The name Allhallows' Eve, taken from a great Christian feast, has been believed to have nothing in common with the Feast of All Saints. It instead is a tradition of pre-Christian times that has retained its original character in form and meaning.
Halloween customs have been traced back to the ancient Druids. It is believed that for several hundred years before Christ, the Celts inhabited what is now France, Germany, England, Scotland and Ireland. Celtic priests were called Druids.
These people were eventually conquered by the Romans. Information about the Celts and Druids comes from Caesar and the Roman historians, Greek writings from about 200 B.C., and very early records found in Ireland.
Even though very little archeological evidence of the Druids has been found, there is an agreement between the Roman and Irish documents. Both clearly state that the knowledge of the Druids was never really committed to writings but passed from generation to generation by oral teaching. This was to protect their secrets, which is why there is very little written evidence about them.
Greek and Roman writings about the Druids dwell heavily on their frequent and barbaric human
sacrifices. But they detail the Druid's use of magic to raise storms, put curses on places, kill by using spells and create magical obstacles. However, a 16th century writer, who traced his family back to Druids priests who fought against Caesar, clearly describes the human sacrifices of his ancestors and the secret sacrifices performed were still performed regularly by the Druids of his time.
Irish records tell of the fascination the Catholic monks had with the powerful Druids. And supposedly the Druids soon became important members of their monasteries. Pope Gregory the Great decided to incorporate the Druid's holiday into the church. He made the proclamation, "They are no longer to sacrifice beasts to the devil, but they may kill them for food to the praise of God, and give thanks to the giver of all gifts for his bounty."
Pope Gregory III moved the church festival of October 31st to November 1st and called it All Hallows or All Saints' Day. Pope Gregory IV decreed that the day was to be a universal church observance. The term Halloween comes from All Hallows Eve.
November 1st was the Celtic New Year. October 31st was celebrated by the Druids with many human sacrifices and a festival honoring their sun god and Samhain, the lord of the dead. They believe that the sinful souls of those who died during the year were in a place of torment, and would be released only if Samhain was pleased with their sacrifices.
By 47 A.D., Rome finally defeated the Druids in England and outlawed human sacrifices. The few
remaining Druids that were left went underground.
An important tradition of the Druidic belief is that during the night of November 1st, Samon, the lord of the dead, called forth evil spirits and spirits of the dead.
They lighted great fires for sacrifices and protection.
The sacrifces they required were human sacrifices from locals, with the promise that no harm would come to the household. If they didn't get a sacrifice, then someone in that household would die that night.
Ghosts,
spirits,
fairies,
The cat was considered sacred, however, believed to be humans transformed because of their evil deeds.
The demons roamed the earth in wild and furious groups to greet the arrival of "their season". Which is the early darkness and long nights of the winter months.
They had fun with the poor mortals that night, frightening and harming them, and playing all kinds of mean tricks. The only way, it seemed, for the scared humans to escape the demons was to offer them things they liked. Especially dainty food and sweets.
People greatly feared these spirits and thought that the spirits would harm and even kill them if the
sacrifices they gave did not appease Samhain. They carved demonic faces into pumpkins or large turnips, placing a candle in them to keep the evil spirits away from the homes.
Another way they could escape the fury of these horrible creatures was that they could disguise themselves as one of demons and join in their roamings.
This is what people did in ancient times and it has been passed down to us as a custom, unaltered, as our familiar Halloween celebration.
In the countries that once belonged to the Roman Empire there is the custom of eating or giving away fruit, especially apples, on Halloween. It spread to neighbouring countries; Ireland and Scotland from Britain, and to the Slavic countries from Austria.
It is probably based upon a celebration of the Roman goddess Pomona, to which gardens and orchards were dedicated. Since the Feast of Pomona was held on November 1st, the relics of that observance became part of our Halloween celebration. e.g. the familiar tradition of "ducking" for apples.
By looking at modern day Halloween in the light of the history, it is easily seen how the different symbols, traditions and actions came about. The witches, ghosts and cats came from the Druids' beliefs. The "trick or treat" came from the sacrificial payoffs of the fearful households. The parties, celebrations, and games came from the Roman harvest festival (dunking for apples, fruit treats, etc.).
Today a growing group of people claiming to be of direct Druid descent still practice their religion including human sacrifice. Those in England still perform ceremonies at Stonehenge.
witches, and elves were among those evil beings that were feared.
