We believers have to maintain our cause for the contention of faith of Jesus Christ- that entails not learning the way of the heathen and to abstain from all appearances of evil
“Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV
“I have refrained my feet from every evil way, That I might keep thy word.”
Psalm 119:101 KJV
So, I only celebrate the 7 feasts of the LORD- I do not celebrate pagan holidays.
Celtic Origins
The origins of Halloween can be traced back all the way to the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain – pronounced ‘sow-in’ in Gaelic language. It was originally an event that marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter in Ireland. The day after, on 1 November, would mark the ancient Celts’ new year.
Like other ancient Gaelic festivals, Samhain was seen to be a liminal time, when the boundaries separating the spiritual world and the real world were reduced. This is why Halloween has become associated with appearance of spirits, fairies and ghosts from the mythical ‘Otherworld’.
Images from a Celtic cauldron found in Denmark, dating back to 1st Century BC. (Image Credit: CC).
Evil Spirits
When the lines were blurred between worlds of the living and the dead, Celts used the opportunity to honour and worship their ancestors. Many, however, were concerned about the access darker and evil spirits had to influence those in the real world.
This is why many Celts dressed their children as demons to confuse the evil spirits and marked their doors with animal blood to deter unwanted visitors.
Sacrifice
With newly uncovered archaeological evidence, historians are almost certain that animal, as well as human sacrifices, were made during Samhain to honour the dead and the Celtic Gods. It is thought that the famous ‘Irish Bog Bodies’ may be the remains of Kings who were sacrificed. They suffered the ‘threefold death’, which involved wounding, burning and drowning.
Alice Loxton traces six thousand years of human history, unveiling villagers who were transfixed by superstition and legend, the struggles of antiquarians who accredited the stones to the Druids, and 18th century visitors who were electrified by the thrills of Gothic horror.
Watch NowCrops were also burnt and bonfires were made as part of the worship of Celtic deities. Some sources claim these fires were made to honour the ancestors, while others indicate that these fires were part of the deterrence of evil spirits.
Roman and Christian Influence
Once Roman forces had conquered a vast amount of Celtic territory by 43 ADin Northern France and the British Isles, traditional Roman religious festivals were assimilated with the pagan celebrations.
This documentary provides an overview of Roman Britain and its legacy. Featuring Roman historians and archaeologists Simon Elliott, Barbara Birley, Adrian Goldsworthy, Catherine Nixey, Miles Russell and Lindsay Powell.
Watch NowThe Roman festival of Feralia was traditionally celebrated in late October (although some historians suggest the festival occurred in February). It was a day to commemorate the souls and spirits of the dead, and was hence one of the first festivals to be combined with the Celtic festival of Samhain.
Another festival was the day of Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. In Roman religion, the symbol that represented this goddess was an apple. This has led many to believe the Halloween tradition of apple bobbing originated from this Roman influence on the Celtic celebration.
“Snap-Apple Night”, painted by Irish artist Daniel Maclise in 1833. It was inspired by a Halloween party he attended in Blarney, Ireland, in 1832. (Image Credit: Public Domain).
It is believed that from the 9th century AD, Christianity had began to influence and displace old pagan rituals within the Celtic regions. At the behest of Pope Gregory VI, ‘All Hallows’ Day’ was assigned to the date of 1 November – the first day of the Celtic new year. The Pope, nevertheless, renamed the event ‘All Saints’ Day’, in honour of all the Christian Saints.
‘All Saints’ Day’ and ‘All Hallows’ Day’ are terms that have been used interchangeably throughout history. The eve before these dates was then called ‘Hallowe’en’ – a contraction of ‘Hallows’ Evening’. In the last century however, the holiday has been referred to simply as Halloween, celebrated on ‘Eve’ before the Day of the Hallows, on 31 October.
Christians are taught to be the light of the world. In one of the Scripture passages, we are instructed thus:
You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly father.
(Matthew 5:14-16)
Therefore, Christian believers have the moral responsibility to educate their children regarding the evil that comes with Halloween pumpkins, costumes, and the Trick-or-Treat tradition. Adults should likewise lead by example to the young ones.
Halloween history
The origin of Halloween can be traced back to the Celtic festival of Samhain. It’s a tradition held at the end of summer when sacrifices were made to the gods in Druid tradition. The adherents believed that Samhain, the god of death, scattered evil spirits during this time throughout the world to attack humans. These evil spirits play nasty tricks as soon as the dark winter and the waning of the sun set in.
To escape the attack, humans would assume disguises and make themselves look like evil spirits, too.
Halloween is also the favorite time of year for witches, or the advocates of Wicca. Wicca is the official religion of witchcraft. Wiccan adherents believe that on the night of October 31, the separation of physical and spiritual realities is at its thinnest and least guarded. And so, it’s the best time for those who have necromantic abilities to speak to the dead.
