A great deal of confusion exists around the topic of Halloween. Consequently, what follows may help to simplify the situation.
Halloween was formerly called ‘Samhain,’ which comes from the Gaelic/Celtic meaning for ‘November’ and ‘summer’s end’. The original Celtic settlers arrived here in around 600 BC, fetching with them their own nature – based polytheistic form of spiritual belief systems.
Samhain characterised the beginning of the long cold winter; a time when the cattle had to be driven into sheltered quarters as a defensive measure against anticipated snowfall, frost, and blizzard.
It was also a melancholy period for many Celts, as the winter’s chill could always prove too much for elderly, sick, or loved ones badly injured in combat.
FESTIVAL OF THE DEAD
Samhain, because of its link with the darker half of the year, was then observed as the ‘Festival of the Dead,’ and a time when the barrier betwixt the living and their treasured ancestors was at the thinnest point. This had nothing to do with evil of any kind. Such ridiculous notions were only promoted later on by the narrow-minded Church fathers in order to win the populace away from its indigenous, earth-orientated spiritual heritage.
Today’s Halloween party games such as Trick or treat, Apple bobbing etc, all stem from ancient Celtic customs/traditions.
Samhain, although often an enormously serious affair to the elders, was in addition a last chance for the younger hearts in the clan to let off steam before the cold blanket of winter finally settled in.
For many years Christianity and Paganism coexisted quite well. However, in the year 601 AD, Pope Gregory instructed his missionary St Augustine to: ‘Destroy all Pagan Idols and cleanse the native temples’ in order to convert the indigenous peoples to Christianity.
The iron fist of monotheistic absolutism was to open up the floodgates of cultural spiritual terrorism for the unsuspecting Pagan folk of these green isles. Many pre-Christian festivals had, by this time, been requisitioned by the new-fangled ‘one god’ religion from the East. Nonetheless, Samhain with its mysterious blend of reflection, sadness, mystical lore and elation proved the hardest nut for the obsessive Christian missionaries to crack.
Indigenous gods of nature turned into personifications of evil by paranoid church missionaries
The Celtic Horned God, Cernunnos, Herne, or Belatucadros (to mention but a few of his titles), is a deity representing the vital masculine fertilising aspects inherent in nature. The Greek Pan and Roman Faunus also fill similar Horned God roles.
The Pagan Celts did ‘not’ believe in the Christian notion of evil (Satan), however in order to disparage our old native religions the Christian Church conceived the destructive myth, which alleged that native horned deities, like the above, were all different faces of the Devil.
More about the Horned God of nature here:
Bigoted absolutist moralisers are still to this day using this absurd Christian untruth; deceitfully linking our rich Pagan spiritual birthright with ecclesiastically – declared evil. More important data here on this festival:
http://halloweenchoice.nfshost.com/halloweenharding.htm
Visit this informative site for more info on the ‘real’ reasons behind previous disinformation put out by sectarian fundamentalists.
http://saff.nfshost.com/haloween.htm
More Halloween facts below
(1) Halloween is traditionally one of the oldest British religious festivals celebrated in Scotland particularly up to and beyond 1870s. It is not an American invention.
(2) Trick or Treat is not an American invention. The games, fun and harum-scarum at Halloween are all typically British being listed in Robert Burns 1875 poem ‘Halloween’ for all to see. It is part of our traditional culture.
(3) There is absolutely no medical evidence to suggest that dressing up or the wearing of masks is psychologically damaging to children or in any way harmful. The allegation is false. Children have been happily celebrating Halloween for centuries without harm.
(4) Halloween is a genuine Celtic festival and was celebrated in Britain long before it was Christianised. The early Christians invented ‘All Saints Day’ on November 2 to try to replace Halloween but failed because the people enjoyed Halloween so much.
(5) Attacks on Halloween by religious bigots are now outlawed under the Religious Hatred laws and Pagans are demanding that the Church of England stops those amongst its members who feel they have to insult the ceremonies and rites of other religions. Can you imagine the outcry if they had accused Moslems of abusing their children by making them fast during Ramadan?
(6) Everyone to his own, Pagans see the modern Christmas as an appallingly materialistic travesty of ancient religious ideals, yet we don’t go around demanding that Christmas decorations and outdoor illuminations are banned.
(7) Saman’s Vigil is the anglicised interpretation of the Celtic festival ‘Samhain,’ pronounced ‘Zoween’ or ‘Sowin’. It is also termed Festival of Light or Fire. The Vigil of Saman, or Samhain, occurs on October 31st and was observed for at least a thousand years before Britain was Christianised.
(8) Samhain was the Celts’ most important festival because it was marked as their New Year’s Day.
(9) Saman is the Celtic lord of Death and Rebirth. Samhain is the mysterious, late season festival for remembering our beloved ancestors and renewing fire for the harsh cold months of winter. Its basis is intimately linked with ‘LOVE’ and the natural cycle and not any type of evil, as troublemaking evangelists would have us believe.
(10) Christian fundamentalists often rush in to claim that Halloween is not a British tradition and should not be followed in the U.K. This falsehood relies upon igniting anti-American sentiment within insular British minds, because the truth of the matter is that Halloween is NOT an American importation, it is an entirely British tradition, which was actually exported to the U.S.A. by European immigrants. Such fundamentally – inspired racism, against our American cousins, should not be tolerated in a modern UK society.
Halloween is essentially an ancient festival of love for life, our mysterious affiliation with the Earth and intimate respect for our dearly departed.
A word of caution
Children are best accompanied by adults when trick or treating and the ever-present dangers of messing with fire at Halloween, Bonfire Night, or indeed at any other parties, must always be kept in mind.
Previously
Contemporary Church Intolerance – the following report was from 2008
2008: the Church of England incited religious hatred against the UK’s Pagans at Halloween
http://pat-regan.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/halloween-spiritual-connection-to-our.html
NB. Pat Regan is the author of several published books including, ‘The New Pagan Handbook’, ‘Pagan Heritage’ and also ‘The Devil God’s Best Friend’
Previously…
The 2015 Halloween Parade (and official controversy) previously reported on OTS News
Southport BID Manager Andrew Sloman gives an apology after ‘Spookport’ takes a wrong turn
OTS News on Social Media