Halloween

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Festival Type(s): Halloween, Religious Events, Traditional Festivals

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Hallowe'en - Its origins and history

By: © Linda Campbell 2009

Encyclopaedia Britannica states that Hallowe'en is "All Hallows' Eve or All Hallows' Evening, a holy or hallowed evening observed on October 31, the eve of All Saints' Day". This Christian festival was first introduced in the 7th century CE, initially on May 13th.

It is a day to "honour all the saints, known and unknown" (Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913) and it is still celebrated by the Catholic and Anglican churches as well as the Orthodox churches. All Hallows' Eve is an evening of vigil in preparation for Mass on All Saints' Day and this "seems to have been held as early as the feast itself" (Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913). In 835CE All Saints' Day was moved to November 1st by Pope Gregory III.

How then has Hallowe'en become a festival that is associated with witches, 'trick or treat' and pumpkin lanterns? This question is not easily answered.

Another important festival, All Souls' Day, is held on November 2nd. This is a day when the souls of the dead are prayed for and Masses held to speed their entry into Heaven. This was being held as early as the 5th or 6th centuries CE, although not on November 2nd.

When moved to November, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day coincided with the Celtic new year celebration, Samhain (pronounced 'SHAH-vin' or 'SEW-in'). Note that the Christian festivals, a remembrance of saints and deceased believers, with their own rites and traditions, were already established before being moved to the same date as Samhain.

November 1st was an important date in the complex, pastoral society of the Celts. The herds had been brought down from their summer pastures, the harvest had been gathered and preparations made for the cold, dark months of winter. It was also a time when legal matters were settled and land tenures renewed. Samhain (which simply meant 'summer's end' and was not the name of a pagan god of death as has been falsely reported in some publications) was a celebration of the new year, beginning with a bonfire festival on October 31st.

The Celts, with their Druid priests (who were also the bards, doctors and custodians of the law), believed in life after death and thought that, on the last day of the year, spirits could return briefly to their old homes. Samhain eve seems to have been a time spent in remembrance of the dead, as was All Souls' Day. The early Christian church had coincided its festivals of commemoration with that of the Celts.

by Linda Campbell

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