We have begun in the UK to join in with the Halloween celebration, but this was not what we used to remember. This graphic shows that instead of being just one day, Halloween was part of a series of three days where people would remember those who had died.
All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween) and All Souls’ Day are interconnected Christian observances with historical roots in both pagan and religious traditions. All Hallows’ Eve, traditionally known as the evening before All Saints’ Day, marks the origin of Halloween[1][2]. The holiday has ancient Celtic origins in the festival of Samhain, a magical time when Celts believed the barriers between the natural and supernatural worlds were broken, allowing the dead to walk among the living and potentially share future secrets[1].
As Christianity spread, the church established All Saints’ Day on November 1 and All Souls’ Day on November 2, incorporating many old pagan customs into these Christian holy days[1]. All Saints’ Day commemorates Christian martyrs and those who led exceptionally holy lives, particularly recognizing saints who do not have a special day in the church year[2]. All Souls’ Day, observed on November 2, is a day of commemoration for all faithful departed, with the Catholic Church specifically praying for souls believed to be undergoing purgation[2][3][4]. Various regional customs developed around these observances, such as in Wales, where people would place a white stone near a fire and believe their survival for another year depended on the stone’s condition the next morning[1].
[1] Got Questions Ministries, Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2002–2013).
[2] Daniel G. Reid et al., “All,” in Dictionary of Christianity in America (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990).
[3] Ron Geaves, “All Souls’ Day,” in Continuum Glossary of Religious Terms (London; New York: Continuum, 2002), 18.
[4] Noah Webster, Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language. (Anaheim, CA: Foundation for American Christian Education, 2006).
