Witches and Halloween

2007-10-31 09:40

Here are five facts about the witch religion of Wicca and Halloween, known as the Wiccan New Year of Samhain:

The word "witchcraft" has three main connotations: the practice of magic or sorcery; the beliefs associated with the Western witch-hunts of the 14th to the 18th century; and varieties of the modern movement called Wicca.

Wicca was first publicised in 1954 by a British civil servant named Gerald Gardner who said the religion dated to an old witch cult that existed in secret for hundreds of years, originating in the pre-Christian Paganism of Europe.

Wicca is recognised as an official religion in the United States. It is a primarily Western movement of nature worship based on pre-Christian traditions.

In the United States, there are between 250 000 and 500 000 followers of the Wiccan witch religion, which honours the "Elements of Nature" - Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Spirit - and their associated directions - North, East, South, West, Centre - in "sacred circles" where rituals are held.

The Wiccan New Year of Samhain is considered a precursor to modern Halloween. Today it coincides with Halloween on October 31. Historically, it was a Celtic festival held on November 1 where the world of the gods was believed to be made visible to mankind. Modern witches say it is a time of year when the "veil between the dead and the living is thin."

- Reuters