Halloween

        
Robin DuMolin

How Halloween Began

Over 2000 years ago the Celtic order nof priestly Druids, originating in Gaul, celebrated the year's end on October 31 , the eve of Samhain which means "summer's end". They performed their ceremonies in honor of their sun god, Baal, who helped them with their newly stored grains, fruits and nuts, and their lord of the dead, Samhain. The spirit behind the sun was joyfully thanked for the harvest, and the rites were held for the moral support needed in the coming battle with the cold and darkness of winter.

The Celts also believed that the fate of the soul's of the deceased persons for the coming year was decided by thr lord of the dead when he gathered their souls on October 31. These spirits were thought to have permission to visit their living relatives briefly to obtain a little warmth and comfort for the cold winter ahead. Some of the more frustrated ghosts played pranks on human beings and caused super natural happenings.

The Druid priests had people put out their fires at home, and, by rubbing branches of the sacred oak tree together, start "new fire". From this "new fire" big bonfires were lit and kept burning throughout the night in order to honor the sun god, scare away the stubborn ghosts and light the way for the kindly ones.

The Romans conquered the Celts in A.D. 43 and ruled over them for more than 400 years. The Roman emperors were disturbed because some of the Roman soldiers were adopting the beliefs of the Druids. The Druid religion was banned and the priests hunted and killed. The Celts held on to their Druid customs and even in the face of danger, they continued to prepare for the visitation of spirits during the time of Samhain. Around the ninth century Pope Gregory iv decreed that All Hallow's Eve would fall on October 31 as the vigil of All Saint's  Day. The reason the church needed All Sait's Day was because it honored many matrys and saints/ It eventually ran out of days for each one so it incorporated it all on one day. But the old rituals continued and eventually turned into a secular holiday. The Sottish and Irish who came to the United States and Canada during the potato famine brought Halloween with them.

Animals Associated With Halloween

Frogs- Frogs or toads were mentioned in magical witch's brews. During the persecution of witches, the presence of a frog or toad in a person's home was considered that the person served Satan, because frogs were considered witch's familiars.

Cats- Cats were also seen as witch's familiars. People believed witches took the forms of cats.

Bats- Bats are nocturnal and also associated with the Moon, therefore with magic and witchcraft.

Owls- Owls were identified with the Greek goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Her symbol and familiar was the owl. Ever since, owls have been considered wise. They also have been seen as messengers from the spirit world.

Symbols Of Halloween

Jack O Lanterns - The candle inside the pumpkin is what is considered important. The candle flame represents the element fire, but also the white light of pure spirit. Spirits, ghosts and faeries often appear as sparks of white light. In Japan on a day equivalent to our Halloween , paper lanterns are hung at gardedn gates to welcome home the spirits of the deceased. In Egypt, candles are lit at cemetaries to guide the spirits of the dead back from the city of Osiris. In Ireland, candles are lit in cottage windows to welcome home the ghosts of the dead.

Halloween is also the celebration of the final harvest. This harvest is of the fruits and nuts. This corresponds to the Roman festival of Pomona, goddess of fruit trees, whose symbol is pruning shears. She is most closely associated with the apple which is also connected with this holiday and many games of fortune telling. Death and the realm of spirits are also connected to the apple.

Nuts symbolize the male principle of resurrection and rebirth. For instance, almonds were associated with the god of fertility, death and resurrection, Attis. Divination games were popular . In one game, young women played to learn the identity of their future husbands.. They had to name a hazel nut for each boy they knew and roast them on an open fire. The name of the first hazel nut to jump or pop was the name of the boy she would marry. If a nut burst open in the fire, it indicated infidelity; but if a nut glowed in the fire it was a sign of true love.

Costumes- The purpose of wearing a mask in most primitive religious traditions is to make a spiritual connection with the deity or nature spirit represented by the mask. In the past the making of the mask would have been accompanied by a ritual every step of the way. The mask would then have a spirir or magical power of it's own. Each time a shaman wore the mask he would come into contact with the power of it.

Witches- In the Middle Ages there was a monk named Dunce who discovered that a tall, cone shaped hat like that worn by wizards increased mental activity- and so the dunce cap was invented not to humilate children but to help them. The witch was wise enough to use this design to strengthen her own energies. She could then send out the energy to do her will in any direction. A long nose with a wart on it, actually symbolizes wisdom since the nose continues to grow throughout life. Witches were associated with healing, oftentimes healing warts. The black clothing represents the Moon in it's waning phase, not powers of darkness.

The Broom- A broom was a device to ride to the world of spirits. The World Tree which connects the world of the living with the various realms of spirits, can be identified with the may pole in spring and the witch's broom on Halloween.

Trick Or Treat- In Ireland masked priests honored a Druid god , Muck Olla, begging for food and tithed for their Celtic house of worship. Farmers feared what Muck Olla would do to their farms if they could not pay their tithes and gave nothing. Generally their barn would be mysteriously burnt down or an animal stolen. In early England the poor went begging for soul cakes on the eve of All Saint's Day. The Spanish bribed evil spirits to stay away by putting cakes and nuts on graves.

Sources: Holiday Folklore, Phobias And Fun- Donald E. Dossey

Ancient Ways- Pauline Campanelli