According to Christian beliefs, Halloween falls the evening before which holiday?

The key to understanding the connection lies within the name "Halloween" itself. The word is a contraction of "All Hallows' Eve," which simply means the evening before All Hallows' Day. In older English, a "hallow" was a holy person or saint, making All Hallows' Day the day dedicated to honoring all saints. This solemn Christian feast is observed on November 1st and is more commonly known today as All Saints' Day.

This places the modern, secular celebration of Halloween in its original religious context. It is the first day of a three-day Christian observance known as Allhallowtide. This period begins with All Hallows' Eve (October 31st), continues with All Saints' Day (November 1st), and concludes with All Souls' Day (November 2nd), a day dedicated to praying for the souls of the faithful who have passed away.

Many of the familiar traditions we associate with Halloween, such as costumes and a focus on spirits, have roots in older pagan festivals like the Celtic Samhain. This ancient festival marked the end of the harvest and was a time when the boundary between the living and the dead was believed to be thin. Over centuries, these folk customs merged with the Christian vigil of All Hallows' Eve, eventually evolving into the unique holiday we celebrate today.