Pagan Halloween and Christian tradition
As Christianity spread through Europe, it came into conflict with the indigenous pagan beliefs. The organized church basically challenged the established customs by trying to introduce Christian alternatives. Although Christianity gained some converts, many were adamant. And so, the missionaries succeeded only in “Christianizing” pagan rituals. They were only able to introduce Christian symbols and practices to the pagan traditions, like the All Hallows Eve remembrance.
The missionaries injected the All Saints’ Day concept into the pagan Halloween celebration. They introduced the evening before All Saints’ Day as All Hallows Eve, when the time of solemn remembrance of the martyrs begins. The term was derived from “Hallowed”, which means holy. All Hallows Eve was shortened to “Hallow-e’en”, which eventually became “Halloween” over the years. The only difference between the two practices is that the early Christians’ observance of the Halloween never involved wearing costumes. It was rather a solemn event focused on prayer and meditation.
Sadly though, the pagan practices held a remarkably strong influence that some of the new converts were unable to abandon their old customs altogether. Over the years, other Christians adopted those customs, too. Besides, commercialization came into play. Thus, the practice of trick-or-treat, costumes, adornments, and make-up or body coloring is very much alive even up to the present.
Call to action
Christians are actually capable of reversing the evil of Halloween if, and only if, each one would live by the teachings of the One on whom they profess their faith. Parents should teach their children the appropriate way to commemorate All Saints Day.
roduction
Halloween or All Hallows Eve, as it is sometimes referred to, is a lot different now than it may have been celebrated many centuries ago. With October 31st coming around the corner, I thought it would be interesting to find out what the origins of Halloween were.
Earliest Trace
Peter Tokofsky, an assistant professor in the department of folklore and mythology in UCLA states, "The earliest trace (of Halloween) is the Celtic festival, Samhain, which was the Celtic New Year. It was the day of the dead, and they believed the souls of the deceased would be available" (Navarro).
Samhain
Samhain (pronounced sah-win or sow-in) means "summer's end" by the Celts. In old Germanic and Celtic societies, what we call equinoxes and solstices marked the middles of the season, not the beginnings." (Chamberlain) Therefore if there exist an autumnal equinox, winter solstice, spring equinox and a summer solstice, there are also the beginning of autumn, winter, spring and summer. All of these eight dates were important. Summer's end which meant the beginning of winter was an important time for people who survived on plants grown in the field and animals that were kept in pastures. (Chamberlain) "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" (The History Channel Exhibits- History of Halloween) It is most likely this reason that the Druids (Celtic pagans) believed that the spirits of those who died the preceding year roamed the earth the night of Samhain (MSN Learning & Research- Halloween)
Descriptions
The Druids celebrated this holiday "with a great fire festival to encourage the dimming Sun not to vanish" and people "danced round bonfires to keep evil sprits away, but left their doors open in hopes that the kind spirits of loved ones might join them around their hearths". On this night, "divination was thought to be more effective than any other time, so methods were derived to ascertain who might marry, what great person might be born, who might rise to prominence, or who might die" (Chamberlain). Also during the celebration, the Celts "wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes". Crops were burned and animals were sacrificed (The History Channel Exhibits- The History of Halloween). The spirits were believed to be either "entertained by the living", or to "find a body to possess for the incoming year". This all gives reasons as to why "dressing up like witches, ghosts and goblins, villagers could avoid being possessed." (Navarro )
Roman Influence
By 43 AD, "Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory." For the 400 years they occupied Celtic lands, two Roman festivals: Feralia (the commemoration of the passing of the dead) and a day to honor Pomona (the Roman goddess of fruits and trees). The apple served as a symbol for Pomona and which might have been incorporated into Samhain by the practice of "bobbing for apples" (The History of Halloween).
Christian Influence
When "local people converted to Christianity during the early Middle Ages, the Roman Catholic Church often incorporated modified versions of older religious traditions in order to win converts." Pope Gregory IV wanted to substitute Samhain with All Saints' Day in 835, but All Souls' Day (Nov. 2nd) which is closer in resemblance to Samhain and Halloween today, was "first instituted at a French monastery in 998 and quickly spread throughout Europe" (MSN Learning & Research- Halloween). In the 16th century, "Christian village children celebrated the vigil of All Saints' by doing the Danse Macabre. The Seven Brethren whose grizzly death is described in the seventh chapter of the deuterocanonical book of Second Macabees" is also said to have resulted in children dressing up in grizzly costumes to signify these deaths. (Thomas )
Modern Halloween
Halloween came to the United States when European immigrants "brought their varied Halloween customs with them". In the second half of the nineteenth century, America was flooded with new immigrants including the Irish fleeing from the potato famine in Ireland in 1846. By combining Irish and English traditions, Americans began the "trick-or-treat" tradition. In the later 1800's the holiday became more centered on community and in the 1920's and 1930's, Halloween became "a secular, but community-centered holiday". In the 1950's leaders changed Halloween as a holiday aimed at the young to limit vandalism.
