Is Halloween Connected to a Pagan Holiday?īecause Halloween is at the same time of year as Samhain, pronounced saah-win, many people have argued that Halloween has its roots in the pagan holiday. Many grim and death-focused traditions evolved during this time, such as the decorating of graves and other death-oriented superstitions involving witches or demons. Three hundred years later, people also began celebrating All Souls Day to remember not only the saints but all who had died. The first All Saints Day celebration was in May, but the following year, the new pope, Pope Gregory III, changed it to November 1 - possibly because food was more abundant post-harvest for the many celebrants clamoring to the city that time of year. He dedicated it to all the Christians who had died for their faith in the first 300 years after Christ. The Pantheon used to serve as a Roman temple dedicated to the gods of an earlier era, and Pope Boniface IV removed the heretical statues and converted it into a Christian church. People would prepare for All Saints Day beginning the evening before (that is, on Halloween) by holding prayer vigils and other honorary events. The triple-day festival is, in essence, a Christian observance known as Hallowtide to commemorate the dead. The day after All Saints Day, November 2, is called All Souls Day and honors all who have died regardless of their religious beliefs and presumed afterlife destination. Halloween is meant to refer to the evening before All Holies Day, also known as All Saints Day, a religious holiday in the Roman Catholic and many Protestant denominations of Christianity to honor Christians who have died (also called saints) and gone to heaven.Īll Saints Day - also called All Hallows Day, All Holies Day, and Hallowmas - is celebrated November 1, which is why Halloween is celebrated October 31. Halloween is a commingled word formed from both “All Hallows” and “Even,” or “E’en,” the Scottish word for evening. Many ask: Should we celebrate Halloween in our family, and if so, how can we do it in a way that doesn’t conflict with our faith?įirst, let’s address the big question: Is the origin of Halloween rooted in a pagan holiday? What Is the Origin of Halloween? It’s that time of year again, when temporary costume shops start sprouting up in strip malls, huge bags of candy begin lining store shelves, and songs like “Monster Mash” feel like they’re on repeat everywhere you go.īut some Christians, concerned about whether the holiday is pagan in origin, wonder if it’s acceptable to celebrate Halloween at all given the plethora of macabre costumes, fake blood, and witches and ghouls decorating both homes and storefronts.
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