The story of witches and Halloween Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31st. It is a time when people dress up in costumes and go door to door asking for candy. It is also a time when many people decorate their homes with spooky decorations, such as witches, ghosts, and black cats. But where do these traditions come from? The history of witches and Halloween dates back centuries. In ancient times, people believed in the existence of witches, who were thought to have magical powers and the ability to harm others. Witches were often associated with evil and were believed to practice dark magic.
This Halloween, my three-year-old daughter and I are both dressing up as witches. In doing so, I hope to deepen her sense of opportunity and possibility in the world that lies before her.
Protestant authorities dismissed this ritual period as Catholic superstition, and some states re-designated 31 October as Reformation Day in commemoration of Martin Luther s momentous initial challenge to the Papacy. presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton was often either satirically depicted as a witch or was outright accused of committing acts, such as child murder, that have been associated with witches for centuries.
Witches were often associated with evil and were believed to practice dark magic. Halloween, or All Hallows' Eve, has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Samhain was a time when people believed that the boundaries between the living and the dead were blurred, and that spirits could walk among the living.
History Of The Witch: Her Story
Halloween can be traced back to the celtic festival of SAMHAIN, which marked the end of harvest and to prepare for the hard winter ahead. There are many traditions around this time of year, some that go back hundreds of years. A part of Halloween season is dressing up, and witches seem to go hand in hand with halloween - but why? I wanted to look at where the term “witch” came from and what is the history of this feared being.
One of the first places we see witches come into recorded history is the Bible (931 B.C. and 721 B.C.) The story is of King Saul who looked for the Witch of Endor to summon the dead prophet Samuel’s spirit and to help him conquer the Philistine army. The witch did show up, and did indeed rouse Samuel’s spirit, but she foretold the death of Saul and his sons. And the next day, Saul’s sons died in battle, and Saul committed suicide.
In other Old Testament verses, it cautions and warns against witches “thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.”
These stories may have likely made worshippers question and fear witches, seeing that witchcraft was evil and associated with the Devil.
In the 400s, Saint Augustine of Hippo, who was influential in the church, argued that only God had the divine power and witches or Satan did not have the power to match. The church had decided that they need not fear witches or bother investigating witchcraft further.
Then came along Thomas Aquinas in the 1200’s , who believed magic existed. He spoke of Satan and his demons could tempt people into harmful magic, using sex. Upon reading some of this history, it’s frankly disturbing how fascinated the church was with sex and seeing it as dirty - better blame the women then! This act was linked to witches.
Later, we see that the people in power who prosecuted witches, had often quoted Aquinas more than any other source.
This delightful rulebook (please note my sarcasm here!) was written by Catholic clergyman Heinrich Kramer and first published in 1486. Malleus Maleficarum - translation - “Hammer of Witches” agrees with Aquinas’s beliefs and its purpose was to gather up Satan’s tempted humans, who were used sexually and now they are all demon-y and yucky and must be destroyed….or something to that effect!
This book argued that the weaker gender a.k.a women - were more likely to succumb to the temptations of the flesh and demons far easier than men.
After the publication of this rulebook, about three quarters of the people prosecuted as witches were women.
Now came the witch hunt - everyone was scared/intrigued about witches, that during the 1400s the pursuit of witches was in full force. Across Europe this spread, using the book as a reference - women were accused, under torture and then executed. We see from accounts that in particular the women who were targeted were either opinionated, single women, widows, healers, and midwives too!
Between the years 1500 and 1660, up to 80,000 suspected witches were put to death in Europe. Around 80 percent of them were women thought to be in cahoots with the Devil and filled with lust. In Scotland, from 1500s to the 1700s, the number of accused witches reached four to five times the European average. Shocking! I used to live in a coastal town on the east coast called Pittenweem, which aside from its beauty is known as a place that trialed witches. Also if anyone has been to Edinburgh, we see their blood thirsty history does have witch trials also. I think in Scotland we are a god-fearing people, or at least we were a god-fearing people! So even though the idea of witches started off from the Catholic Church, during this time of the high witch trials - Scotland was moving to Protestantism. As people were urged to convert to the faith, witch hunts were encouraged by King James who ruled at the time, stating that he himself was a subject of witchcraft when he came back from his wedding voyage.
The burning of three witches in Baden, illustrated by Swiss clergyman Johann Jacob Wick in 1585.
(Wikimedia Commons)
To ward off these spirits, people would light bonfires and wear masks and costumes to disguise themselves. As Christianity spread, the holiday of Samhain was absorbed into the Christian calendar as All Hallows' Eve, the night before All Saints' Day. It was believed that on this night, the souls of the dead would visit their former homes, so people would leave food and offerings for the spirits. Over time, the association between witches and Halloween grew stronger. The image of the witch as an old woman with a pointed hat and broomstick became popularized through stories, plays, and later, movies. Witches became a symbol of Halloween, representing both the supernatural and the spooky. Today, witches and Halloween are inseparable. The image of the witch is still a popular Halloween costume, and you will often see witches portrayed in decorations and on greeting cards. While the idea of witches casting spells and flying on broomsticks is just fiction, the fascination with witches and their connection to Halloween continues to captivate our imaginations. In conclusion, the story of witches and Halloween goes back centuries, with roots in ancient beliefs and traditions. While the association between witches and Halloween may have originated as a way to ward off evil spirits, it has since become a beloved and iconic part of the holiday. Whether you choose to dress up as a witch or simply enjoy the spooky atmosphere, Halloween would not be the same without the story of witches woven into its history..
Reviews for "Witchcraft and Halloween: A Global Perspective on Ancient Traditions"
1. John - 2/5 - I found "The story of witches and Halloween" to be quite disappointing. The storyline was predictable and lacked originality. The characters were one-dimensional and unrelatable, making it difficult for me to invest in their journey. Additionally, the writing style felt clunky and disjointed, which further hindered my overall enjoyment of the book. Overall, I felt underwhelmed by this novel and would not recommend it to others.
2. Sarah - 1/5 - I couldn't even get through "The story of witches and Halloween." The writing was so poorly executed that I found it hard to follow along. The characters were shallow and had no depth to them, making it impossible to care about their fates. The plot was tedious and uninteresting, and there was a complete lack of suspense or excitement throughout the entire book. I regret wasting my time on this poorly written and unengaging story.
3. David - 2/5 - I must admit that "The story of witches and Halloween" did not impress me. The concept had potential, but the execution fell flat. The pacing was incredibly slow, and the story dragged on without much purpose. The dialogue was unrealistic and lacked depth, making it hard for me to connect with any of the characters. Overall, I found the book to be quite forgettable and did not live up to my expectations. I wouldn't recommend it to those looking for a captivating and well-crafted story.