Hallowed Eve - The Raven

Welcome Hallowe'en! At this time Irish Celts celebrated Samhain, the end of summer and ushering in of the dark days. It is said that the veil between Earth and the spirit realm is thin during Samhain, permitting spirits to travel with ease between the two. As the Irish were converted to Catholicism, Pope Gregory designated November 1 as All Saints Day to thwart the observance of Samhain. I learned in Catholic School that Hallowe'en is derived from All Hallowed Eve, the day before the Christian holy day of saints. Pope Gregory realigned all of the Christian holy days with the pagan festivals in his quest to stamp them out, but fortunately many of the ancient rituals have carried forward in a lighthearted manner for us to enjoy. The base of this grid is the Celtic Triple Crescent Moon . In the Wiccan belief, the three moons represent the stages of womanhood: maiden, mother and crone. From the Celtic point of view, the three moons represent the Fates: birth, life and death...