Holidays
|
|
Christian
|
Wiccan
|
| All Saints Day | Samhain |
| Christmas | Yule |
| Candlemas | Imbolc |
| Easter | Ostara |
| Annunciation | Beltane |
| St. John's Birth | Lithia |
| Lammas | Lammas |
| No corresponding holiday | Mabon |
Each Wiccan holiday, save one, has a corresponding Christian holiday. I am not going to debate if this was done intentionally to Christianize the Pagans. It is was it is, they are celebrated by both and therefore allow for great celebration among Wiccans who have adopted the Christian Trinity.
My personal belief is that within the Christian Trinity the Holy Spirit is female. This is the subject of an entirely different post that still needs to be written but that is my belief. Others adopt Mary, Mother of Jesus, or Mary Magdalene as Goddess. There are many that can be Goddess. However, whoever Goddess is she has these traits:
The Wheel of the Year turns as follows:
Samhain (Oct 31 at sunset through Nov 1 at sunset) -
The God has withdrawn to the Heavens and become the protector of the Goddess as She sleeps waiting to give birth to His child. Her sadness at the separation from Him and her Son drives Her to slumber as the Crone. The God's child steadily grows within Her, waiting to return to Earth. The last of the crops are gathered in as part of the final harvest festival. Our ancestors are honored as angels and agents of God, protecting and helping us from afar as God does the Goddess.
Yule (Dec 24 at sunset through Dec 25 at sunset*) -
The God's Son is born! With His arrival He brings His Father's light back to the Earth. The Goddess begins to awaken and care for Her newborn Child. The God continues to protect both Mother and Child from above while His plan unfolds on Earth. On Earth, Mother Mary is consumed with the Holy Spirit who gives her the wisdom to raise and teach Her Child.
*The date on Yule is difficult to place. Three dates could easily be used: the day of the Winter Solstice, the Catholic day (above), or the Orthodox day which is generally January 7 or 8. Whatever fits your walk the best is the best one to use.
Imbolc (Feb 1 at sunset through Feb 2 at sunset) -
The winter has ended! The Child of God continues to grow under the guidance of His Mother and protection of His Father. His light is starting to shine on the World. The Goddess starts to let Him make His own way into the World to start His teachings in the tradition of His Father. As the first fertility holiday, the Goddess moves toward Maiden as She prepares to become the Bride of the God again as Her Son finds His way without Her on His path as laid out by His Father.
Ostara (as set by the Church for Easter, sunset the night prior through the day's sunset) -
The light and darkness is equal at this time. On Earth the light is proven equal to the darkness as The Child of God is crucified. However, spiritual light overcomes darkness as Jesus conquers the world of the dead and rises, eventually taken to Heaven. Here He awaits the union of the God and Goddess. The God comforts the Goddess through Her sadness. Her tears fall to the Earth as rain. They are bittersweet tears, for She knows that all humans must die but the conquering of the darkness gives Her hope. New life starts to come from the Earth as it celebrates light overcoming darkness. As the second fertility holiday, the God returns to the Goddess to comfort and court Her again, to show His love and tenderness for the world.
Beltane (Apr 30 at sunset through May 1 at sunset) -
The God and Goddess once again are united! This is the third fertility holiday, celebrating the union of the God and Goddess in love. The Baby is conceived during this time. The Earth starts to produce more as the warmth of the love of the God and Goddess is evident.
Lithia (the eve before the Summer Solstice through the day's sunset) -
The Sun is at the peak of its power. The God continues to be with his Bride and the earth remains fertile. The fires originally lit on Beltane are lit once again to celebrate the light of God.
Lammas (July 30 at sunset through August 1 at sunset) -
Lammas is the first of the harvest festivals. The grain is gathered in and loaves of bread are made and shared in celebration. The God is needing to return to His place in the Heavens while the Goddess remains near the Earth to guide mankind as She may. He spends more time away from Her and His light is felt less on the earth, but as a protector He always remains.
Mabon (the eve before the Autumn Equinox through the day's sunset) -
This is the second of the harvest festivals, celebrating the vine harvest and wine. God's presence is apparent on the Earth but weaker as He moves more toward being the protector above. The Goddess, though sad, is comforted by the growing Child within Her, knowing the special role He will play in Her calling. She continues in Her role as the Holy Spirit, guiding and teaching those on earth who wish to follow God's will. She is the Great Mother who perseveres in guiding man to God as She moves toward becoming the Crone.
