Trick or treat: learn more about the history of Halloween

Halloween It is known as a party that is celebrated every year on October 31 and Halloween in 2019 is on Thursday, October 31. Tradition estimates that the origin of this party is from the Celtic festival called Samhain.

People built bonfires and wore costumes as a form of protection from the spirits. Pope Gregory III in the eighth century, chose the first day of november as the date that would be to exalt the saints.

All Saints' Day included some of the rituals of Samhain. The day before this date was called All Hallows Eve, after Halloween. As time passed, the Halloween party became the day where activities such as trick-or-treating, carving lanterns, party gatherings, dressing up, and eating treats were performed.

The beginning of the festivities Halloween They come from an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain (pronounced sow-in). It is known that the Celts lived more than 2000 years ago, mainly in what is known as Ireland, the north of the French country and England, they celebrated the new year on November 1.

the origins of halloween

This was the day that summer ended, as well as the harvest giving the beginning of winter. This time of the year was associated with death. For the Celts there was a belief that it happened at night before the new year arrived.

There was a border between the world of the dead and the living was blurred. There was a belief that the spirits that had died returned to the world. And it was celebrated in Samhain on October 31 at night.

To celebrate this event, those known as druids in Celtic mythology made large bonfires that were considered sacred. In them people gathered around and burned crops and animals, these were sacrifices to the Celtic gods.

In the celebration people dressed in skin and animal heads, they were customs along with wanting to tell people's luck.

Roman empire

By the year 43 AD, the well-known Roman Empire is known to have conquered a good part of the land occupied by the Celts. During the government of the lands that belonged to the Celts, in 400 years, they made parties with traditions that were mixed together with the Celtic celebrations of Samhain.

Pope Boniface IV, on May 13, 609 AD. He made a dedication to honor martyrs in Christianity at the Pantheon in Rome in conjunction with the All Martyrs' Day feast where the Western church was established.

The festival was growing thanks to Pope Gregory III, which included all the saints, the martyrs, taking the celebration party of May 13 to the first day of november. Christianity had influenced the lands of the Celts in the 9th century.

What caused the Christian customs to be mixed with the ancient rites of the Celts. Already in the year 1000 after Christ the church determined that November 2 as the Day of the Souls, being a day of honor for the dead.

Currently it is believed that the church was trying to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a similar festival accepted by the Catholic Church.

Halloween in the United States

The Halloween party was highly controlled in the New England colony. Because of the particular beliefs of the Protestants who lived in the country. The party of Halloween it was more common in the southern colonies and in the city of Maryland.

The customs, cultures, and beliefs of the American Indians and the various ethnic groups of Europe were unified. so the Halloween of the United States has the identity of that mix.

The initial celebrations had the so-called "Game parties", which were parties for the public where the harvest was celebrated. In it, people shared stories about the dead, talked about luck, sang and danced.