Halloween

All Souls' Day (November 1), also known as All Hallows' Day or All Saints' Day, is a christianised version of the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, the Feast of the Dead. Samhain, now known as Halloween, began on the night of October 31, because ancient days were reckoned from evening to evening, rather than from midnight to midnight as we do now (hence the prominence of "eve's", as in Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, Halloween, etc).

The Celtic new year began at Samhain, named for the primeval Lord of the Dead, Samana. The sacred night was also a feast of the fairies, who ruled the festival, but departed thereafter for their winter retreat, not to return to our world until Beltane, the Mayday festivity which heralded the onset of summer. Because ghosts and fairies roamed the earth on this night, it was dangerous for mortals to go abroad without ritual precautions. Supernatural beings had the propensity to steal the unwary and take them away to their timeless lands, never to be seen again -- or to take their souls, leaving the poor unhappy mortals lost and confused in the twilight zone.

In ancient Ireland, the people were wont to call this mysterious and dangerous night the Vigil of Saman. Growth was at its lowest point and cold increasing, so magical bonfires were lit to encourage the sun. People would leap over them and drive cattle through the flames; even witches were burned on them in later times. Purification by fire got rid of evil influences. Ghosts and fairies were both active. Food offerings would be left for both and it was dangerous to travel on this night for fear of being led astray by fairies; iron or steel would be carried, for the fairy folk hated anything made of iron and would avoid it at all costs.

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Halloween: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Celtic Fire Festivals

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