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Times Illustrated by Julie and Julien Libersat is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Tag Archives: Pagan
The Origins of Halloween
October 31, 1300
Illustrated by Jennifer Boatner
Evolving from the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain, modern Halloween has become less about literal ghosts and ghouls and more about costumes and candy. The Celts used the day to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, and also believed that this transition between the seasons was a bridge to the world of the dead. Over the millennia the holiday transitioned from a somber pagan ritual to a day of merriment, costumes, parades and sweet treats for children and adults. http://www.history.com/topics/halloween
Illustrated by Jennifer Boatner
Evolving from the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain, modern Halloween has become less about literal ghosts and ghouls and more about costumes and candy. The Celts used the day to mark the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, and also believed that this transition between the seasons was a bridge to the world of the dead. Over the millennia the holiday transitioned from a somber pagan ritual to a day of merriment, costumes, parades and sweet treats for children and adults. http://www.history.com/topics/halloween
St Patricks Day
Illustration by Sarah Pippins
This image represents the origins of Saint Patrick’s stories and ideas which are incorporated into the famous holiday celebrating Irish descent. Saint Patrick is actually a Roman Catholic from Britain who was kidnapped by the Irish at a young age. After he escaped he returned to Ireland to “drive all the snakes out.” Historians believe this to refer to Druidism and Pagan practices since druids were known to have snakes tattooed on their forearms. Saint Patrick also used the shamrock to represent the Holy Trinity which was actually first used to represents various goddess triplets such as Morrigan and her sisters, Macha and Badh. Ironically, the song, Wearin’ o’ the Green, which praises Saint Patrick reads this:
“So if the color we must wear be England’s cruel red; Let it remind us of the blood that Irishmen have shed; And pull the shamrock from your hat and throw it on the sod; But never fear, ’twill take root there, though underfoot ’tis trod.”
Posted in HOLIDAYS, PEOPLE, RELIGION
Tagged Celtic, Druid, Ireland, Pagan, Roman Catholic, Saint Patrick
Comments Off on St Patricks Day
Illustration by Sarah Pippins
This image represents the origins of Saint Patrick’s stories and ideas which are incorporated into the famous holiday celebrating Irish descent. Saint Patrick is actually a Roman Catholic from Britain who was kidnapped by the Irish at a young age. After he escaped he returned to Ireland to “drive all the snakes out.” Historians believe this to refer to Druidism and Pagan practices since druids were known to have snakes tattooed on their forearms. Saint Patrick also used the shamrock to represent the Holy Trinity which was actually first used to represents various goddess triplets such as Morrigan and her sisters, Macha and Badh. Ironically, the song, Wearin’ o’ the Green, which praises Saint Patrick reads this:
“So if the color we must wear be England’s cruel red; Let it remind us of the blood that Irishmen have shed; And pull the shamrock from your hat and throw it on the sod; But never fear, ’twill take root there, though underfoot ’tis trod.”