The Origin of Occult Holidays

The Origin of Occult Holidays

The Origin of Occult Holidays

Origin of Easter:

1. Origin of word, “Easter”: Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring: “Eostre”
2. In her honor sacrifices were offered at the vernal equinox or spring
   2. By 8^th century church leaders applied “Eostre” to Christ’s resurrection
   3. In Acts 12:4, “Passover” is mistranslated “Easter” is in some Bibles
3. Origin of symbols of Easter:
4. Easter Egg:
5. Eggs represented new life that returns to nature about Easter
   b. Ancient Egyptians & Persians dyed eggs in spring colors & gave to friends
   c. Eggs symbolize the now life found in the resurrected Christ
6. Easter bunny: In ancient Egypt, rabbits, like eggs symbolized new life.

Origin of Halloween:

1. Halloween literally means, “Holy Evening”
2. Significance of Oct 31:
3. Autumn festival called, “Samhain” marked the end of summer
   b. It marked the new year for ancient Celtics & Anglo Saxons
4. Catholics named “Holy Evening” because it preceded “All Saints Day”
5. All Saints Day: prayers offered for all souls in Purgatory
6. Old pagan customs were combined with Catholic tradition to create Halloween.
7. The dead were believed to visit their homes on Oct 31:
8. Ghosts, witches, goblins, black cats roamed around all night.
   2. Jack-o-lantern might be derived from -night watchman- (for spirits)
   3. It was considered the best day to:
9. make deviations for marriage, health, luck, death etc.
   b. pacify supernatural powers which controlled the processes of nature.
   c. It was the only day the help of the devil was used for such purposes.

VALENTINE’S DAY

Pagans in Rome celebrated the evening of February 14th and February 15th and as an idolatrous festival in honor of Lupercus “the hunter of wolves”. It was not until the reign of Pope Gelasius that the holiday became a “Christian” custom. “As far back as 496, Pope Gelasius changed Lupercalia on February 15th to St. Valentine’s Day on February 14th.” The original Saint Valentine was Nimrod, on this day in February, Semiramis, the mother of Tammuz, was said to have been purified and to have appeared for the first time in public with her son as the original “mother and child.”

Other Holidays:

Halloween – comes from medieval England’s All Hallow’s Eve.  Celtic holiday of Samhaim. A night for witchcraft.