The Celtic Festival of Samhain
During the Celtic festival of Samhainpeople would dress in costume in an attempt to scare away the evil spirits. During this time when spirits were believed to pass between worlds families would invite their ancestors in to their homes but do everything they could to ward off the more harmful spirits including wearing the costumes mentioned above as well as masks.
Also utilized to scare away the harmful spirits of Samhain were large turnips, which were carved much like today’s Halloween pumpkins. These jack-o-lantern turnips would be placed in the windows of homes in an attempt to frighten away any evil spirits. It was the belief of the Celts that if they or their turnips resembled scary spirits then the spirits that crossed from the other world would avoid them and their homes in the belief that they had already been tagged by a spirit.
When is Halloween Celebrated?
The actual celebration of Halloween occurs every year on October 31st, also referred to as All Hallows Eve. In many religious sects the day following all hallows eve, All Saints Day, is a day dedicated to the celebration of all of the saints both known and unknown. A few days following All Saints Day comes All Soul’s Day, a day dedicated to all the souls of those who believed who have now departed.
Where Does the Name Halloween Come From?
All Hallows Eve is actually the base of the origin of the name “Halloween” after the more commonly used phrase “All Hallows Eve” became “All Hallows Even” and then later it was shortened to Halloween in the 16th century. Throughout the years this holiday known as Halloween came to be something of a melting pot of ideas contributed by various cultures and belief systems. Europeans came together and meshed Celtic ideas, Catholic ideas and the Roman religious rituals in to one day of celebration that fell around the time that the Celtic tradition of Samhain fell, the turning of the seasons when the world became a darker place by virtue of the sun’s position in the sky. Combining the Celtic idea of Samhain, the Catholic beliefs of All Saints Eve and All Souls Day, and the traditional Roman celebration of Parentalia created the holiday we now know as Halloween.
Cultural Halloween Traditions
While these days the celebration of Halloween has become much more commercialized many of the traditions that remain today hail from older cultural traditions.
The Bible’s answer
The Bible does not mention Halloween, a holiday that many observe on October 31 each year. However, the ancient origins and traditions of Halloween conflict with Bible teachings.
In this article
Halloween’s history and traditions
Samhain: The origin of Halloween can be traced to this “ancient pagan festival celebrated by Celtic people over 2,000 years ago,” states The World Book Encyclopedia. “The Celts believed that the dead could walk among the living at this time. During Samhain, the living could visit with the dead.”—See “ Why Is It Called Halloween?”
Halloween costumes, candy, and trick or treat: According to one source, some of the Celts wore ghoulish costumes so that wandering spirits “would mistake them for one of their own” and leave them alone. Others offered sweets to the spirits to appease them. a
In medieval Europe, the Catholic clergy adopted local pagan customs and had their church members go from house to house wearing costumes and requesting small gifts.
Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, witches, and zombies: These have long been associated with the evil spirit world. Referring to them as “supernatural monsters,” the book Halloween Trivia states that such creatures are “closely connected with death, the dead or the fear of dying.”
Halloween pumpkins, or jack-o’-lanterns: In medieval Britain, people “moved from door to door asking for food in return for a prayer for the dead,” and they would carry “hollowed-out turnip lanterns, whose candle connoted a soul trapped in purgatory.” (Halloween—From Pagan Ritual to Party Night) Some sources say that the lanterns were used to ward off evil spirits. During the 1800’s in North America, pumpkins replaced turnips because they were plentiful as well as easy to hollow out and carve.
Do the pagan origins of Halloween matter?
Yes. Although some people view Halloween as harmless fun, the practices associated with it are in direct conflict with Bible teachings. Halloween is based on false beliefs about the dead and invisible spirits, or demons.
Notice the following verses that show how God views the beliefs associated with Halloween:
“There must never be anyone among you who . . . consults ghosts or spirits, or calls up the dead.”—Deuteronomy 18:10-12, The Jerusalem Bible.
Meaning: God does not approve of efforts to contact the dead or even of giving the appearance of trying to have contact with those who have died.
“The dead know nothing at all.”—Ecclesiastes 9:5.
Meaning: Because the dead are unconscious, they cannot contact the living.
“[Do not] be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too.”—1 Corinthians 10:20, 21, New International Version.
Meaning: Those who want God’s favor must avoid any connection with demons.
“Stand firm against the crafty acts of the Devil; because we have a struggle . . . against the wicked spirit forces.”—Ephesians 6:11, 12.
Meaning: Christians should oppose wicked spirit forces, not pretend to celebrate with them.
a See the book Halloween: An American Holiday, an American History,page 4.
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