THE HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN

After the Roman invasion in 43 AD,
Samhain also became a harvest festival. Rome had
a festival honouring the goddess Pomona
who ruled fruits and garden. The Romans pictured her as a beautiful maiden, her
arms filled with fruit and a crown of apples on her head. Nuts, fruits and
apples were part of the Samhain ceremonies. Apples were sacred and lucky.
The colours of Halloween are orange
and black. They represent the harvest (orange) and the death (black).
After the Roman invasion, Christian
rites substituted pagan rites. For the Christians the first day of November was
the day of All Saints. It was called All Allows Day (the day of All Saints). The
evening of October 31st was
All Allows Eve. This was shortened to Halloween. The druid religion went on for
a long time in Ireland and Scotland . Halloween
continued to be important in both places. In XIX century, Irish immigrants brought
their Halloween costumes to the United
States . Now Halloween is one of the biggest
festivities in USA .
The date is on every calendar.
HALLOWEEN TRADITIONS
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In Spain also a
special pastry known as the Bones of the Holy is eaten on this day. November 1 has become a public
holiday. On All Saints' Day Catholics attend church services in honor of the
saints, the martyrs and those who have died for the Catholic faith. People may
also visit their family’s graves to beautify them with wreaths and small
lanterns. Sometimes a mass is said at the gravesite and the grave sprinkled
with holy water.
JACK-O-LANTERN
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