Inman Bunch

Just thought you would want to know...

(nice picture Marc)

• It came from the Catholic church in Rome. Hallowe'en is short for "All Hallows Eve". Hallow means holy or Saint in old english. So Hallowe'en is the Eve of All Saints Day.
  
  All Saints Day was started as a local feast in about 750 AD on Nov 1st to commemorate the dedication of a chapel in Rome to "All Saints" - all the saints but particularly those who did not have a special day. Over the following century it spread throughout Europe and became very popular with celebration starting the night before (the Eve or Vigil) and continuing through the next day. Nov 2nd was added later as "All Souls" day which made the festival even more popular. People used to go round asking for cakes in exchange for prayers for the souls of people's families (later changed into "trick or treat").
  
  Puritan protestants of course hated this sort of thing. It ws Catholic, it was about Saints, it included "begging" and other "pagan" practices. They attacked it as being evil, the work of the devil, unbiblical etc etc.
  
  Hence the associations with witches, devils, pagan festivals and all that sort of stuff.
  
  Some people believe that it brought in some elements of a pagan festival in Ireland but there is no historical evidence to support this theory.
  
  All Saints and, to varying degrees, it's Eve are traditionally celebrated in Catholic cultures all over the world  though American culture is all pervasive so some countries are picking up its bad habit there are several cultures that celebrate this day. it is supposed to be when the veil between the dead and the living is lifted and all the spirits and demons walk the earth. you wear the masks and costumes so the real spirits think that you are one of them and leave you alone.