Halloween came to the United States from Ireland. This is the direct legacy of the Celtic beliefs who celebrated Samhain on the last day of October. This American custom, however, is not recognized by the modern church, and many believe that the practice of this practice is blasphemy. Is it right?
Halloween - how did it start?
Few people are aware of that Halloween goes back to the rite Halloween from pre-Christian times. About 2000 years ago, the Celts celebrated that day by saying goodbye to summer and preparing for the harsh winter to come. In doing so, they paid tribute to the life-giving cycles of nature and human life, an inseparable part of which was, after all, death. On that day, the boundaries between the temporal world and the world of the dead did not seem to exist. Communing with souls bore a promise of meeting the loved ones who had already passed away - these were given due honor.
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Ghost penetration
At the same time, the open gates of the afterlife were to facilitate the penetration of undesirable spirits into the world of people. In order to effectively protect oneself and one's family from their influence, it was then necessary to light the hearth, as well as equip oneself with clothes, masks and attributes to deter evil. This is how the tradition of putting on dark clothes and surrounding oneself with light and lanterns was born because of the symbolic power of the cleansing fire.
Christian celebrations in honor of the dead
Christian tribute to the dead was established at an analogous time for performing pagan Slavic customs - feeding souls and performing the grandfathers' rite, commonly known from the drama of Adam Mickiewicz. Celebrating the feast of ancestors ensured the fertility, care and care of the dead. To ensure the stability of happiness, it was celebrated twice a year: in spring and autumn. All Souls' Night or Soul from 31.10 to 1.11 preceded the imminent All Saints' Day celebrated around 2.11. However, it was a moving date, depending on the phases of the moon.
All Saints from the XNUMXth century
On the other hand, All the saints it was not so much established but postponed by the pope in the 1th century. Previously, in spring, only the martyrs of Christ were honored. In the XNUMXth century, Pope Gregory IV postponed it to November XNUMX, taking into account the request of Louis the Pious to extend a feast for the entire Church Catholic. From then on, the glory of not only Christian sufferers, but all saints, is celebrated.
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Selection of this specific date by the supervisor church it may result from many reasons, but it is probably motivated by the desire to connotate the Catholic holiday with related pagan customs, which were then celebrated by a large part of the inhabitants of Europe and the world. Smuggling the idea of Christ in the spaces known and favored by non-Christian communities, it was conducive to the promotion of faith and cultural adaptation.
Halloween, Forefathers 'Eve and All Saints' Day
Indeed Halloween, rite grandfathers i All the saints these are - despite the common genesis and the religious and philosophical plane - three various holidays, derived from separate cultures. Nothing, therefore, stands in the way of the American holiday Halloween in our cultural circle, it was an excellent excuse to have fun and spend time with the family amidst the buzz and laughter. Moreover, the rite Halloween manifests another value that in today's world is not remembered on a daily basis.
Dance macabre at Halooween
While All the saints is a day of reflection and memories of the people we loved, Halloween is a kind of masquerade macabre dance. It reminds us that the topic of death can evoke positive associations and even evoke joy. It is with the help of grotesque that man from the dawn of time tried to tame his fear of the final end. Mocking death detracted from its ultimate character.
After all, such an approach does not contradict the Christian belief in life after death.
Talking about Halloween as a derogatory alternative All Saints' DayTherefore, it should be remembered that both holidays do not have to be mutually exclusive, but on the contrary - they can complement each other. Halloween play is likely to be the perfect ground for talking about the fear of the inevitable - death as part of life.
