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Do witches exist? - According to science and history, there's no such thing as a witch. Those hapless souls accused of witchcraft and who ended up being burned at the stake had no ties whatsoever to Paganism, dark practices, or heresy. In fact, the only thing these witches, warlocks, and heretics were guilty of was that they weren't Protestant or Catholic.

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Persecutions - Witch hysteria took off in the mid-1400s and continued until the beginning of the 18th century. Many innocent people were burned at the stake just for looking different or behaving oddly. The checklist for a suspected witch included innocuous things like having a wart, a hairy lip, a squint, or a birthmark.

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Burned at the stake -

Those unfortunate enough to possess the so-called characteristics of a witch were instantly condemned to a fiery and painful end, usually in full public view. It is estimated that 40,000 to 50,000 people were killed like this during this period in history.

However, some historians suggest this figure could be as high as 200,000 as many of the accused were torched away from the public arena.

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Trials -

The first collective trial of people accused of witchcraft took place in 1428 in the Swiss city of Valais.

Witch hunts were carried out enthusiastically and one of the most infamous prosecutions was the Salem Witch Trials that took place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. Around 150 people were rounded up after being accused of witchcraft by two ill girls. Eventually, 18 townsfolk were put to death.

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Finished off in Poland - The last recorded execution of a so-called witch took place in Poland in 1793. However, in some cultures around the world, witchcraft and the cult of the witch is still very much part of daily life.

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Anti-witch literature -

The Malleus Maleficarum, usually translated as Hammer of Witches, is the best-known and most important treatise on witchcraft. It was published in 1487.

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Bestseller - This book was written by the Catholic clergyman Heinrich Kramer and theologian Jacob Sprenger. A bestseller, the book was read enthusiastically by Catholics and Protestants alike.

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Sick and evil - According to the authors, witches would kidnap children, dismember them, and participate in ritual cannibalism.

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Putting a spell on you - The text also noted that witches had the power to turn people into snakes or frogs, summon the devil, and cast spells or summon plagues with just one glance.

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Superstition - The supernatural power of a witches' curse was taken so seriously that black cats were regularly killed in the belief that they were witches in disguise.

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Fitting the profile - Witches were commonly identified as poor peasant women who lived alone and scraped a meager living by selling simple wares and homemade remedies by the side of the road.

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Witches brew -

Despite their reputation, some "witches" managed to garner a modicum of respect within their communities- They concocted and sold herbal medicines and potions to the local population as remedies against sickness, disease, and the evil eye.

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Wise women - Incredibly, other "witches" made a living as therapists or midwives and were considered wise women in some communities.

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Medicinal plants -

It has since been proven that many of the herbs used by so-called witches do in fact have medicinal properties. Sage, for example, helps relieve colic and regulates proper digestion, among other health benefits.

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Marks of the devil -

Contrary to popular belief, widespread torture never took place during the Inquisition. However, those accused of heresy were spared no mercy and were cruelly tormented into confessing acts of witchcraft.

The inquisitors would first strip those accused of witchcraft to look for any moles, warts, or birthmarks that would surely indicate an association with devil worship and black magic.

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Celtic origins -

The Day of the Witches, otherwise known as Halloween, has its origins in ancient Celtic pagan celebrations. The date coincides with the beginning of Samhain, a festival that marked the beginning of winter or the "darker half" of the year. The occasion was also associated with the dead.

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Halloween - Halloween is celebrated in several countries, primarily the United States, the UK, Ireland, and Canada.

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The world's heaviest pumpkin - Pumpkins are traditionally associated with Halloween. Currently, the world's heaviest pumpkin tips the scales at a whopping 2,702 lb (1,226 kg) and was grown in Chianti, Italy.

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Good witches -

While the traditional image of the witch is that of a warty, hook-nosed old crone with a pointy hat riding a broomstick, there are other witches that practice white magic, are possessed of healing powers, and are considered do-gooders.

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Guilty -

People could be convicted of witchcraft on the flimsiest of evidence. For example, if an individual ended up in another person's dream, that was enough to accuse them of trying to steal the mind of the sleeper. 

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Origins of the word 'Witch' -

Of uncertain origin, the closest word to witch is the old English wicce, which means "female magician, or sorceress".

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Witches exist -

In 1484, Pope Innocent VIII issued a papal bull entitled 'Summis desiderantes affectibus', where he acknowledged the presence of witches throughout the world.

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Halloween in Ireland - Halloween in Ireland has been celebrated for centuries and first originated from the festival of Samhain, which dates back over 2,000 years.

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Trick or Treat? -

Second only to Christmas as the biggest revenue-generating holiday in the USA, Halloween for the Americans is big business with huge amounts of money being spent on masks, candy, costumes, and parties every year.

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The witching hour -

According to tradition, the way to encounter a witch on Halloween is to wear similar robes upside down and then walk backward. Carry out this ritual at midnight and you'll meet a witch.

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"The Maid of Orléans" -

The most famous innocent "witch" was French heroine and Roman Catholic saint, Joan of Arc (1412 - 1431). Branded a witch, liar, and blasphemer, she was burned at the stake aged just 19 in a public square. Twenty-five years later, in 1456, she was declared innocent by Pope Callixtus III.

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Witches and Warlocks -

Although a "witch" is primarily associated with a woman, men too have been branded as witches, or rather as "warlocks".

Sources: (Britannica) (Mental Floss) (History)

See also: Why is witchcraft on the rise?

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