Long before the commercialization of All Hallows Eve in America, Samhain, pronounced “Sow-win” originally was an ancient Celtic holiday marking the end of the summer months and the beginning of the winter months, loaded with deep spiritual purpose and opportunity.
Origins
Samhain, pronounced Sow-win in Irish Gaelic, occurs yearly on our modern day Halloween following all saints day, the Solar October 31st and November 1st. Like many ancient calendars however, the original ancient Celtic calendar was metonic, based on both Solar and lunar cycles, as revealed in the Coligny Calendar, the oldest Celtic calendar in existence, dated 2nd century CE. In the original Celtic calendar, Samhain meaning “Summer’s end”, was a festival that took place for six days and not just one around the same time of the year as the modern fixed dates. It is unknown to us how many days Samhain was celebrated originally in Ireland as opposed to Gaul ( likely six ), but the church preserved at least 1 full 24 hour period of that original assembly, that is, from all hallows eve until all saints day following. Unlike the solar fixed Halloween on October 31st, the original festival was determined by the lunar cycle and could take place days before or days after overlapping the modern date yearly.
In antiquity, Samhain was like many other Celtic pre-Christian holidays; A time to praise the Deities and for clans all over their respective territories to assemble, feast, play games, to take holy pilgrimage to sacred sites like Tara, to make offerings to the Deities, specifically Deities that symbolized the victory of light conquering the dark, good over evil, as told in the story in the battle of Mag Tuired where the God Lugh slays the Chieftain Balor ultimately resulting in the banishment of the Fomorians, sebsequently restoring law and order to the land. It is a harvest festival which closes the six lunar summer months transitioning in to the six winter months. Aside from its spiritual value, the Celts made preparations for the harsh winters ahead by various means of food preservation, and needed repairs to structures. Samhain was the last of the fall season festivals beginning with Lughnasadh around august 1st, the fall season being a total of three lunar months.
Traditions
Samhain, traditionally was vastly different in spirit and nature than the modern commercialized halloween. The Catholic halloween is also vastly different and ironically more “pagan” than the modern day version, given that “All Saints Day” is an ancestral memorial, albeit pertaining to saints, and is in more alignment with the original intent of Samhain, which is to remember the ancestors & saints and invoke God’s blessing in their memory.
In the ancient times the Celts would offer food offerings to ancestors whom would pass by in the nights of Samhain, now called a “dumb supper”, where a vacant place at a table and a plate of food are set. The lunar months leading up to Samhain are auspicious and are large window of opportunity to petition the Holy One for strength and mercy as well as to intercede for ancestors and to be interceded for as a means of expiation from negative deeds ( karmas ). The Druids being the officiators of these ceremonies would perform rites and rituals to protect the clans and by the grace of the Gods and Goddesses it would be granted so as long as the Druids, Kings, Warriors, and People were loyal to the holy spirit and law of truth thereof and the law of nature. A deviation from the spirit of truth and natural order would upset the balance of society, the world above and below, and subsequently cause calamity to the clans.
At this season of the year leading up to Samhain, the veil between the living and the dead becomes increasingly thinner increasing the ability of good and malevolent spirits to interact with the material earthly plain. Therefore the festivities were designed to insure blessing from the ancestors and Deities against the desires of wicked spirits to wreak havoc on the unprepared during the season. Fire, food offerings, dairy, music, and the loud accolades of songs to the deities and heroes pierced the cold nights of Samhain in ancient Ireland and across ancient Europe. The Cantoic ( “Sacred songs” in Old Irish ) were lifted to the worlds above through the fire sacrifice and were answered back by a winter of good health, plenty, and divine protection. The God Lugh, whos name literally means “light”, was celebrated across Celtic lands in the names of Llew and Lugus. He alongside other deities which were prominent in the battle of Mag Tuired were also praised at this time such as The Dagda ( The Father ) and the Morrígan ( Great Queen ). It is likely that for each night of the six days of Samhain that different deities were celebrated in similar fashion like in the Vedic diwali which also has similar length of time ( 5 days ) and has strikingly similar parallels such as Rama’s role in slaying the demon Ravana, similar as Lugh slew Balor.
An opportunity to heal
The auspicious windows of the worlds above are open more so at festival periods especially during the fall months leading up to Samhain. During the six nights of Samhain, and throughout the month leading up to Samhain we can take the opportunity to spiritually change our lives for the better and greatly enhance or spiritual progress through the help of our Ancestors, Druids, and Deities on the otherside. Through this period we cleanse ourselves, confess our wrong doings and struggles and are not afraid to ask our Father in heaven for his assistance in healing our lineages, and cleansing our lives from ungodliness. Through the deities grace we enjoy greater spiritual understanding and respect for divine order, as well as the transformative power of the Holy One to change our hearts to have more compassion and wisdom in serving the Holy One and mankind. Take the opportunity to cleans your minds with ancient wisdom and the study of holy knowledge, meditation, personal prayer, and offerings to get the most out of this very sacred time in our calendar.
May the Dag Dia, the Lord of the universe bless you this Samhain season and forever!
Samhain takes place this year, 2025, on the evening of October 25 until the evening of October 31st.