Introduction It may surprise you to learn that many of the holidays you celebrate have pagan roots. In this blog post, we'll briefly explore some of these origins and how they relate to modern-day Christian celebrations. Paganism is a broad term used to describe religious practices that existed prior to and outside of the practices of the Israelites and true Christianity but even Christianity as we know it to be today is pagan in the eyes of Israelite biblical fundamentalists who seek to identify Pagan origins in ambition to eradicate it from practice. It should actually be defined as any religious practice that contradicts the practices and directions of the direct word of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Paganism includes many obvious traditions, such as Druidism and Wicca (or witchcraft), and, believe it or not, even the contemporary world Abrahamic religions, such as Christianity and Islam alike, exhibit pagan characteristics and practices.
The Pagan History of Halloween
It is said that the Celtic people were one group who practiced paganism before being converted by Saint Patrick in Ireland around 450 AD to Christianity, but even then, technically, they remained pagan by virtue of the fact that many practices were integrated into existing religious dogma. They celebrated Samhain, for example, on October 31st every year by lighting bonfires and feasting on food offerings left out for spirits known as "The Dead." This tradition eventually evolved into what we now know as Halloween today! The Pagan History of Christmas The origins of Christmas are steeped in pagan tradition. The celebration of Yule and winter solstice celebrations have been around for centuries, but when Christianity came along, they were incorporated into the holiday season.
The first recorded instance of a Christmas tree was in Germany during 1510 and was not initially associated with any religious significance; it simply provided warmth and light for people who had no other source of heat or light during long winter nights. It wasn't until 1841 that Prince Albert brought this tradition back from Germany when he married Queen Victoria (who later became known as the "Grandmother of Europe"). The Pagan History of Easter Easter is a supposed celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but it's also an ancient fertility festival. The word "Easter" comes from Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of love and war, who was worshipped around 1500 BC. In ancient times, people celebrated Ishtar's resurrection from death by eating eggs (which symbolize new life) and rabbits (which represent fertility).
The first Christians didn't want to celebrate Easter because they thought it was too pagan; they believed that Jesus had risen on Sunday morning instead of Friday night/Saturday morning like pagans did! But over time more Christians started celebrating Easter anyway--and now most people don't even know that it has pagan roots! The Pagan History of All Saints' Day All Saints' Day is a Christian holiday that celebrates all of the saints, or holy people. It's also known as All Hallows' Eve or All Hallow's Eve, and it falls on October 31st every year.
The origins of this holiday are rooted in ancient Celtic traditions that honour deceased ancestors during Samhain—a festival marking the end of summer and the beginning of winter. In fact, many modern Halloween traditions have their roots in pagan rituals involving honouring dead relatives who were thought to visit their homes during this time of year (and may still do so today). The Pagan History of Lent The most popular holiday in the Christian calendar, Easter, is celebrated as a time of rebirth and renewal. The word "Easter" comes from Eastre or Oestre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess who symbolized springtime and fertility. Her festival marked the beginning of spring--a time when people would celebrate nature's renewal by eating new foods like eggs and rabbits (which were considered symbols of fertility).
The ancient Celts also celebrated this period with feasts that included games and competitions between young men and women, who would draw lots to see who would marry each other at the end of their festivities. In some cases they even practiced marriage by capture! The Pagan History of Pentecost The Christian holiday of Pentecost is a celebration of the Holy Spirit. It's also rooted in ancient harvest festivals and celebrations of the divine.
The roots of Pentecost can be traced back to ancient harvest festivals that were held throughout Europe, Asia, and North Africa. These festivals often involved feasts and rituals designed to honour gods associated with fertility and agriculture, including Dionysus, Osiris, and Demeter--and were meant to ensure good weather for crops during the growing season.
In addition to honouring these deities through ritual offerings, some peoples would also perform dances or other acts meant to invoke their presence on Earth during these celebrations; this may have been done through trance states induced by ingesting hallucinogenic substances like mushrooms or peyote cactus (which contains mescaline). The Pagan History of Ash Wednesday The significance of ashes is a practice that dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. The ashes were used as a symbol of penance and humility, as well as an act of cleansing. This ritual was also performed on Ash Wednesday, which is one of the most important days in the Christian calendar.
Besides being used for this purpose in pagan rituals and religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, ashes have been used throughout history by many cultures around the world--including Native Americans who would rub dirt on their bodies after going into battle or hunting for food; Africans who would use mud baths to cleanse their bodies; Europeans who applied ash from burnt wood onto their skin during Lent; Christians who rubbed ashes onto their foreheads during Lent (or "Mardi Gras" season) so they could remember how sinful they were before they died; Jews who put them on top of their heads during Yom Kippur, a day dedicated solely towards fasting and repentance The Pagan History of Advent The roots of Advent can be traced back to ancient winter solstice traditions. In fact, the word "advent" means "coming." The practice of lighting candles and preparing for Christmas on December 24th was first observed in Germany during the Middle Ages. The Advent wreath, a circular arrangement of evergreen boughs with four candles placed around it, was used as a reminder that Christ would soon return.
The idea behind this tradition is that we should use this time to reflect on our lives and prepare ourselves spiritually for Christmas by repenting our sins and seeking forgiveness from God. The Pagan History of Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week, which begins the week before Easter. The name "Palm Sunday" comes from the fact that it's associated with palm branches, a symbol of victory and triumph. In ancient times, people would carry palms in their hands as they walked through town on this day. They did this to show that they had been victorious over their enemies or were celebrating some other kind of victory (like winning a war). In addition to being used as a sign of celebration or triumph, these branches were also used for ritual purposes in pagan religions around the world; for example: * In ancient Egypt, priests would use palm fronds during rituals related to Osiris' resurrection from death; * In Greece and Rome (and later in Christian Europe), people would decorate their homes with laurels made of olive branches during festivals honouring Apollo and Dionysus, respectively; * In India today there are still Hindu festivals where people gather together under large banyan trees (which have large aerial roots) where they pray for peace while holding up bamboo sticks decorated with jasmine flowers;