La Festa dei Morti: Exploring Italy's Ancient Halloween Traditions
Although many believe Halloween to be a modern American creation, its deep historical roots are embedded firmly in Europe and particularly in Italy. Halloween’s history stretches back over 2,400 years to the ancient Celts, who celebrated the festival of Samhain on October 31st, marking the end of summer and the commencement of winter, or, the end of light and the beginning of darkness. They believed this period blurred the line between the living and the dead, the thinning of the veil, allowing spirits to return to earth. Thus they ensured that their crops were harvested before Samhain so that mischievous spirits would not damage them when they returned to earth and, to placate them, made offerings of food and animals. These customs laid the foundation for the modern Halloween celebrations we see today, with their focus on the supernatural.
As the Romans expanded their empire, they adopted many of these Celtic traditions, blending them with their own festivals. The Roman Feralia, which honoured the dead, and the festival of Pomona, goddess of fruit, merged with Samhain. After the fall of the Roman Empire, these pagan and Celtic traditions were not abandoned but transformed. Early Christian leaders integrated elements of Samhain into their own festivals, creating a new version of Halloween.
The early Catholic Church recognised the importance of integrating pre-Christian customs into its practices. Rather than abolishing deeply rooted pagan customs, the Church adapted them. Pope Gregory II moved All Saints' Day to November 1st to coincide with the Celtic festival of Samhain, and November 2nd was established as All Souls' Day. This Christianization of the festival allowed the continuation of ancient customs, blending them with Christian rituals. The name "Halloween" comes from "All Hallows' Eve," the night before All Saints' Day, and reflects the religious significance assigned to the event. Over time, these customs evolved into the multifaceted celebration we know today, a blend of ancient Celtic traditions, Roman festivals, and Christian influences.
Italy is home to a rich variety of customs tied to this time of year and in true Italian style Halloween becomes, not only “La Festa dei Morti” in the sense of costumes and trick or treating, but a culinary celebration in every sense of the word and palate! In Italy, the celebrations commemorating the Festa Dei Morti (the Festival of the Dead) revolve around food and wine; music and culture; and spirituality for the remembrance of loved ones all with a profound sense of joy, imparting a message to the little ones that death is not something to be feared but accepted as a necessary part of life and that life itself should be celebrated.
In Abruzzo, children have long carried carved pumpkins, symbolising the dead, as they ask for sweets, money, or fruit, and there is a tradition of leaving tables set for dinner with wine and bread and candles alight for their deceased loved ones. In Puglia, lit pumpkins are placed outside homes to keep away evil spirits, a practice strikingly similar to the Irish Jack O'Lantern tradition and a sweet, called La Colva dei Morti (the grain of the dead), is prepared from cooked wheat, pomegranates, chocolate and more. In Calabria, carved pumpkins with candles inside have been a part of Halloween-like customs for centuries, as well as delicious pastries made from almonds called “Ossa dei Morti” – the bones of the dead. In regions like the Aosta Valley and Puglia, for example, people light bonfires on November 1st, recalling ancient rituals to ward off spirits. Sicilian children receive gifts of sweets, toys, and sugar made puppets, from the deceased between November 1st and 2nd. In Sardinia, the "su mortu mortu" custom involves children knocking on doors to request sweets or offerings, similar to modern Halloween practices.
In modern Italy, Halloween is once again becoming popular, though it is now recognised that many of the traditions have existed for centuries. From lighting bonfires to carving pumpkins and leaving offerings for the dead, Italian customs have mirrored those of ancient Celtic traditions for generations. Whilst some may see Halloween as an American import, it is actually a long-standing European festival that Italy and other cultures have nurtured over the centuries.
The top three towns to visit and celebrate Halloween are:
1. Triora, a village 780 mt above sea level in the province of Imperia in the Italian region of Liguria, with a population of just 416 is not only famous for its Halloween celebrations but for its tragic witch trials that were held there between 1587 and 1589. These led to the accusation and condemnation of many women. The most infamous cases occurred here in Triora where 13 women, suspected of witchcraft, were tried and imprisoned in the "Ca’ de baggiure" (House of Witches). They were sentenced to death, only to be exonerated posthumously. Often, these women were healers or practitioners of folk medicine, accused of performing satanic rituals and demonic sabbaths in the Cabotina area.
2. Corinaldo, a fortified town of approximately 5,000 inhabitants in the Marche just 20km from the beautiful Adriatic Coast, was, according to legend, already settled in the year 411 when the people of Roman Suasa fled to the surrounding mountains from the Barbarian warlord Alaric. Today, Corinaldo comes into full swing each year to celebrate Halloween.
3. Borgo a Mozzano is a town with a population of approximately 7,000 in the province of Lucca, in northern Tuscany, located on the Serchio River. Every year at Halloween, Borgo a Mozzano pulls out all of the stops to celebrate this ancient tradition.
Halloween today, with its costumes, decorations, and community gatherings, preserves a connection to ancient beliefs about the link between the living and the dead. As we celebrate, we continue to honour a history that spans continents and millennia, keeping alive traditions that have shaped Halloween into the rich, global festival it has become. There is never a skull moment in Italy!
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