Halloween (English term of Scottish origin, AFI: [hæləˈwiːn] or [hæloʊ̯ˈiːn]; Italianized pron. / ˈAllowin / o / alloˈwin / ), All Hallows 'Eve (lit. "All Saints' Eve") or Everyone's night the Saints, is a typical recurrence of Western Christianity and observed on October 31, the day before All Saints. The celebration is first recorded in the High Middle Ages in historically Catholic Nordic countries such as Ireland and England, and over time the rites and customs associated with it have evolved, and is considered one of the most solemn celebrations. of the Church. In the contemporary form on All Saints' Eve it is customary to light candles on the graves of the dead, celebrate the dead, sculpt skull-shaped pumpkins called jack-o'-lanterns, light bonfires, watch horror films, dress up and wander around asking food. Traditional customs similar to the Nordic ones have been found in other countries with a Catholic majority, such as Spain, Poland and Hungary, as well as in Italy, where several traditions similar to modern Halloween have been identified, including wandering and the request for food between the houses.
The origins of the feast are linked to that of All Saints and are traced back to the feast of the martyrs, celebrated in the primitive Church on the Sunday after Pentecost or May 13, the date of the Roman festival of Lemuralia. According to various sources, the feast of the martyrs was transferred by Pope Gregory III on November 1st, when the pontiff consecrated an oratory in St. Peter's in the Vatican dedicated to all martyrs and confessors. Other sources link the autumn date to the institution of All Saints by Gregory IV and to Ludovico il Pio. In the nineteenth century, scholars hypothesized that the celebration may have originated or been influenced by Samhain, a Celtic festival corresponding to the end of the summer season and held between 31 October and 1 November. Today, in addition to Halloween, All Saints' Day and the Day of the Dead are sometimes recognized as celebrations of Celtic origins or influences. The Celtic derivation has recently been questioned, and according to contemporary scholars in Celtic Ireland All Saints' Day was initially celebrated on April 20, unlike in Anglo-Saxon England, where it was already held on November 1. Others argue that there is no historiographical evidence that the pope was aware of the Samhain recurrence, that there are no evident similarities between the holidays or that they have been excessively accentuated in modern times; still others have argued that most of the costumes associated with the festival were born at the same time and after the institution of All Saints, and not vice versa, also reducing the importance and diffusion of Samhain.
Representatives of the Italian Catholic clergy have criticized the anniversary, describing it as a Celtic, pagan and American celebration, as well as separate from All Saints' Day and the Commemoration of the dead. On the other hand, several members of the American Catholic Church and scholars have recognized the historically common origins of Halloween and All Saints' Day, describing both as Catholic and European holidays, although sometimes with Celtic influences. Other members of the Italian clergy also defended the holiday, emphasizing its Catholic and European origins. Halloween was opposed following the Protestant reform and became the center of anti-Catholic attacks, but survived in Scotland and other Protestant-majority nations. A false etymology also spread from the 18th century that Samhain derives from a namesake god of death who is said to have offered children as sacrifices, and several Reformed Christian groups boycotted Halloween as a result, deeming it a satanic holiday. The news is actually historically wrong, and it found diffusion only following an error contained in a work of the British military Charles Vallancey. In the 19th century, Scottish immigrants and Irish Catholics then brought the holiday to the predominantly Protestant United States of America, where it was rediscovered. The customs of All Saints' Eve have been spread in modern times by stripping them of their original Catholic meanings in various countries, such as Japan and other Asian nations.
Relationships[]
Main Mascots[]
Common Creatures[]
- Ghosts
- Skeletons
- Witches
- Demons
- Mummies
- Monsters
- Vampires
- Zombies
- Scarecrows
- Ghouls
- Werewolves
- Spiders
- Bats
Aditional Creatures[]
- Frankenstein's Monster
- Grim Reaper
- Headless Horseman
- Bogeyman
- Aliens
- Invisible Man
- Mr. Hyde / Dr. Jekyll
- Creature from Black Lagoon
- Phantom of The Opera
- Gargoyles
- Killer Clowns
- Cursed Dolls
- Evil Robots
- Cyborgs
- Ghost Pirates
- Goblins
- Gorgons
- Phantom Vehicles:
- Ghost Cars
- Ghost Trains
- Ghost Ships
- Haunted Hearses
Places[]
- Haunted Houses
- Graveyards
- Spooky Villages
- Dark Forests
- Witch's Huts
- Dark Castles