sins and acts of God. The episode title's Bible book then relates hope for a better future for the town with only good before describing the destruction of the city on account of their sins. This is clearly a reference to everything that has happened in Midnight Mass up to this point, as a sad town searching for faith that is also known for many sins among its people and upsetting events. Father Paul hopes for a better future for Crockett, which is part of why he brought the vampire with him to restore the tragedies from the community. As Lamentations warns against, Paul bringing the vampire that restores the Midnight Mass characters’ health is an act of God. The episode then sees a few characters killed by either Paul or the vampire as Crockett essentially begins to pay for its sins.
Episode 5 - Book V: Gospel
The Christian Gospel relates the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, all of whom share the basic outline of the teachings and acts of Jesus Christ in the Bible. Gospel follows Jesus preaching publicly along with John the Baptist, tells of Jesus calling on his disciples, Jesus teaching and healing the Pharisees, and ending with Jesus dying on the cross before being resurrected. The closest this gets to Midnight Mass’s events is the story of Monsignor John Pruitt encountering the vampire, coming back to preach God’s miracles, dying from the poison, and coming back to life. This also relates to Riley’s resurrection as a vampire, whereafter he intentionally dies from the sunrise as a sacrifice so he can’t harm any of his family members further, finally asking Erin (Flanagan's common collaborator Kate Siegel) to take care of his family as he turns to dust.
Episode 6 - Book VI: Acts Of The Apostles
This book in the New Testament details the actions of the apostles, who were followers of Jesus Christ. After Jesus has died, the apostles carry on his preachings while also performing healings, raising people from the dead, and casting out evil spirits. The apostles continue to spread the word of Jesus Christ even after he’s gone, trying to convert others to Christianity. The meaning for Acts of Apostles in Nextflix's Midnight Mass comes primarily from the people in Crockett who have dedicated themselves to keeping Monsignor John Pruitt’s identity secret, especially that of his death and resurrection, as well as planning on the Easter midnight mass that will turn others into vampires like him. Mike Flanagan's Midnight Mass characters like Bev, Wade, and Sturge primarily take on these roles, recruiting all to follow Father Paul and see his miracles through God.
Episode 7 - Book VII: Revelations
The connections between the Bible’s Book of Revelations and episode 7 of Midnight Mass are clear, with Revelations foretelling the apocalypse. Additionally, Revelation is the final book in the Christian Bible and the final chapter in Midnight Mass’s story. The Seven Seals in Revelations follows the visions of John through Jesus Christ about the end of the world. The seals involve those who come to conquer, take away peace, and for Death to kill as it pleases. Others are made to be martyrs for God and more unworldly events come to destroy all of Earth and its humanity. For Mike Flanagan's Netflix horror series, episode 7 details the end of days for Crockett as the town is ravaged by its own vampires, neighbors kill neighbors, and the entire island is set afire to make escape impossible. Leeza and Warren are the only two that survive the apocalyptic event in Midnight Mass, as Crockett experiences its own Revelation.