Samhain: The Celtic New Year

By A.R. Fiedler

Harvest and New beginings

Ancient festival

Celebration of nature

A time of renewal

Communion with ancestors

Root of Hallow’een

Who celebrates Samhain?

-The Celtic People of Ireland

-Pagan practitioners

The Celtic Calander

“beginning in darkness and working towards light”

Two Halves

Four Quarters Imbolc (Feb) Beltane (May) Lughnasa (Aug) Samhain (Nov)

When Is Samhain Celebrated?

Samhain (Sow-in) literally “the end of summer”

Time of the crone

Starts at sundown

From Oct. 31st to Nov. 1st

“a time between years”

Preparations

Herd brought from pasture

Sacrifice of the weak

Harvest gathered and stored

“faeries blight”

A Time of Gathering

General Armistance Meeting with your enemy Political boundaries disolve diplomacy

Settling of Debts

Feasting with family

Lighting and Extinguishing the

Fires Home fires put out

Darkest night

“fire of bones” Hygienic Prayers/hopes

Return with fire The start of a new

year

Ashes to ashes Protection/fertilization

The Thinning of the Veil

A time in between

The dead walk the earth Leave out food and drink

Let no mortal hand touch it Leave all doors and windows unlatched Entertain the dead

The young play games The old review the year, encourage the

attention of the dead

Protection

- A humble parshell

- The Pooka

Christianity-Samhain became Hallowmass

-Commemorate the souls the the blessed dead-Modern day Hallowe’en

References

Biege, Bernd. Samhain, A very Irish Feast http://goireland.about.com/od/historyculture/qt/

trad_samhain.htm

Barrett, Suzanne. Samhain, the eve of all hallow http://www.irelandforvisitors.com/articles/samha

in.htm

Haggertu, Bridget. Samhain, the Irish new year http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalen

d/Samhain.html

Photo Credits

Samhain: wilsonsalmanac.com

The hallow: wilsonsalmanac.com

Calendar: about.com

Face: ferdawg.blogspot.com

Bonfire: heavenandearthessentials.com

Cross/pooka: googleimages.com

The saints: ferdawg.blogspot.com