Halloween

Celtic Beginnings

Halloween's origins trace back to ancient Britain and Ireland, around the 5th century BCE, during the full moon closest to November 1st. This was when the Celts celebrated Samhain, the festival marking Summer's End and the Celtic New Year. Samhain, the god of the dead, was believed to dissolve the barrier between the physical and spirit worlds, allowing the spirits of the deceased—both good and evil—to return to earth.

To protect themselves from these spirits, the Celts offered gifts like food, drink, and sweets, and often dressed as spirits themselves to avoid being recognized by malevolent entities. As the festival coincided with the end of summer, rituals, and sacrifices were performed to rejuvenate the dying sun. All fires were extinguished, and sacred fires were kindled to mark the new year. These fires were then used to light new hearths in homes, providing protection through the approaching winter.

Sacred bonfires played a crucial role in repelling evil spirits and were central to offering crop and animal sacrifices to Celtic deities. Druids, the Celtic priests, donned animal-skin costumes and foretold each other's fortunes. They also went from house to house, carrying lanterns and demanding offerings, frequently in the form of money.

Samhain was a time of indulgence, where people engaged in drunken revelry and activities usually forbidden in daily life, embracing the festival's more chaotic and uninhibited nature.

Roman Rule

Starting from 43 CE, the Romans ruled over the Celts, blending their customs with the existing Celtic traditions. One notable example is the integration of the goddess Pomona, the Roman deity of fruit, trees, and fertility, into Celtic practices.

Apples and hazelnuts, sacred to Pomona, were believed to hold the power to divine answers to vital questions about marriage, childbearing, and death—matters of great importance in an agricultural society.

A common tradition involved placing apples with specific markings in a tub of water or hanging them from a tree. By attempting to grab one using only their mouth, a young man or woman was believed to gain insight into their future spouse, making this ritual a blend of fun and fortune-telling.

Christianity

As Christianity spread to Celtic lands, it began to merge with local traditions. In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV established May 13 as All Martyrs Day, a time to honor all martyrs. By the 8th century, Pope Gregory III shifted this observance to November 1, broadening it to honor martyrs, saints, and relics. This day became known as All Saints' Day, incorporating some customs of Samhain. The day after, All Souls' Day, followed this celebration.

All Saints' Day was also referred to as All-hallows or All-hallowmas, and the night before it—coinciding with Samhain—became known as All-Hallows Eve. Over time, this name evolved into Halloween, a term that became widely used by the 18th century.

The Christian church encouraged its followers to dress as spirits, angels, and devils, going from house to request small offerings like food in exchange for prayers for the souls of deceased relatives, a practice known as “going-a-souling.” One common treat distributed during this time was the soul cake, a traditional cookie marked with a cross.

Carved-out turnips or other root vegetables, illuminated with candles or burning coals, were carried or placed in windows to ward off Stingy Jack—a legendary drunkard condemned by Satan to roam the earth—or other spirits. Later, when this custom reached America, pumpkins were used instead.

According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, during the Middle Ages, it was widely believed that souls in purgatory could manifest on this day as will-o'-the-wisps, witches, toads, and other eerie forms.