The ancient Celtic (Irish/Scottish/Welsh) festival called Samhain is considered by most historians and scholars to be the predecessor of what is now Halloween. Samhain was the New Years Day of the pagan Celts. It was also their Day of the Dead, a time when it was believed that the souls of those who had died during the year were allowed access into the Land of the Dead. Many traditional beliefs and customs associated with Samhain continue to be practiced today on the 31st of October. Most notable of these customs are the practices of leaving offerings of food and drink (now candy) to masked and costumed revellers, and the lighting of bonfires. Elements of this festival were incorporated into the Christian festival of All Hallows Eve, or Hallow-Even, the night preceding All Saints (Hallows) Day. It is the glossing of the name Hallow-Even that has given us the name of Halloween. Until recent times in some parts of Europe, it was believed that on this night the dead walked amongst them, and that witches and warlocks flew in their midst. In preparation for this, bonfires were built to ward off these malevolent spirits. By the 19th century, witches pranks were replaced by childrens tricks. The spirits of Samhain, once believed to be wild and powerful, were now recognised as being evil. Devout Christians began rejecting this festival. They had discovered that the so-called gods, goddesses, and other spiritual beings of the pagan religions, were in fact diabolical deceptions. The spiritual forces that people experienced during this festival were indeed real, but they were manifestations of the devil who misled people toward the worship of false idols. Thus, they rejected the customs associated with Halloween, including all representations of ghosts, vampires, and human skeletons - symbols of the dead - and of the devil and other wicked and evil creatures. It must also be noted that, to this day, many Satan-worshippers consider the evening of October 31st to be their most sacred. And many devout Christians today continue to distance themselves from this pagan festival.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 21:07:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015