teacher Márcia: Halloween

The word Halloween has its origins in the Catholic Church. It comes from a contracted corruption of the November 1, "All Saints Day" is a Catholic day of observance in honor of saints. But in the fifth century AD, in Celtic Ireland, summer officially ended on October 31. The holiday was Samhain, the Celtic New Year.

Some witches believe that the origin of the name comes from the word hallowinas - the name given to female guardians of knowledge hidden land of the north (Scandinavia).

Halloween marks the official end of summer and the beginning of the new year. Also celebrates the end of the third and last year's harvest, the beginning of the storage of supplies for the winter, the beginning of the return of herds of grazing and renovation of its laws. It was a party with several names: Samhain (end of summer), Samhein, La Samon, or, the Feast of the Sun but the most knowing was the Scottish Hallowe'en.

One of the legends of Celtic origin who speak the minds of all who died during that year back in search of living bodies to possess and use by next year. The Celts believed to be the only chance of life after death. The Celts believed all laws of space and time, which allowed the spirit world to mingle with the living.

As the living not want to be held on the evening of October 31, delete the torches and bonfires of their houses so that they become cold and nasty, put costumes and loudly paraded around the neighborhood, being as destructive as possible to scare those looking for bodies to possess, (ghoulish).

The Romans adopted the Celtic practices, but in the first century after Christ, they abandoned them. Halloween was brought to the United States in 1840 by Irish immigrants fleeing the famine in which the country passed and becomes known as Halloween.

Trick-or-treat?

The game of "trick or treat" comes from a European custom from the ninth century, called "souling". On November 2, Day of All Souls, Christians went from village to village asking for "soul cakes", which were made of small squares of bread with currants.

Jack O'Lantern

For each cake that won, one should say a prayer for a deceased relative of the donor. It was believed that souls remained in limbo for some time after his death and that prayers helped her to go to heaven.

The candle in the pumpkin probably has its origins in Irish folklore. A man named Jack, an alcoholic, rude, in a October 31 drank excessively and the devil came to take his soul. Desperate, Jack begs for another glass of drink and the devil grants. Jack had no money for the last drink and asks the devil to turn into a coin. The Devil agrees. Barely see the coin on the table, Jack saves it in the portfolio, which has a close-shaped cross. In desperation, the devil begs to go out and Jack proposes a deal: free him in exchange for staying on Earth for another year. No option, the Devil agrees. Happy with the opportunity, Jack decides to change his ways and begins to treat well the wife and children, go to church and to charitable causes. But the change did not last long.

Next year, the night of October 31, Jack is going home when the devil appears. Jack, smart as ever, convinced the devil to get an apple from a tree. The Devil agrees and when it goes up the first branch, Jack gets a knife in his pocket and draws a cross in the trunk. The devil promises from for another ten years. Without accepting the proposal, Jack orders the devil never annoys. The devil agrees and Jack frees him from the tree.

To his misfortune, a year later, Jack Morris. Try to enter heaven, but his entry is denied. With no other options, go to hell. The devil, still suspicious and feeling humiliated, does not allow entry. But, sorry for the lost soul, the devil plays a coal that Jack can light your way through the limb. Jack put the coal inside a turnip that lasts longer and goes wandering. Turnips in Ireland were used as their "Jack's lanterns" originally. But when the immigrants came to America, they found that pumpkins were far more plentiful than turnips. Then Jack O'Lantern. America becomes a pumpkin, lit with an ember.

His ghost is now known as Jack O'Lantern. Who watches to see a little light low on the 31 October. It's Jack, looking for a place.

Satan deceived by climbing a tree. Jack then carved an image of a cross in the tree trunk, trapping the devil up the tree. Jack made a deal with the devil if he never tried it again, he would leave the tree below.

According to the folk tale, after Jack Morris, he was denied his entry in Heaven, because of their ways of evil, but he was also denied access to Hell because he tricked the devil. Instead, the devil gave him a single ember to light his way to the frigid darkness. The coal was placed inside a turnip to keep longer.

Turnips in Ireland were used as their "Jack's lanterns" originally. But when the immigrants came to America, they found that pumpkins were far more plentiful than turnips. So the Jack O'Lantern, in America, was in a pumpkin, lit with an ember.

Witches

Witches have important role in Halloween. According to a variety of legends, witches gathered twice a year, during the changing seasons: on April 30 and October 31. Arriving on flying broomsticks, witches attending a party led by the Devil himself. They threw curses and spells on anyone, turned into many things and caused all sorts of disorder. Symbols

It is also said that to find a witch had to put your clothes inside out and walk backwards during the night of Halloween. Then, at midnight, you would see a witch!

The belief in witches came to the United States with early settlers. There, they spread and mingled with stories of witches told by American Indians and, later, with the belief in black magic brought by African slaves.

The black cat is constantly associated with witches. Legend has it that witches can transform themselves into cats. Some people believed that cats were the spirits of the dead. Many superstitions are associated with black cats. One of the best known is that if a black cat cross your path, you must return the way you came from, because if you do not, is bad luck for sure.

Symbols

pumpkin - symbolizes fertility and wisdom

candle - indicates the paths to the spirits of another astral plane.

the pot - it was part of the culture - as the tradition dictates. Inside, guests should throw coins and written messages with requests to the spirits.

the broom - symbolizes the feminine power that can make the cleaning of negative electricity. Mistakenly thought that it served to transport the witches.

coins - they must be collected at the party to be donated to the needy.

tickets to the requests - must be incinerated so that requests are met quickly, because it will raise through the smoke.

spider - symbolizes the fate and wire that weave their webs, the environment, support for moving forward.

the frog - is linked to the symbolism of the power of feminine wisdom, lunar symbol and attribute of the dead and magical women.

black cat - a symbol of the ability to gather and spiritual meditation, self-confidence, independence and freedom. Harmony with the Universy.

the bat - symbolized clairvoyance, because they see beyond the forms and appearances, without viewing needs eye. Capture the magnetic fields by virtue of its own energy and sensitivity.

Colors

Orange - the color of vitality and energy that generates force. The Druids believed that on this night, passage to the New Year, spirits of other planes approached the living to vampirize the vital energy that there is in this color.

Black - color of the priestly garments of many wizards, witches, wizards and priests in general. Color master.

Purple - the color of magic ritual.