Halloween and Samhain Origins

Other Names: All Hallowtide, All Saints, All Souls Day, Samhein, La Samon, the Feast of the Sun, Nos Galen-gaeof (Welsh for the Night of the Winter Calends), Oíche Shamhna (Irish -Night of Samhain), Allantide (Cornish), Hop-Tu-Naa (Manx), Pookie Night (Irish)

Samhain is pronounced Sow-ain

Hallow is an old English word which means Sanctify

Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherians observed All Hallows Day to honour all the Saints hence the name All Saints

In Roman time Feralia was celebrated on February 21st. This was a festival of the dead, where sacrifices would be made to them and prayers offered.

Pope Boniface IV replaced this festival during the 7th century with All Saints Day on May 13th. Gregory III later changed this date to November 1st

Samhain was seen as the start of winter -the dark half of the year

It was believed to be the time of year when the veils between the dead and the living was thin and the spirits of the dead could return.

Prophecy was easier as the future, past and present were closer together

It was a fire festival and massive bonfires were lit

It was the time of year that cattle were brought in from the fields and slaughtered ready for the coming winter