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15 years ago
Even though I don't celebrate holidays, one that I'm always keen to notice is Halloween. I probably first liked it because it was close to my birthday of October 23, as well as the chance for free addicting candy. Somewhere in all of that I started liking anything to do with death. This fascination eventually became a relative obsession as I eventually became an avid admirer of horror films, magic, ghosts, and anything that might possible be connected with death and the holiday so closely related to it. As I know now, the creation of Halloween came as an adaptation and shortening of All Hallows Evening; the day before All Saints day. With All Saints Day being a day to commemorate the catholic saints it never felt truly connected to Halloween. Really, All Souls Day, being celebrated the day after All Saints Day, has more in common with Halloween. On All Souls Day, people pay respect to the souls of the dead by leaving gifts as offerings at the grave sites of relatives and loved ones. These gifts often come in the form of confectionery sweets.
Although these three holidays are the ones celebrated most in modern times. It would be disrespectful to not mention the holidays the Catholic Church tried to destroy by creating All Saints Day and its respected companion days. All Saints Day was originally celebrated on May 13 and not November 1. But before All Saints Day was created, there was the holiday of Lemuria; an old holiday celebrated by the Romans in which the dead was said to rise from their graves for some reason (I think to haunt their living relatives who did not honor them in death). In order to appease the spirits of the dead, people would pour milk onto the grave sites of their relatives or leave other offerings to the dead. Lemuria was celebrated on May 13 and was the original holiday the Catholic Church meant to stamp out with All Saints Day. It's however interesting to note the similarities between Lemuria and All Souls Day.
Another day commemorating the dead is the Celtic ritual, Samhain. Not much is truly known of Samhain other than it took place on or near October 31 and was a ritual meant to channel spirits. It is still unknown if this was to calm the dead or simply communicate with them. It should be noted that the expected day of Samhain is not long after the autumnal equinox. Perhaps the ritual is meant to have some significance with the coming of winter, much like the Norse ritual of Yule.
Although these three holidays are the ones celebrated most in modern times. It would be disrespectful to not mention the holidays the Catholic Church tried to destroy by creating All Saints Day and its respected companion days. All Saints Day was originally celebrated on May 13 and not November 1. But before All Saints Day was created, there was the holiday of Lemuria; an old holiday celebrated by the Romans in which the dead was said to rise from their graves for some reason (I think to haunt their living relatives who did not honor them in death). In order to appease the spirits of the dead, people would pour milk onto the grave sites of their relatives or leave other offerings to the dead. Lemuria was celebrated on May 13 and was the original holiday the Catholic Church meant to stamp out with All Saints Day. It's however interesting to note the similarities between Lemuria and All Souls Day.
Another day commemorating the dead is the Celtic ritual, Samhain. Not much is truly known of Samhain other than it took place on or near October 31 and was a ritual meant to channel spirits. It is still unknown if this was to calm the dead or simply communicate with them. It should be noted that the expected day of Samhain is not long after the autumnal equinox. Perhaps the ritual is meant to have some significance with the coming of winter, much like the Norse ritual of Yule.
