AncientOrigins

　　Halloween'soriginsdatebacktotheancientCelticfestivalofSamhain(pronouncedsow-in).

　　TheCelts,wholived2,000yearsagointheareathatisnowIreland,theUnitedKingdom,andnorthernFrance,celebratedtheirnewyearonNovember1.Thisdaymarkedtheendofsummerandtheharvestandthebeginningofthedark,coldwinter,atimeofyearthatwasoftenassociatedwithhumandeath.Celtsbelievedthatonthenightbeforethenewyear,theboundarybetweentheworldsofthelivingandthedeadbecameblurred.OnthenightofOctober31,theycelebratedSamhain,whenitwasbelievedthattheghostsofthedeadreturnedtoearth.Inadditiontocausingtroubleanddamagingcrops,CeltsthoughtthatthepresenceoftheotherworldlyspiritsmadeiteasierfortheDruids,orCelticpriests,tomakepredictionsaboutthefuture.Forapeopleentirelydependentonthevolatilenaturalworld,theseprophecieswereanimportantsourceofcomfortanddirectionduringthelong,darkwinter.

　　Tocommemoratetheevent,Druidsbuilthugesacredbonfires,wherethepeoplegatheredtoburncropsandanimalsassacrificestotheCelticdeities.

　　Duringthecelebration,theCeltsworecostumes,typicallyconsistingofanimalheadsandskins,andattemptedtotelleachother'sfortunes.Whenthecelebrationwasover,theyre-littheirhearthfires,whichtheyhadextinguishedearlierthatevening,fromthesacredbonfiretohelpprotectthemduringthecomingwinter.

　　ByA.D.43,RomanshadconqueredthemajorityofCelticterritory.InthecourseofthefourhundredyearsthattheyruledtheCelticlands,twofestivalsofRomanoriginwerecombinedwiththetraditionalCelticcelebrationofSamhain.

　　ThefirstwasFeralia,adayinlateOctoberwhentheRomanstraditionallycommemoratedthepassingofthedead.ThesecondwasadaytohonorPomona,theRomangoddessoffruitandtrees.ThesymbolofPomonaistheappleandtheincorporationofthiscelebrationintoSamhainprobablyexplainsthetraditionof"bobbing"forapplesthatispracticedtodayonHalloween.

　　Bythe800s,theinfluenceofChristianityhadspreadintoCelticlands.Intheseventhcentury,PopeBonifaceIVdesignatedNovember1AllSaints'Day,atimetohonorsaintsandmartyrs.ItiswidelybelievedtodaythatthepopewasattemptingtoreplacetheCelticfestivalofthedeadwitharelated,butchurch-sanctionedholiday.ThecelebrationwasalsocalledAll-hallowsorAll-hallowmas(fromMiddleEnglishAlholowmessemeaningAllSaints'Day)andthenightbeforeit,thenightofSamhain,begantobecalledAll-hallowsEveand,eventually,Halloween.Evenlater,inA.D.1000,thechurchwouldmakeNovember2AllSouls'Day,adaytohonorthedead.ItwascelebratedsimilarlytoSamhain,withbigbonfires,parades,anddressingupincostumesassaints,angels,anddevils.Together,thethreecelebrations,theeveofAllSaints',AllSaints',andAllSouls',werecalledHallowmas.