Halloween and its origins

HAKIZIMANA Maurice

Halloween, or Hallowe’en (less commonly known as AllhalloweenAll Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve), is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day. It is at the beginning of the observance of Allhallowtide,the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed.

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 Halloween’s history and traditions

  •  Samhain: The origin of Halloween can be traced to this “ancient pagan festival celebrated by Celtic people over 2,000 years ago,” states The World Book Encyclopedia. “The Celts believed that the dead could walk among the living at this time. During Samhain, the living could visit with the dead.”—See “ Why Is It Called Halloween?
  •  Halloween costumes, candy, and trick or treat: According to one source, some of the Celts wore ghoulish costumes so that wandering spirits “would mistake them for one of their own” and leave them alone. Others offered sweets to the spirits to appease them.  In medieval Europe, the Catholic clergy adopted local pagan customs and had their church members go from house to house wearing costumes and requesting small gifts.
  •  Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches, and zombies: These have long been associated with the evil spirit world. Referring to them as “supernatural monsters,” the book Halloween Trivia states that such creatures are “closely connected with death, the dead or the fear of dying.”
  •  Halloween pumpkins, or jack-o’-lanterns: In medieval Britain, people “moved from door to door asking for food in return for a prayer for the dead,” and they would carry “hollowed-out turnip lanterns, whose candle connoted a soul trapped in purgatory.” (Halloween—From Pagan Ritual to Party Night) Some sources say that the lanterns were used to ward off evil spirits. During the 1800’s in North America, pumpkins replaced turnips because they were plentiful as well as easy to hollow out and carve.

  Why is it called Halloween?

The name Halloween is connected with the pagan Celtic festival of Samhain. The World Book Encyclopedia states: “Samhain . . . means summer’s end. The festival marked the start of the dark winter season and was celebrated around November 1. In the A.D. 700’s to 800’s, the Christian church established a new holiday, All Saints’ Day, on this date. All Saints’ Day was also called All Hallows’. Hallow means saint, or one who is holy. The evening before All Hallows’ was known as All Hallows’ Eve, or as it came to be abbreviated, All Hallow e’en. This name was eventually shortened to Halloween.”

Halloween has Pagan Origins – Is That Embarrassing to You?

This world,

HAKIZIMANA Maurice: II To follow my channel  Whatsapp https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCyM5ILdQejDYwQ2b2u II To follow me on facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/professormaurice/

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