Halloween: storia e significato della festa

HALLOWEEN: STORIA E SIGNIFICATO DELLA FESTA

The Halloween term derives from the fact that the 31th of October is the eve of Hallowmas, that is the day in which the Christian, and particularly Catholic tradition, celebrates all saints.  This date, the 1st of November, in English is also called All Hallows' Day.  At this point is necessary to keep in mind that by the ancients people (and also for the jews today) the day does not begin with the midnight, but some hour before, at the sunset.  Now, for analogy, the eve of Hallowmas is called All Hallow' Eve, but also All Hallows' Even (that replace the sense of "eve" to that one of "evening"), and from there for the contraction in Halloween the step has been short.

 

Tema su Halloween: significato della festa

HALLOWEEN: ORIGINI

The origins of this festivity go back to the age of celtic domination and than to the age of Roman domination.  The new year then, began with the 1st of November, when the work in fields  was completely concluded and the peasants could relax themselves and finally enjoyed the gifts of their work.

In this date, therefore, all the divinity was remembered and evoked to be thanked;  the doors of the parallels dimensions were considered opened, for that night, and all the spirits were free to ramble on the earth and to amuse themselves with men.  The aspect of joyful festivity, however, not upsetted by the Church, was than considered a good way in order to celebrate all saints of the Christianity: so was born our day of Hallowmas.  

Storia di Halloween e significato della festa

HALLOWEEN: SIGNIFICATO

The modern festivity of Halloween comes from a celebration of ancients Celts, the ritual of “Samhain”, that was the end of Summer. For witches, Samhain is one of the four fundamental festivities, or the Sabba Greater.  It's the night in which sparks the Jack-o-lantern, the night of the trick-or-treat and of the disguises.  Someone says that in this night the veil between our world and the Other becomes thinner.  Samhain is famous as "the Festivity of the Dead men," because it was believed that in this period the dead men could return in the earth of the alive ones.  Perhaps the known aspect more than this festivity is that one of Jack-o-lantern.