Daily Trivia

Ghosts of empires past

Frankfurt, Germany, provides a fitting backdrop for Halloween with St. Bartholomew's Cathedral and its striking Gothic tower. Yet the holiday's origins are even more intriguing. Many Halloween traditions are linked to Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the start of winter. People believed the boundary between the living and the dead grew thin, prompting bonfires, offerings and disguises to ward off wandering spirits. Later, the Christian observances of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day helped shape Halloween as we know it today. St. Bartholomew's may set the scene, but Halloween brings the ghosts, legends and mystery.