Guy Fawkes Day is known in South Africa as the day when people cross-dress for fun, but it actually originates from a European plan to bring down the Roman Catholic religion, an act of rebellion.

According to English Heritage, it all began in 1605, when 36 barrels of gunpowder were found beneath the Palace of Westminster in a storeroom, guards found a man with the fake name of John Johnson with fuses in his pockets and immediately arrested him.

The man was later named to be Guy Fawkes who had plotted to burn down and kill King James I and many of his leading nobles hoping to cause a Catholic uprising by blowing up the Houses of Parliament and everyone in it.

However, more than 400 years later, some people still celebrate it throughout the world in countries such as England, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and South Africa, without knowing what it actually means.

In the 1600s, the Catholic religion was extremely strict with its practices. Nobody was allowed to question their teachings, translate the Latin Bible to English, or get divorced without the Pope agreeing to it, leading to dissent.

Catholics believed the pope was Christ’s ultimate representative on earth, and should not go against his saying. But a rebellion started and history was made when Guy Fawkes planted the gunpowder, he was unfortunately hanged and broke his neck – killing him instantly.

The tradition started out as bonfires and fireworks and children would wear Guy Fawkes masks, carrying around a doll that looked similar to him, begging for ‘a penny for the guy’.

Modern-day traditions have taken over, as people are now more likely to celebrate Halloween on the 31st of October, and in many Western countries, some believe it’s disrespectful to celebrate something that can be seen as mocking the LGBTQI+ community.

OFM News/Casey-Lee Anthony