Halloween itself goes back to the tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts away.
Halloween actually has significant Catholic roots. The name itself comes from All Hallow’s Eve … that is, the Vigil of All Saints’ Day. Catholics remember those who have gone before them to enter their heavenly home. Immediately afterwards, on the 2nd of November, the Church commemorates all the faithful departed still detained in Purgatory, and prays in suffrage for them.
The modern celebration of Halloween on the 31st of October – All Hallows Eve, the night before the Christian festival of All Hallows’ Day or All Saints’.
Halloween has become one of the year’s holidays, with countless children and adults not just dressing up in the favorit constums for the event. In Hungary the carved pumkin takes the roll in the celebration, not only decorate them at home, but they also take them out to public areas to celebrate with lit candles inside the cavered pumpkins. In the late twentieth century it became increasingly marketised, and is now-a-days specialty shops devoted to Halloween merchandise … orgy of costumes, fake cobwebs, novelty horror items, lollies and chocos, also with stalls stands on street selling alsorts of gadgets.
All Saints’ Day is a national public holiday in Hungary.
All Saints’ Day was first celebrated in its current form in 609 AD when Pope Boniface IV moved the feast to November the 1st. as the Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome to the Virgin Mary and all martyr.
At this time of the year throughout the country many visit the cemeteries and lighten up the graves bathed in candlelights, wreaths cover the graves, and in the silence, each flame preserves a memory. Moments of quiet remembrance, past is recalled in every family. This time is not only about mourning, but also about hope, togetherness and the respect for life. Many attend by special commemorations in church to remember the dead.
Update by Aggie Reiter
Rolling in Budapest 