From which religion did Halloween originate?

Answer 1

Halloween is the "new" name for the holiday of Samhain, pronounced "Sow-een". It was the ancient Celtic-pagan holiday of the third/final harvest of the year. It was also the time when the earth enters darkness for the year, and when the ancestors are remembered. It's a day of honoring the "death" of the earth, and also honoring those who have died before us.

On Samhain, the "veil" between the living and the dead is believed to be at its thinnest, and the dead can hear our words, and even walk amongst us - hence the talk of ghosts and whatnot.

This all started long before Christianity. When Christianity came about, they overtook Samhain with All Hallows Eve, which became Halloween (note the similarities in pronounciation), which was a celebration of "Saints"... or those people who have died before us. "All Hallows Eve" was the evening before All Saints Day.

Traditionally, instead of honoring specifically our ancestors, Christians would honor the Catholic Saints. Eventually, children began the tradition of dressing up as their favorite saint... and that's where the costume tradition began.

So... no, Halloween did NOT originate with the Christians. It was an ancient Pagan celebration (the final harvest, the beginning of the "dark" time of the year, and a day to remember the dead) which was overtaken by the Christians... just like they took over Yule (which became Christmas) and Ostara (which became Easter).

Oh, and the comment that someone made about Druids demanding human sacrifices and garbage like that...
The Druids were a peaceful order, in an earth-based religion. Most of them were vegetarian, and were forbidden to carry weapons. In fact, it was forbidden to carry a weapon in the PRESENCE of a Druid. Druids were the academics of the day. The only "sacrifices" made were symbolic offerings from the final harvest (some grain, late fruit, and possibly a pumpkin) to the Earth Mother and the Dying God.

There were no "demons" being worshipped. Gah, that's a horrible myth. The Celtic people saw the "Divine Creator" as a dual-natured entity, being both male and female (how could an infinite God only be male? Preposterous!), and saw different aspects of that deity. In essence, the religion was monotheistic at its base, but celebrated different aspects of "God" with different names. There were no demons... just the spirits of the earth, which were God's manifestations in the physical world.

Aaah, the stupid things people will tell their children to scare them away from the evil pagans. "Watch out! They're vegetarians! They've got pumpkins, and they know how to use them!"

Answer 2

Halloween originated with druidism, and was originally known as the festival of Samhein, or feast of the dead. The druids worshipped ancient celtic gods and demons and demanded that their festivities be held sacred by those towns that surrounded them at the time. The trick or treat custom was originated with the demand of human sacrifices, or crops that were to be gifted to the druids in return for the safety of those dwelling within the homes. If the sacrifice was offered (usually a virgin daughter or young child, or whatever crops were harvested that season) a jackolanter was placed outside the door by the druids (the candle being made of human fat), to ward off the demons that would claim all those that had rejected the sacrifices. The Catholic church later adopted it's customs (as it does with all holidays, easter, christmas, etc.), and made it mainstream religious practice to dedicated to all saints, hence, all hollows day. The true evil origin of the holloween custom and it's roots can be found in a book by Dr. Alexander Hislop titled "The two babylons". Trick or TreaT. :)

Answer 3

Modern halloween traditions developed out of older pagan traditions, especially surrounding the Irish holiday Samhain, a day associated both with the harvest and otherworldly spirits. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the 19th century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late 20th century. Halloween is now celebrated in several parts of the Western world, most commonly in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom and occasionally in parts of Australia and New Zealand.

Many European cultural traditions, in particular Celtic cultures, hold that Halloween is one of the liminal times of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world, and when magic is most potent

Answer 4

From the Judeo-Pagan synthesis which is the Roman Catholic Religion. First they started to allegorized the original writings of the Bible in 150 A.D by justin Martyr, then in 200 A.D by Tatian, then in 275 A.D. by Clement of Alexandria, then by Origen in 325 A.D which Jerome translated into Latin Vulgate, which Emperor Constantine ordered to all Pagan World to be the chosen authority to be expounded only by the Roman Catholic Pope. A perfect combination of Superstitions, Idolatries, and allegorized Bible translation. The original Bible were being carried by the dispersed persecuted Christians who did not give allegiance to the Pope of Rome. But the word of God stick with them when Jesus Christ said before ascending to heaven: "Lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world."

Answer 5

Uh, the early Christians took the holiday Samhain and made it all hallows eve and all souls day. This was to help convert pagans to their way of thinking.

Answer 6

Christianty,mainly catholic,they celebrate the feast of the dead which actually is next friday,i believe,halloween is also harvesting time which ismore pagan,as itis the dark of the year

Answer 7

All Hallows Eve is a Catholic thing.

Halloween in current practice is a secular occasion.

Samhain (SOW-in), the ancient Celtic harvest festival, is often associated with Halloween.

Answer 8

Christianity- specifically, Irish Catholicism.

Answer 9

A bejapers, It be us Irish Catholics. Although its roots are in Celtic Druidism. Who's the bored **** giving the thumbs down?

Answer 10

christianity. specifically the roman catholic church, via their feast of All Saints: All Hallows.