Halloween's Dark Past

        In order to understand what Halloween is today, we need to study it's past. In 835 A.D. Pope Gregory IV designated Nov. 1st as All Saints Day or All Hallow's Day. ( the term Hallow means: bless, consecrate, sanctify, or render holy by religious rites) The eve before All Saint's Day is Oct.31, known as All Hallow's Evening. We get the condensed version of Halloween by dropping the "All", the "s", "v", and ing.  Today, most people are confused over the issue of Halloween. Should Christians participate in such a dark pagan practice? 

        Now that we have seen where we get the name for Halloween, let's see where the practices of Halloween originate. Oct. 31 is already established as being part of the Celtic New Year. The Celts and their Druid priest began their New Year on Nov .1, which marked the beginning of winter. They apparently believed that on Oct. 31, the night before their New Year and the last day of the old year, the Lord of Death (Samhain) gathered the souls of the evil dead who had been condemned to enter the bodies of animals. He then would decide what animal form they would take for the next year. Druids also believe by offering sacrifices, prayers, and gifts to the Lord of Death, that the punishment of the evil dead could be lightened. For those who had died during the preceding twelve months, Samhain would allow their spirits to return to the earth for a few hours to associate with their families. Thus, the Celts believe on their  New Years Eve ( our Halloween ) ghosts, evil spirits, and witches roam about. On this night, evil or frustrated ghosts were also supposed to play tricks on humans and to cause supernatural manifestations. The Samhain celebration is not unique, many festivals world-wide celebrate a time the dead return to mingle with the living.

• The Hindus have a night of Holi: http://www.aryabhatt.com/fast_fair_festival/ Festivals/Holi.htm

• The Iroquois Indians celebrate a Feast of the Dead: http://www2.marianopolis.edu/quebechistory/encyclopedia/     Indianfeasts.htm  

• Mexico has a national holiday called the Day of the Dead:http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/muertos.html

• The Catholic's All Souls Day is their Day of the Dead :http://www.kensmen.com/catholic/ customstimeafterpentecost12ac.html

                             Can we talk to the dead?    

          Hebrews 9:27 states that: " And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." 

    God tells us that we can only communicate with our loved ones while they are still alive. After someone dies, he or she will be judged and will go to either Heaven or Hell. It is an abomination for anyone to practice communicating with the dead. (Deuteronomy:18:10-14) When someone attempts to contact the dead, they are in reality, interacting with a demon.

                                                       Jack-O-Lantern                 

   There are a few probable influences for the Jack-O-Lantern such as: witches carrying skulls with candles in them to coven meetings. Another is the legend of Irish Jack, where a drunk named Jack tricked the Devil in climbing an apple tree then cut the sign of the cross in the trunk of the tree preventing the Devil from coming down. Then he made the Devil swear never to come after his soul. The Devil agreed, and eventually Jacked  died and was turned away at the gates of Heaven for being a drunk. He was sent to Hell where the Devil kept his promise and condemned him to wander the earth. As he was leaving Hell, he happened to be eating a turnip, and then the Devil threw a live coal at him which he put in his turnip and he has been forever roaming the earth with his Jack-O-Lantern. Eventually the pumpkin replaced the turnip. The carved faces represent damned or lost souls.

      Costumes                                                           

 Since Halloween night was known for evil spirits roaming free, the Druids wore masks to prevent the evil spirits from recognizing them. Another custom, and even still practiced today in Wicca and other neo-pagan cults, is that of wearing animal heads and skins to acquire the strength or power of that particular animal.    

                                                    Trick or Treat            

   The "Trick" custom of Halloween is related to the  idea that Ghosts and witches   create mischief on this  particular night. If the living didn't provide food or "Treats" for the 

    spirits, they would "Trick" the living. People feared that horrible things would happen to them if they didn't offer the spirits gifts. 

      Black Cats                                                                                             

   Thought to be the reincarnation of the evil dead and they are believed to have supernatural powers and knowledge.

 Note: Most Humane Societies and pet shops do not allow black cats to be bought or adopted through the month of October due to animal sacrifices.