Every year in more and more corners of the world the day of the dead or the holiday of Halloween is celebrated. This holiday that we consider to have been imported from the US is becoming more and more popular, but beyond what we see in terms of zombie costumes and neighborhood visits requesting a “trick or treat”, Halloween has its own rituals and origin. very old historical event, such as the Celtic Samhain. But what exactly does this consist of?What is Celtic Samhain? All the Information about this Halloween ritual You will find it in the following lines of this post that we have prepared for you.
What is Celtic Samhain
When we talk about Celtic Samhain we are talking about nothing less than Halloween. Or rather of the remote origins of this celebration that is quite far from the party as we know it today. Or perhaps not so much, because on Samhain, the dead also returned, as their spirits left the afterlife for a few hours to visit their relatives and mortal acquaintances. It is a date of rituals but not only paying homage to those who are no longer here, but also celebrating the end of the harvest of tubers and vegetablessuch as for example the pumpkin.
Samhain is a Gaelic word what exactly does it mean “end of summer”. For a few hours, the world of the living and the world of the dead are interconnected, and it is necessary to perform rituals that ward off evil spirits. Giving light to the dead so that they find their way to the afterlife, worshiping the ancestors, saying goodbye to summer and giving thanks for the harvests are the reasons that come together on this date to commemorate.
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When is Celtic Samhain celebrated?
Celtic Samhain is celebrated on the night of October 31.. This day, not in vain, is considered as Celtic New Year. It coincides with the end of summer and the arrival of the autumn season or, considered by them as the dark season. Since it is a date appreciated as the end of one year and the beginning of another, it is thought of as a transitional party, in which the door to the other world remains open.
However, going back to its first origins, there is no fixed date either, but it is believed that the celebration lasted for a week and approximately on November 6-7, that is, in the middle of the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice. .
With the arrival of Christianity, the date changed to be celebrated on May 13, which was considered All Saints’ Day. Until Pope Gregory III changed both festivities to November 1, in the year 741. With the next Pope, Gregory IV, the festival, already universally celebrated, began to be celebrated on the eve of October 31. Hence, the English denomination of “All Hallow’s Eve” was coined, which translates as “All Saints’ Eve”, until finally, over time, it became known as Halloween.
Where is Celtic Samhain celebrated?
Many countries around the world now celebrate the day of the dead. But if we refer specifically to Samhain of Gaelic origin, we have to move mainly to Galicia, where Samhain is celebrated with great honors. In general, all existing Celtic peoples in Europe celebrate this “end of summer”, or transition period that gives rise to the Celtic New Year, to a greater or lesser extent.
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How Celtic Samhain is celebrated
The deceased is worshiped, but it is done with love and also with fear, for this reason during the festivity rites are performed with which it is sought to ward off evil spirits so that they do not carry out harmful acts against the living. To please the dead and reconcile them with the living, delicacies and offerings are placed as gifts. What do we do when a family member or friend comes to visit us? Prepare a delicious dinner for them, without a doubt, or share the best lunch in his company. The same is done during Samhain with the deceased, who are invited to spend some time with us, yes, trying to get them to come with good vibes.
Since the holiday coincides with the last harvests of vegetables such as turnips, the Celts used turnips to carve figures and place lights inside as lamps with which to guide the dead to the afterlife. Turnips were easy to hollow out and work with, so it is not uncommon for them to turn to them for this purpose and fill their homes and exteriors with turnips full of lights.
The history of pumpkins on Halloween:
Over time, the pagan culture of the Celts spread, and when the Irish arrived in America they wanted to continue celebrating their festivals but they found a problem: there were no turnips. So they replaced these with a vegetable with similar characteristics such as pumpkins.
Also over time, the custom of leaving food to give to the deceasedled to that curious tradition of children visiting houses to ask for treats.
Along with the luminaries and food, it was also customary during the Celtic Samhain to place extra chairs around the table, so that the dead can sit next to the living. Dances, music, animal sacrifices and other rituals complement the festivities.
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