What is the origen of Halloween?

Question

I am in the understanding that Luther Reform and separation from the Roman Apostholic Catholic church cause a mass killing and that day was called the day of the saints (in German) and later changed and distorted into the word halloween.

Answer 1

Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.

During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.

By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.

Answer 2

The origin of Halloween dates back 2000 years ago to the Celtic celebration of the dead. A Celtic festival was held on November 1, the first day of the celtic New Year, honoring the Samhain, the Lord of the Dead. Celtic ritual believed that the souls of the dead returned on the evening before November 1. The celebration included burning sacrifices and costumes. These early events began as both a celebration of the harvest and an honoring of dead ancestors.

Halloween spread throughout Europe in the seventh century. It began with "All Hallows Eve", the "Night of the Dead". It is immediately followed by "All Souls Day", a christian holy day.

The first lighted fruit was really carved out of gourds and turnips. European custom also included carving scary faces into the gourds and placing embers inside to light them. This was believed to ward of evil spirits, especially spirits who roamed the streets and countryside during All Hallows Eve.

The Irish brought the tradition of carving turnips and even potatoes with them to America. They quickly discovered that pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve.

Did you know?!? Americans spend over $14 billion on costumes, decorations, party supplies and other Halloween paraphernalia!!

Bobbing for Apples is a tradition widely popular a few decades ago. It dates back to ancient roman times in honor of the Roman goddess of fruits and apples.

Answer 3

The 31st October is All Saints Day: the 1st November is All Souls Day - two feastdays of the Catholic Church. the 31st is therefore the Eve of all Hallows - Halloween. It was indeed a Pagan feast day representing the end of Harvest and the coming of winter. Back home in Ireland, the old people used to say about Halloween that it was the night 'when all the lost souls wandered the earth looking for peace'. In Ireland we always dressed up in old clothes with blackened faces and went door to door asking for 'apples or nuts'. We always had a special cake for tea on Halloween, called Barmbrack. Read on:

Halloween Barmbrack.

At Halloween we had Barmbrack,
The memory, it takes me back,
To happy days of innocence,
When a bag of sweets cost just two pence.

The dressing up, from door to door,
‘Apples or nuts’ the children implore,
With faces black from cold burnt ash,
Still there next day, after a wash.

The Barmbrack was a special treat,
It looked too good to dare to eat,
The prizes cooked deep within,
The thought it made my young head spin.

A small brass ring that shone like gold,
The secret that its finding told,
That you would be the first to wed,
If you clung to it all night in bed.

A matchstick meant you would see the light,
That you would know wrong from right,
But best was last, a thruppenny bit,
That you’d be rich, if you found it.

Such silly things, to a small boy,
Used to bring unending joy,
Now all that’s left is the memory,
Of the beautiful times that used to be.

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Answer 4

Halloween originated among the Celts in Ireland, Britain and France[1] as a pagan Celtic harvest festival. Irish, Scots and other immigrants brought versions of the tradition to North America in the 19th century. Most other Western countries have embraced Halloween as a part of American pop culture in the late 20th century.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween

Answer 5

All hallows eve actually originated in asia and Aztach belief... It sarted as a day to celebrate the passing of ancestors, a day where there ancestors come back and visit. It is considered the one time of year when the line between the world of the living and the world of the dead is thinnest and they can come back. In Asia the tradition to wear costum was in order to dusguise humans from demons and protect themselves... Later on the candy company took advantage of it... I read Ancient beliefs often. I am happy someone finally asked instead of assume it is a time to just get candy.

Answer 6

It was a pagan ritual to scare of demons during harvest. Christan's had to get in there someplace and declared the next day all saints day. Just like they high jacked Christmas and several other celebrations.

Answer 7

Close. It is a bastardized version of All Saints Day, when the church honored the dead in Christ. Pagans (aka Demorats) perverted it to sell candy.

Answer 8

Halloween: Though celebrated as a Christian holiday, Halloween finds its origins in pre-Christian festivals that propagate false ideas about life after death. Interestingly, we read: “After the Reformation, Protestants rejected this feast along with other important ones such as Christmas and Easter. Nevertheless, Halloween folk customs of pagan origin flourished.”—Encyclopædia Britannica (1959), Volume 11, page 107.

The Encyclopedia Americana says: “Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid ceremony in pre-Christian times. The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun god and a god of the dead (called Samhain), whose festival was held on November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The festival of the dead was gradually incorporated into Christian ritual.”—(1977), Vol. 13, p. 725.

Just how concerned should you be about the dark past of Halloween and similar celebrations? After all, in most people’s minds, Halloween is little more than a time to dress up and have fun. But would you not agree that it is important for parents to make sure that whatever recreation their children pursue is wholesome and not harmful?

A school inspector from France with more than 20 years of experience in teaching was asked about the influence of Halloween on young children. He commented: “I am worried that going from house to house threatening adults in order to obtain sweets can have long-term negative consequences on children. It can foster a selfish and egocentric personality. They learn that by exerting pressure, by demanding with threats, by making others afraid, they can obtain what they want.” Parents must therefore ask themselves, ‘What “lessons” will my children learn from celebrating this holiday?’

Not surprisingly, many families find that giving in to childish demands for treats and costumes can be an expensive undertaking. “Halloween . . . is not a holiday,” observes Robert Rochefort, general director of France’s Research Center for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions, “it is event marketing.” Halloween fills a shopping lull prior to Christmas. In other words, it is just one more thing pressuring people to spend money—money that in many cases they cannot afford to spend. Do you really need to follow the crowd in this regard?

Of even greater concern to Christians, however, is the fact that Halloween and celebrations like it are steeped in paganism. The apostle Paul wrote: “I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.” (1 Corinthians 10:20-22, New International Version) He also asked: “What common interest can there be between goodness and evil? How can light and darkness share life together? How can there be harmony between Christ and the devil? What can a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16, Phillips) The Bible thus condemns the whole idea of putting a Christian mask on a pagan practice!

Halloween have no place in Christian worship; they are far from harmless.

Halloween. The Encyclopedia Americana says: “Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid [ancient Celtic priesthood] ceremony in pre-Christian times. The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun god and a god of the dead . . . , whose festival was held on November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The festival of the dead was gradually incorporated into Christian ritual.”

Halloween’s Horrible Roots,

Masks and costumes: “The Celts left out food, drink and other treats for the spirits and then tricked them into leaving by donning masks and costumes and parading to the edge of the village.”

Bonfires were “literally ‘bonefires’” wherein “the priests sought to appease the sun god by sacrificing animals and, often, people too.” (The Tampa Tribune) “By observing the way the sacrifices died, the Druids looked for omens of the future.”—Beaumont Enterprise.

Trick or treat: “The cry of the Druids was comparable to the modern day ‘Trick or Treat.’”—Central Coast Parent.

Scary stories: “The bloody Druid rites live on in the youthful emphasis on ghosts and spirits. . . . Halloween parties and the telling of scary tales also have their origin in the Druid times when spirits were believed to be abroad in the land.”—The Tampa Tribune.

Despite the pagan origins of these holidays, some will recoil at the thought of denying children the fun of modern celebrations. After all, what do informed children know of ancient Saturn, Astarte, and Samhain? S ome know quite a bit. They also know that they want no part of them.

Answer 9

Halloween used to be a Christian Holdiay to honor Christian martyrs, but then it soon turned into the pagan holiday that we know now.