festivals of Feralia, when Romans celebrated the passing of the dead, and Pomona a celebration for the goddess of the same name, grew to replace Samhain. The goddess Pomona is the roman goddess of fruit and trees often associated with apples, the incorporation of this into Samhain is thought to be why the tradition of bobbing for apples has become associated with the Halloween celebration.
Christian Influences
By the 7th century Christianity had spread to the Celtic lands and it was during this time that Pope Boniface IV founded all saints day, to be held on the 1st day of November. It was a day that celebrated all the saints that didn’t already have a day associated with them. The choice of day was no accident and is widely believed to be an attempt by the church to replace the pagan holiday with a christian one, much as they did with Easter (pagan festival of Ostara/Eostre), and Christmas (pagan festival of Yule). In the language of the time all saints day was called Alholowmesse, this evolved over time into all – hallowmas and then finally all hallows. The evening before this celebration was called all hallows eve which became Halloween.
Conclusion
Each period in history has added their own contribution to the evolution of our modern celebration, all leading to the fun lighthearted day that we enjoy today. I hope this short history of the Evolution of our Halloween holiday will help you to understand the traditions and Origins Of Modern Halloween, and will add to your enjoyment of this unique celebration.
You can find out more about the origins of modern Halloween and celebrate the holiday with a new perspective. It’s roots are often dark and disturbing but also very informative and enlightening, just go to the real Halloween website for the full story.
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