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Halloween, a night of ghosts and goblins, trick or treat, and harvest decorations. Is it religious or secular? Where did it actually originate?

Why do we celebrate it?

Let’s take a look at history.

Halloween is considered by many to be a secular holiday rather than a religious one. According to some, Halloween harkens back to the Celtic festival of Samhain. Samhain was an ancient Celtic and Druidic celebration of the New Year, which began on November 1. It was in part a harvest festival. They believed that during the night between the new and old year, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and of the dead blurred or weakened allowing the dead to return and cause trouble. It was also a time when the priests could more accurately foretell the future. http://www.history.com/topics/halloween

To commemorate this time, they built huge bonfires, which were considered sacred, and burned sacrifices of crops and animals to their gods. It also kept evil spirits away.

Later, after Rome had conquered the British Isles, they brought with them two ideas—Feralia, or a day commemorating the dead, and a day in honor of Pomona, the goddess of fruits and trees. Her symbol was the apple, which some say is the origin of our “bobbing for apples”. http://www.albany.edu/~dp1252/isp523/halloween.html

When Christianity came to Ireland and Britain, it brought the observance of All Souls Day. This was a day to celebrate the martyrdom of all saints, known and unknown. Originally celebrated in the spring, around Easter, it was moved to November 1 by Pope Gregory III (731-741).  The day was called All Saints Day and  was ordered to be celebrated by Pope Gregory IV. Moving the Catholic celebration of All Saints Day to November 1 replaced the pagan harvest festival with a catholic observance.

The vigil, or eve, of All Saints Day is the evening before, on the evening of October 31. It is commonly known as All Hallow’s Eve, or Halloween. All Saints Day honors all the martyrs and has been extended to include all saints in heaven. It is celebrated by the Catholic church by going to mass  and asking  for their prayers on behalf of those still on earth. http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/p/All_Saints_Day.htm

The next day, November 2 is All Souls Day and is a time to pray for those souls still in purgatory. Families tend graves on this day and some cook special dinners in observance of the Feast of All Souls. http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_2.cfm

Where did our traditions come from? Trick or treating may have come over from Britain from the practice of souling. In souling, people would go door to door offering to say prayers for the dead in exchange for treats—usually soul cakes baked for the occasion.

http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/halloween/a/History-Of-Halloween.htm

Bobbing for apples may also have come from a divination game played in Britain. Apples were placed in a tub of water and the participants tried to catch one in their mouth. Once caught, the apple was carefully peeled and the peel was used to find the initial of one’s true love. http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/halloween/a/Bobbing-For-Apples-On-Halloween.htm

Should Christians celebrate Halloween? That depends on who you ask. Many fundamental churches feel the pagan roots of the celebration make it a celebration of evil or demonic things. The Catholic church believes their celebration predates the Celtic practices and that All Saints Day is important enough to be considered a Holy Day of Observation. Of course observing the day by going to mass is quite different from going out trick or treating.

http://catholicism.about.com/od/holydaysandholidays/f/All_Saints_Holy.htm

So, is Halloween a remnant of a pagan harvest festival? An ancient Druidic celebration on a night when the veil between the worlds is weakened and the dead return?

Or is it a day to go to mass and remember the saints and those departed?

Evil or Christian?

You decide.

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