This weekend, we celebrate three holidays, each with its own way of seeing beyond the horizon of this life. Let’s explore the history and meaning of Halloween, All Saints Day, and All Souls Day and how they help us navigate the reality of our mortality.
Halloween is the oldest of these holidays and takes us back to a Celtic tradition found in Europe around 800 BC to 50 BC. The Celtic religion was nature-based, recognizing the four seasons of the year, and tied to an afterlife. Each year the Samhain (saw win) festival occurred at the transition from Summer to Winter, kind of like the transition we are experiencing with Daylight Savings time this weekend. It was believed that spirits were free to roam between heaven and earth the night of this transition. In the evening of the Samhain (saw win) festival, Celts dressed up in costumes to conceal their identity and protect themselves from evil spirits who might come looking to harm them.