Celtic Awareness

Ancient Samhain Rituals

2,000 years ago, the Celts who lived in the region now known as Ireland, Northern France, and the United Kingdom, celebrated their new year on the 1st. day of November. The New Year symbolized the end of the harvest and of summer and the commencement of the cold, gloomy, dark days of winter, oftentimes, this time of year was associated with death. The Celts believed the hours of darkness preceding the new year, was the time when the veil between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, and it was on this night October 31 that the Celts celebrated Samhain, at what time it was believed that the spirits of the departed would cross the veil and return to earth. The Celts believed that these ethereal spirits not only were the cause of crop damage and overall mischief but their presence aided the Druids in making prediction of the future. For the ancient Celts these predictions were a vital spring of “comfort and direction” throughout the long, mysterious winter. Enormous sacred bonfires were built by the Druids to venerate the event, where everyone would gather to offer animals and burn crops as offerings to the Celtic deities.
Celtic Deities Chart

During the festival of Samhain the ancient Celts wore ceremonial costumes, classically made from the skins and heads of animals, and “attempted to tell the fortunes of each other.” Samhain is also known as the butcher’s harvest. This was the time of year when livestock was slaughtered for food for the oncoming winter months. After the gala had come to an end, their hearth fires were re-lit (which had be put out earlier in an attempt to ward off otherworldly spirits) from the hallowed bonfire that was built to help protect them throughout the impending winter.
Traditions Combine
By the time of the Roman conquest of Britain (A.D. 43), the Roman Empire had dominated the greater part of the Celtic region. Over a span of four hundred the Romans ruled the Celtic lands; and as a result two festivals of Roman derivation were combined with the traditional Celtic festival of Samhain.
The first Roman festival to be integrated into the Celtic tradition was Feralia, traditionally memorialized by the passing of the dead; the Romans celebrated Feralia in late October. The second Roman festival was in honor of the Roman goddess Pomona, goddess of fruit and trees.
Pomona’s symbol is the apple and the integration of this festivity into Samhain most likely explains the tradition and or custom of “bobbing” for apples that still today is practiced in modern Halloween celebrations.
The Christian Influence on Samhain
By the seventh century, the wide reaching weight of Christianity had stretched into the Celtic lands. By this time, Pope Boniface IV designated the first of November as All Saints’ Day, a time to honor martyrs and saints alike. It is commonly thought in the present day that Pope Boniface was skillfully trying to replace the Celtic festival of Samhain with an associated and or more commonly related, but church sanctioned celebration. This festivity was also referred to as All-Hallowmas (from the English spoken between the 12th and the beginning of the 16th centuries) Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day) or All-hallows as well as the preceding night before, and as such, the evening of Samhain, was in turn to be known as All-hallows Eve and ultimately, Halloween. Furthermore, in the ninth century, the church designated the second of November as All Souls’ Day, a set aside to honor the dead. Celebrated much in the same way as Samhain, with parades, big bonfires, and dressing in costumes as angels, devil, and saints. Collectively, the three celebrations and or festivals, All Saint’s Eve, All Saints day, and All Soul’s day, were known as Hallowmas.
For modern Pagans this is the Day of the Dead just as it was for the Celts so many years ago, a night to honor ancestors and remember deceased loved ones. Whether one celebrates Halloween or Samhain makes little difference as long as it is done in solemn remembrance of dead.
Now the Rite Is At an End
And now the rite is at an end, again we’re parting ways
May truth and honor be your friend and lucky be your days
I’ll hold you dearly in my heart; I’ll hold you in my mind
And though our branches grow apart, our roots shall be entwined.
~ Paul Kershaw and Marae Price (Ár nDraíocht Féin, 2008).

Bibliography and Works Cited:
Apple Warrior, (2004). Celtic Deities. Retrieved September 16, 2008, from
http://www.applewarrior.com/celticworld/celticdeities/atoc.html
Ár nDraíocht Féin, (2008). Now the Rite Is At an End. Retrieved September 17, 2008, from
http://www.adf.org/rituals/chants/recessional/now-the-rite-is-at-an-end.html
History.com. (1996-2008). The History of Halloween. Retrieved September 16, 2008, from
http://www.history.com/minisites/halloween/viewPage?pageId=713