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The origin of Halloween dates back to the traditions of the peoples who inhabited the Gaul and the islands of Great Britain between the years 600 BC and 800 AD, but with marked differences in relation to actual pumpkins or the famous phrase "Trick or Treat", exported to The United States. Originally, the Halloween witches had no relationship with it. It was a festival of Ireland's Celtic calendar, the festival of Samhain, between October 30 and November 2 and marked the end of the summer (Samhain literally means "end of summer" in the Celtic language).

The celebration of Halloween has two sources that the passing of history have been mixed:


Pagan Origin

The pagan origin has to do with the Celtic celebration called Samhain, which was intended to give worship to the dead. The invasion of the British Isles tothe Romans (46 BC) just mixing the culture with Celtic Latin, with the latter eventually thin over time. At the end of the second century, with the evangelization of these territories, the religion of the Celts, called Druidry, had already disappeared in most communities. Little is known about the religion of the druids, because it is not written anything about it: everything was transmitted orally from generation to generation. Do you know if that's festivities were celebrated Samhain very possibly between 5 and Nov. 7 (midway between the summer equinox and the winter solstice). They were preceded toa series of celebrations that lasted a week and gave Celtic started the new year. The "festival of the dead" was one of its most important dates, as celebrated for what we would be "the heaven and earth" (concepts that only came with Christianity). To the Celts, the place of the dead was a place of perfect happiness, where there would be no hunger or pain. The festival was celebrated with rites presided tothe priests druids, who worked as "medium" between people and their ancestors. It also said that the spirits of the dead returned on that date to visit their former homes and drive their families into the other world.


Christian home

Since the fourth century the Church of Syria devotes a day to celebrate "All Martyrs." Three centuries later the Pope Boniface IV († 615) turned a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods (Pantheon) in a temple devoted to Christian and "All Saints", to all those who preceded us in faith. The party in honor of All Saints, was originally celebrated on May 13, but Pope Gregory III († 741) changed the date to November 1, which was the day of the dedication of the Chapel of All Saints in the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. Later in the year 840, Pope Gregory IV ordered that the feast of All Saints was celebrated universally. How big party, it won its conclusion or evening vigil, which prepares to celebrate the day before (October 31). The translation into English, this vigil was called All Hallow's Eve (Vigil of All Saints), then the forms All Hallowed Eve and "All Hallow Een" until you reach the actual word "Halloween".

Etymology

Since, between the sunset on October 31 and November 1, occurred the night sacred (hallow evening, in English), it is believed they are led to the current name of the festival: Hallow Evening -- > Hallowe'en -> Halloween. We quickly concluded that the term "Halloween" is not used toEnglish-speaking peoples, and such a designation only of the peoples of language (official) Portuguese.

Another hypothesis is that the Catholic Church has sought to eliminate pagan festival of Samhain introducing restrictions on the eve of All Saints Day. This day would be known in English-speaking countries as All Hallows' Eve

The commemoration of that date tothe witches themselves would have started in the Middle Ages following the persecution encouraged topolitical and religious leaders, and trials conducted tothe Inquisition in order to convict the men or women who were considered healers and / or pagans . All who were the target of such suspicions were referred to as witches or wizards, with high negative and pejorative sense, should be tried tothe court of the Holy Office, and most of the time, burned in the fireplace in the designated file-of faith.

This designation is perpetuated and the celebration of Halloween, brought to the United States toIrish immigrants (people of Celtic culture and ethnicity) in the nineteenth century, was once known as "Halloween", a historical legend.

If you look at how Halloween is celebrated today, you see that has little to do with its origins: it remains an allusion to the dead, but with a completely different character than was the principle. Additionally was being gradually incorporated a range of factors both strangers to the feast of All Souls Days as of All Saints.

Among the elements together, we have for example the custom of "disguises", quite possibly born in France between centuries XIV and XV. At that time Europe was plagued tothe Black Death (bubonic plague), which claimed close to half the population of the continent, creating between Catholics a great fear and concern about the death. Multiplied if the Masses on the feast of All Souls and many were born artistic representations that remind people of its own mortality, some of these representations were known as dance or dance macabre death.

Some believers, with a spirit more ludicrous, used ornament on the eve of the feast of All Souls Days walls of the cemetery with pictures of the devil pulling a queue of people to the tomb: popes, kings, ladies, knights, monks, peasants, lepers, etc. . (After all, death does not respect anyone). Representations were also made scenic, with people dressed up as famous personalities and impersonating including death, to which all should get. Possibly, the tradition of asking for a sweet, under threat of making a prank (Trick or Treat, "trick-or-treating), originated in England during the period of persecution against Protestant Christians (1500 1700). During this period, the English Catholics were deprived of their legal rights and could not exercise any public office. Moreover, they were imposed fines, high taxes and even imprisonment. Celebrating the Mass was punishable tothe death penalty and hundreds of priests were martirizados.Produto such persecution was an attempt to attack on the Protestant King George I. The plan, known as the Gunpowder Plot ( "Conspiracy of gunpowder"), was to explode the Parliament, killing the king, and thus to initiate an uprising of the oppressed Catholics. The plot was uncovered on November 5 of 1605, when a Catholic convert named Guy Fawkes was caught storing gunpowder in his house, having been hanged soon after. Soon the date was converted into a big party in England (which lasts until today): many Protestants celebrate the wearing masks and visiting the homes of Catholics to require them beer and pastels, telling them: Trick or Treat (sweet or treat). Later, the commemoration day of Guy Fawkes came to America brought the first settlers, who transferred to the 31st of October, uniting with the festival of Halloween, which was introduced into the country toimmigrants irlandeses.Vemos therefore that the current festival of Halloween is the product mix of many traditions, brought tosettlers in the eighteenth century to the United States and there integrated so peculiar in its culture. Many of them have already been forgotten in Europe.

New elements of Halloween

The conclusion of the 31 October - very possibly because of their origin and celebration of the druids - has been recently promoted tovarious groups "neo-pagan," and in some cases even takes on the character of satanic celebration is hidden. Hollywood contributes to this with several films, among which stands out the Halloween series, in which the plastic violence and murder ultimately create spectator in a state of anguish and anxiety. Many of these films, despite the restrictions of view, end up being seen tochildren, causing them to fear and an erroneous idea of realidade.A liaison for the event with evil and the occult is proved also tothe fact that on the night of 31 October held in Ireland in the United States, Mexico and many other countries black masses and other meetings that tipo.Na current celebration of Halloween, we noted the presence of many of these elements. The costumes, decorations and other items sold at this party are filled with witches, black cats, vampires, ghosts and all sorts of horrible monsters, which sometimes come to have truly satanic connotations.