Tomorrow is Halloween. The story of Halloween is much much richer than today's habit of dressing up in costumes and trolling neighborhoods for candy.
The true origins of Halloween lie with the ancient Celtic tribes who lived in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany. For the Celts, November 1 marked the beginning of a new year and the coming of winter. The night before the new year, they celebrated the festival of Samhain, Lord of the Dead. During this festival, Celts believed the souls of the dead—including ghosts, goblins and witches—returned to mingle with the living. In order to scare away the evil spirits, people would wear masks and light bonfires.
In 835, Pope Gregory IV moved the celebration for all the martyrs (later all saints) from May 13 to November 1. The night before became known as All Hallow’s Even or “holy evening.” Eventually the name was shortened to the current Halloween. The purpose of these feasts is to remember those who have died, whether they are officially recognized by the Church as saints or not. It is a celebration of the “communion of saints,” which reminds us that the Church is not bound by space or time.
Then came Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation. October 31 has become Reformation Day in Lutheran Churches as well as other Christian denominations. It was on October 31 that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door of the castle church at Wittenberg, Germany, thus setting in motion the break from the Roman Catholic church.
To many Christians, October 31, is a matter of life and death in the eternal sense. Listen here to one of Martin Luther's most famous hymns of the faith, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. And should we need consolation in these days of terror threats, know well that fear was not unknown back in the 1500's as this verse from the hymn reads:
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.