Hide Article Text (OCR)
Halloween History RetracedNORWICH — Halloween is the time for witches, goblins, elves, ghosts, jack-o-lanterns and pumpkins . . . but why?In the old Celtic calendar Oct. 31 was the last day of the old year, its night being the time when all the witches and warlocks were abroad and held taeir wicked revels.When t hi? Roman Catholic Church named Nov. 1 as All Saints Day in the 700’s, theold pagan customs and the Christian feast day were combined into a Halloween festival.The name Halloween means hallowed or holy evening and is applied because it is the eve of All Saints Day.From the Druids, an order of priests in ancient Gaul andBritain, comes the present-day use of witches, ghosts and cats in Halloween festivals. They believed that on Halloween ghosts, spirits, fairies and elves came out to harm people.The cat was sacred to the Druids who believed that catshad once been human beings but were changed into animals as punishment for evil deeds.The use of leaves, pumpkinsand cornstalks as Halloween decorations is also derived from a Druidic custom. In the autumn the priestly order would hold a festival called Samhain or summer’s end and use the remains of summer’s fruits to decorate their celebration.From the ancient Halloween celebration comes the characteristic bonfire. The custom survived until recently in the highlands of Scotland and Wales.The use of jack-o-lanterns is derived from an Irish superstition. They sav that a mannamed Jack was unable to enter heaven because of his miserliness. He could not enter hell because he had played practical jokes on the devil, so he had to walk the earth with his lantern until Judgment Day.In the north of England another name for Halloween is Nutcrack Night.A popular belief ascribed to children born on Halloween is the faculty of perceiving andholding converse with supernatural beings.And that is why so many things about Halloween areconnected with Halloween.
Newspaper Details
Norwich Evening Sun
Norwich, New York, US
Thu, Oct 31, 1963
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Susan R.
USA 04 Oct 2020
Other Publications Near Norwich, New York
Norwich Evening Sun
Norwich Sun
