Hallow

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Look up Hallow in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Hallow is a word usually used as a verb, meaning "to make holy or sacred, to sanctify or consecrate, to venerate".[1] The adjective form hallowed, as used in The Lord's Prayer, means holy, consecrated, sacred, or revered.[2] Additional definition and language derivation information on the word "hallow" is available at the corresponding entry in the Wiktionary.

In modern English usage, the word Hallow appears as a noun in Halloween and Hallowmas. Halloween (or Hallowe'en) is a shortened form of All Hallow Even, meaning "All Hallows' Eve" or "All Saints' Eve".[3] Hallowmas, the day after Halloween, is shortened from Hallows' mass, and is also known as "All Hallows' Day" or "All Saints' Day".[4]

Hallows can refer to saints, the relics (including remains) of the saints, the relics of gods, or shrines in which relics are kept.[5][6] Since the essence of these saints or gods were often considered present at their shrines and in their relics, hallows came to refer to the saints or gods themselves, rather than just their relics or shrines. Because of these various usage possibilities, the hallowed (sacred) hallows (relics) of a hallowed (holy) hallow (saint) might be stored in a hallowed (consecrated) hallow (shrine).

[edit] Legendary Hallows

The word "hallows" has been used in legends to represent important and powerful objects.[7] The Tuatha de Danaan in Ireland possessed six hallows: Manannan’s house, Goibniu’s shirt and tools, Lochlan’s helmet, Alba’s shears, a fishskin belt and Asal’s pig bones. These were guarded by the four Guardians of the Hallows: Manannan the god of the sea, Lugh, Cumhal and Fionn. As the legend evolved through the centuries, these hallows became the Four Treasures or Hallows of Ireland: the Spear of Lugh, Stone of Fal, the Sword of Light of Nuada, and The Dagda's Cauldron. These were adapted to become the four suits in the Rider-Waite Tarot cards deck (swords, batons, coins and cups), and also took on the representation of the four classical elements of earth, air, fire and water.[8]

Coronation ceremonies for monarchs still invokes four ritual objects, now represented as the sceptre, sword, ampulla of oil, and crown. Similar objects also appear in Arthurian legends, where the Fisher King is the guardian of four hallows representing the four elements: a dish (earth), Arthur's sword Excalibur (air), the Holy Lance or spear, baton, or a magic wand (fire), and the Holy Grail (water).[5] Earlier Arthurian legends also refer to a set of thirteen hallowed treasures of Britain.

[edit] Hallows in Literature

In J. R. R. Tolkien's tale The Lord of the Rings, the kings and stewards of Gondor were laid to rest in tombs in "the Hallows" of Rath Dínen (the Silent Street) in the city of Minas Tirith as described in The Return of the King.[9]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final book in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, due for release in July 2007. Rowling has declined to state what "Deathly Hallows" means, saying it "would give away too much of the story".[10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Dictionary.com. Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. (2007-01-15). Retrieved on 2007-01-23.
  2. ^ Webster's Collegiate Dictionary entry for hallowed
  3. ^ Webster's Collegiate Dictionary entry for Halloween
  4. ^ Webster's Collegiate Dictionary entry for Hallowmas
  5. ^ a b The Fisher King. University of Idaho (April 1999). Retrieved on 2007-01-23.
  6. ^ Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 
  7. ^ Arthurian A-ZZ. Mystical WWW. Retrieved on 2007-02-16.
  8. ^ THE FOUR BASIC TOOLS. Rhuddlwm Gawr (1998). Retrieved on 2007-01-29.
  9. ^ J. R. R. Tolkien, Return of the King, Book V ch. 4, 7, and 8, and Book VI ch. 5 and 6; Allen & Unwin, Houghton Mifflin, and Random House's Del Rey Books and Ballantine Books editions.
  10. ^ Official web site - www.jkrowling.com - in response to a frequently asked question
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