- She is the maiden, mother, and crone
- She is love and fertility
- She is wisdom, teaching, and justice
- He is knowledge and power
- He is judgement
- He is protection and comfort
The Wheel of the Year turns as follows:
Samhain (Oct 31 at sunset through Nov 1 at sunset) -
The God has withdrawn to the Heavens and become the protector of the Goddess as She sleeps waiting to give birth to His child. Her sadness at the separation from Him and her Son drives Her to slumber as the Crone. The God's child steadily grows within Her, waiting to return to Earth. The last of the crops are gathered in as part of the final harvest festival. Our ancestors are honored as angels and agents of God, protecting and helping us from afar as God does the Goddess.
Yule (Dec 24 at sunset through Dec 25 at sunset*) -
The God's Son is born! With His arrival He brings His Father's light back to the Earth. The Goddess begins to awaken and care for Her newborn Child. The God continues to protect both Mother and Child from above while His plan unfolds on Earth. On Earth, Mother Mary is consumed with the Holy Spirit who gives her the wisdom to raise and teach Her Child.
*The date on Yule is difficult to place. Three dates could easily be used: the day of the Winter Solstice, the Catholic day (above), or the Orthodox day which is generally January 7 or 8. Whatever fits your walk the best is the best one to use.
Imbolc (Feb 1 at sunset through Feb 2 at sunset) -
The winter has ended! The Child of God continues to grow under the guidance of His Mother and protection of His Father. His light is starting to shine on the World. The Goddess starts to let Him make His own way into the World to start His teachings in the tradition of His Father. As the first fertility holiday, the Goddess moves toward Maiden as She prepares to become the Bride of the God again as Her Son finds His way without Her on His path as laid out by His Father.
Ostara (as set by the Church for Easter, sunset the night prior through the day's sunset) -
The light and darkness is equal at this time. On Earth the light is proven equal to the darkness as The Child of God is crucified. However, spiritual light overcomes darkness as Jesus conquers the world of the dead and rises, eventually taken to Heaven. Here He awaits the union of the God and Goddess. The God comforts the Goddess through Her sadness. Her tears fall to the Earth as rain. They are bittersweet tears, for She knows that all humans must die but the conquering of the darkness gives Her hope. New life starts to come from the Earth as it celebrates light overcoming darkness. As the second fertility holiday, the God returns to the Goddess to comfort and court Her again, to show His love and tenderness for the world.
Beltane (Apr 30 at sunset through May 1 at sunset) -
The God and Goddess once again are united! This is the third fertility holiday, celebrating the union of the God and Goddess in love. The Baby is conceived during this time. The Earth starts to produce more as the warmth of the love of the God and Goddess is evident.
Lithia (the eve before the Summer Solstice through the day's sunset) -
The Sun is at the peak of its power. The God continues to be with his Bride and the earth remains fertile. The fires originally lit on Beltane are lit once again to celebrate the light of God.
Lammas (July 30 at sunset through August 1 at sunset) -
Lammas is the first of the harvest festivals. The grain is gathered in and loaves of bread are made and shared in celebration. The God is needing to return to His place in the Heavens while the Goddess remains near the Earth to guide mankind as She may. He spends more time away from Her and His light is felt less on the earth, but as a protector He always remains.
Mabon (the eve before the Autumn Equinox through the day's sunset) -
This is the second of the harvest festivals, celebrating the vine harvest and wine. God's presence is apparent on the Earth but weaker as He moves more toward being the protector above. The Goddess, though sad, is comforted by the growing Child within Her, knowing the special role He will play in Her calling. She continues in Her role as the Holy Spirit, guiding and teaching those on earth who wish to follow God's will. She is the Great Mother who perseveres in guiding man to God as She moves toward becoming the Crone.
Yule IS the winter solstice. The point when night is longest. It is placed on that day because it is when we rejoice that after this night light will be returning to the world, and with it warmth. Which comes from the birth of the Sun God. Christmas does not fall on the same day, but it was created to once again adopt pagan fesivals into christianity to aid in the conversion of Pagans.
ReplyDeleteLitha IS the day of the Summer Solstice because it is the celebration of the power of the Sun, the when daylight is at its peak and night is shortest.
You are correct from a traditional Wiccan view. However, a lot of people who walk the path of the Christian Wiccan want to celebrate it on the date of Christmas which is fine in my opinion. Personally in our household the Christmas season starts at the Solstice and continues through the 12th day of Christmas with various little happenings in that time.
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