It’s fun, it’s scary, but does it have any spiritual roots? The historical origin dates back to a pagan Celtic festival called Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”). Over 2,000 years ago, the Celts in what is now Ireland, the UK, and northern France marked October 31st as the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. They believed that on that day, the boundary between the physical world and the spiritual world became thin, allowing the dead to return and walk among the living.
October 31st was their time to honor the dead, pay respects to their ancestors, and prepare for the cold months ahead. People lit bonfires to ward off harmful spirits. They wore costumes (of animal skins) to ward off wandering ghosts. Food was left out as an offering to the spirits. Yes, Samhain was about fear. But the Celts also believed that the thinning of the veil allowed them to receive wisdom from the spirit world.
As Christianity took hold, the Catholic Church established All Saint’s Day on November 1st to honor saints and martyrs. They hoped to replace the pagan festival of Samhain. The night before, All Hallows’ Eve, eventually shortened to Halloween. It seems that as much as the church tried, some of the old pagan traditions persisted. Well, the dead may not return to walk among the living now, but their skeletons still wander about on Halloween costumes, along with the spookiness of witches and ghosts.
Why all this chatter about Halloween, well no reason at all, except that I found it interesting to learn about the spirituality of our ancestors. So have fun and don’t worry about the ghosts!
Perhaps even for us, it is the beginning of a new season. The day after Halloween, next Sunday November 1st we celebrate All Saints Day. We remember the saints of old. And, looking forward, we pray to learn from them so that we also may live in holiness.
“Give thanks for those whose faith is firm,
when all around seems bleak:
on God’s good promise they rely,
so while they live and when they die
how forcefully they speak —
the strong, who once were weak!”
Evangelical Lutheran Worship, Hymn 428, stanza 1
Text: Martin E. Leekebusch, b. 1962
Music: C. Hubert H. Perry, 1848-1918
Stand strong under the unconditional love of Father God.
Judy