Witches, Goblins, & Trick or Treat

Ever wonder how, when and where Halloween came into being? Actually, if it hadnt been for Pope Benedict IV kids today would have nothing to do but play video games and watch TV each October 30, for it was in the year 609 AD that the good Pope set aside November 1 as a day devoted to honoring martyrs, and therefore saints, both known and unknown. Formally entered into the Roman Catholic calendar in the year 900 AD, the day became known as All Saints Day and is observed to this day by Catholics around the world.

Whats so Scary?

The scary part emanated in England where the day became known as All Hallows and the evening before (Oct. 30) was dubbed All Hallows Eve, soon shortened to Halloween.

As a kind of counterbalance to the holiness of All Saints Day, practices dating to pre-Christian pagan days were revived. In preparation for the coming of winter poor people would appear on the doorstep of the well off and demand food, clothing and alms. To the warm and cozy householder these scruffy souls must have seemed evil indeed. And to the cunning scruffy what could be more natural than to exploit the squeamishness of the well heeled? Witches and Goblins.

The poor, especially the elderly and even more so old women, became the scapegoats for any calamity to visit a medieval village. And so evolved the image of the witch.

The American Heritage Dictionary defines a goblin as A grotesque, elfin creature of folklore thought to work mischief or evil, an image perfectly in sync with small fry getting into scary costumes and knocking on doors.

Witches by the Million

In doing research for The Witch of Greenwich Village this writer discovered that there seem to be myriad witches in our midst. In the innumerable mentions of the word witch on google some truly bizarre sites are cited, including: Witch School.com, How to Kill a Witch, Witch Hunter, Witch Magazine, Tools of the Witch, etc.

Anyone who thinks that witchcraft, Satanism and black magic are things of the past should think again. Criminal cases involving such accusations crop up every year, the young sometimes accusing their own parents of involvement in the occult.

For a synopsis, an excerpt and reviews of this writers novel please visit http://www.thewitchofgreenwichvillage.com