Long before Halloween …

Old Gaol
Here Lyeth Y Body of Thomas Allen in St Helen’s Churchyard.

Long before Halloween came to represent dressing up, begging, and the threat of  vandalism, it meant All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween) or the night before All Saints’ (Hallows’) Day – the day when Christians used to celebrate those who had gone on to become saints.

Long before Halloween there were older traditions. For example, at this time of year the Celtic festival of Samhain marked the night when the lighter half of the year gave way to the darker. On such a night, it was believed, that the division between this side of the grave and the other could weaken and break down … Wiki has more

2 thoughts on “Long before Halloween …

  1. Paul Sheppy

    All Saints’ Day is 1 November; All Souls is 2 November.
    November is a month for remembering and (perhaps) for resolving to learn from what we remember.
    Thanks for the blog – it’s a daily “must”!
    Paul

    Reply

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