XPost: alt.religion.druid, soc.culture.irish   
   From: cu072@FreeNet.Carleton.CA   
      
   Post.Post.Colonial.Boy (republican@email.com) writes:   
   >>Féachadóir wrote:   
   >>> Scríobh "Sidheseeker" :   
   >>> >Since Oct. 31st  is the date set for All Hallow's Eve   
   >>> >by the church.. I was just thinking.. some time ago   
   >>> >I read somewhere that prior ro rhat.. ir fell on rhe   
   >>> >second full moon after the summer solstice..   
   >>> >(and no.. I'm not going to look for the reference..)   
   >>> >any other ideas..?   
      
   >>> Its a cross quarter day, halfway between equinox and solstice.   
      
   >>Well, that's not exactly true. It is acceptable as an abstraction.   
   >>Halloween was a cultural event not a liturgical one.   
      
   > No-one has claimed that the celebration of Samhain was, in any way   
   > shape or form, Christian...   
   >   
   > Halloween is the modern American continuation of the ancient   
   > pre-Christian religion of the Celtic people.   
      
      
   The Catholic church put the feast of All Saints on Nov 1 and   
   that of All Souls on Nov 2.  When I was a kid, All Saints   
   was a holy day of obligation.  Uh, I think that means you were   
   obligated to attend mass that day.  So it became a Christian   
   celebration.   
      
   The Irish feast of Samhain was ( at least in some eras and areas )   
   a whole week not just the eve and day.  I think for modern Christians   
   it was a time to remember their ancesters.  This is certainly so for   
   Mexicans whose Day of the Dead ( All Souls ) frequently involves   
   decorating the graves of their family.   
      
   Elaine   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)