Most of the youngsters trick-or-treating, lurking in the dark gloom on Halloween, don’t really care much about the background of the holiday/holy day they’re celebrating. Dressed in various costumes such as goblins and ghosts, heroes or villains of yesteryear, these children inadvertently represent ancient traditions that began with a Celtic pagan festival some 20 centuries ago in Europe and gradually evolved into the Catholic celebration on the eve of the party. of All Saints. Much of the lore, however, is obscured by the relentless passage of time and fading memories.
One thing is certain about the celebration: the devil had no part in it. He was later gradually added to the celebration after Saint Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland in 432 AD. Worship.
But they had a strong sense of an afterlife that is simply called “another world.” The Irish Celts called it “Tir na Nog” (land of eternal youth). It was a happy place. It was more of a land of enchantment and a paradise in the Western Sea.
Ruling over this other world was Samhain (pronounced “sow-en) who was known as the “Lord of the Dead.” But he had no relation to the devil.
Even today in Ireland, one of the Celtic countries where ancient customs still survive, the eve of All Hallows (Halloween) before All Saints’ Day is known as Samhain Eve. The following day marks the beginning of the Celtic New Year, November 1, and also marks the end of the grazing season and the harvesting of all crops for the winter.
According to ancient Celtic custom, all fires had to be extinguished and new ones lit to start a new year of abundance and light, and another victory of the sun over darkness.
For the ancient Celts, Halloween could also be a night of danger and terror, as spirits from other worlds roamed freely. The Celts left “treats” on their doorsteps for the spirits of their ancestors, carved large rutabagas or turnips, and placed a candle inside these “spirit lights” to guide their ancestors home. It can be a night of happiness or discomfort depending on the relationship between the families and their ancestors.
Otherworldly spirits could also return to even an old sheet music to demand justice for a previous injustice done to them. Therefore, the Celts began to wear costumes and masks as a way to hide from vengeful ancestors. It was also a time when the future could be understood by following certain practices, such as the movement of apples. When they caught one, they would peel the apple and throw the skins over the shoulder. The shells were supposed to indicate the name of a future spouse or other important information.
The Celts also believed that black cats that crossed a person’s path brought bad luck. The Celts believed that black cats were ancient beings that were transformed into animals as a form of punishment for doing wrong. The Celts also believed that spirits lived in trees and thus “knock on wood” to ensure their good luck would continue. This may well be part of the understanding of the use of the term “the luck of the Irish”. But it was also used to explain their great success as immigrants, especially in the United States.
Before coming to the United States as a holiday, Halloween had other religious origins. There is still much debate as to how the All Saints festival came to replace the ancient Celtic festival. Around 610 AD, the Roman emperor Phocas presented Pope Boniface IV with the Roman Pantheon, the temple where pagan Roman gods and goddesses were worshipped. The Pantheon was then rededicated under the title “Santa Maria ad Martyres” (Holy Mary of the Martyrs). The dedication ceremony was held on May 13, and its anniversary was observed each year with great ceremony. Some historians consider that this is the origin of the feast of All Saints.
Other scholars insist that Pope Gregory III originated the feast when he dedicated an oratorio to all saints in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It seems that from this time, at least in England, the holiday was celebrated on November 1.
However, the prominent scholar J. Hennig rejects both explanations and places the origin of the date of November 1 in Ireland. According to this theory, the holiday spread from Ireland to Northnumberland in England, and then to mainland Europe, where other Celtic peoples would also align it with their New Year’s celebration. It should also be noted that by this period Irish missionaries had already begun their journeys to England and the Continent, and were highly influential in ecclesiastical affairs there.
Whatever the exact Celtic or Christian pagan origin of Halloween, we can thank its modern counterparts, the Irish and the Scots-Irish for preserving such a joyful children’s holiday.
The Irish were largely responsible for bringing their customs and celebrations to America in the mid-19th century, when thousands of them flocked to US shores following the Great Famine of 1847-50 in Ireland. They had extended their empire and customs from the islands of the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea, and from the Mediterranean to the North Sea.
These energetic and inventive people have given the world a zest for life, an incredible supply of sages and legends, and great modern literature from writers like Shaw, Yeats, O’Casey, Beckett, Joyce, and others.
And with all of that, they gave a Catholic/Christian meaning to an ancient holiday and brought Halloween to America for the enjoyment of trick-or-treaters across the country.
But they didn’t bring Satan or devil worship to the merry Celtic New Year celebration on November 1.