The origin of Halloween, when traced back to history, is related to the ancient pagan festival of the Celts (a European ethnic group), known as Samhain, which was celebrated on November 1st in the modern calendar.
The Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the world of the living and the dead became blurred.
On the night of October 31st, they celebrated Samhain, which later became Halloween, a time when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to the world in bodily form. Therefore, people would wear costumes and light bonfires to frighten away the ghostly spirits.
The Halloween festival is over two thousand years old. It later became a religious festival after becoming common practice over many years until its original religious significance faded. Today, Halloween is regarded as a festival for costumes and fun, especially for children.
In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV established All Saints' Day, which was initially celebrated on May 13th. After one century, Pope Gregory III moved the feast of All Saints to November 1st, possibly intending for the Christian festival to replace the pagan festival of Samhain. The day became the feast of All Saints (All Hallows), and the night before became known as All Hallows' Eve or Halloween.
Although it started as a festival in the Celtic regions of Ireland, England, and France, it quickly spread to other parts of the world.
Conservative Christians prohibited the early American colonists in New England from celebrating the festival because it conflicted with the Christian religion; they viewed it as originating from Paganism.
The word "Halloween" comes from All Hallows' Eve and means "holy evening." The history of Halloween originates from the pagan festival called Samhain, hundreds of years ago. This was before Pope Gregory III changed the day to the feast of All Saints (Halloween).
Halloween is celebrated on October 31st every year. This year too, it will be celebrated on October 31st.