COMENIUS

Os celtas, antigos habitantes de Galicia, adoraban a moitos deuses que

representaban tanto ás forzas da natureza coma ás condicións do espírito.

Por isto, as súas festas coincidían con determinadas datas relacionadas coas

estacións e cos seus cambios.

A súa festa principal era o Samaín (Cho-ouinn), que significa o final do bo

tempo, e comezaban a súa celebración o 1 de novembro.

Nela, os celtas poñían unhas luciñas no interior das caveiras dos inimigos

mortos e colocábanas nas cruces dos camiños para que protexeran aos

habitantes do lugar de visitas perturbadoras: tal era o medo que tiñan ao

Outromundo.

Moitos anos despois, o cristianismo escolleu estas datas para celebrar o día

de Defuntos e Tódolos Santos, costume que segue presente en moitos lugares

de Galicia.

The Celts, ancient inhabitants of Galicia, worshiped many gods who

represented both the powers of nature and the states of the spirit. That is

why their festivals coincided with certain dates related to the seasons and

their changes.

The main Celt festival was Samain (Cho-ouinn), which means “the end of the

fine weather” and they started its celebration on 1st. November.

In the celebrations of Samain, when the long dark nights arrived, it is

considered true that the Celts put little torches inside the skulls of their dead

foes, and they put them in crossroads, in the surroundings and the walls of

their chesters (walled towns) so that, when shimmering at night, they should

put fright in the hearts of people and protect the inhabitants of the place from

upsetting visits: so afraid they were at the world of the dead, the Netherworld.

It is nothing but quaint that many years later Christianism should choose to

celebrate All Saint´s Day and All Souls´ Day. Nowadays this tradition is still

alive in many places in Galicia.