Pagan Festivals

luna magic

Luna,

the roman Goddess of the Moon was celebrated today in ancient Rome, in her temples situated on Aventine Hill .It was during Luna's festival that the covers were removed from the Mundas- ritual pit...This allowed the spirits of the underworld to roam free.

Oakapple xx

Abbots Bromley Horn Dance 10th September

Tomorrow sees the annual celebration of the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance. Today, one of the oldest dances of our Pagan past....Ancient reindeer antlers are attached to poles and carried through the streets by dancers who simulate fighting between rutting stags. This procession of stags are followed by Robin Hood and Maid Marion,, along with jesters of all sorts and people in medieval costumes riding the good old hobby horses, if you live in Staffordshire, why not pop along!

Love

Oakapple xx

Festival of Fides

Today in ancient Rome the festival of Fides took place. Worshippers gathered high on Capitoline Hill, to honour the Goddess Fides who was the personification of ' Good-Faith , Fidelity and Honour' and was also the patron of trust and all verbal contracts.

She was portrayed as an old woman with white hair......and a ritual sacrifice would have been performed to her with much ceremony and music.

..........................................................................................................

The mind is always prone to believe what it wishes to be true.

- Heliodorus

Feast of Dionysus

Today in ancient Greece the God Dionysus was Honoured and an annual celebration took place to mark the end of the harvest season...

Dionysus was the God of wine and revelry, and it was at this time that the wine left over from the previous season and the freshly brewed wine were mixed together......and sampled.

Dionysus was also the Greek God of Vegetation and Fertility and brought civilization and viticulture to many countries, and was widely worshiped.
:dance::dance:

his rituals were often Wild and ecstatic, with orgiastic dancing......most of his festivals coincided with harvest and Spring fertility rites

Oakapple xx

Crabapple Day

This post is for my wife......Crabapple...and I would like to remind her we still have the horses collar we bought in France......especially for this occasion.....Winner chooses the next game....hehehe :hug:

The third Saturday in October is generally when the ' Crabapple Fair ' is annually held in Egremont. It was first chartered in 1267, and is one of Britains oldest festivals.

There are a number of traditions that this ancient festival is famous for, including;

* Distribution of free crabapples from a lorry that tours the village, although recently common eating apples have replaced the crabapples.

* The thirty foot high ' Greasepole 'is erected at dawn in the town centre.
The idea is for a member of the public to scale the pole and win , half a sheeps carcase....although now a pound coin has replaced the carcase.

* Other morning activities include; Childrens games, A scrimmage for coopers and street races

*In the afternoon there are more games, including wrestling and terrier racing.

* in the evening there is a pipe smoking contest, with the winner being the pipe that stays alite the longest.

* The highlight of the evening, has to be the World Gurning Contest;
This odd and very old competition involves putting one's head through a horses collar, and making the most grotesque face possible. The championship is usually won by an individual who can take out his/her false teeth and curl their lower lip upwards touching their nose.

Oakapple

Ah - have just read the last paragraph and now understand the comment about the horse's collar - was beginning to wonder . . . . . . . . !!

Happy crabapple day for the weekend!

Smiles ' n' Hugs xx

Thanks wispy.........it should be a great weekend....finishing in France, Christmas shopping for Crabbie.......she loves to shop !!!

Oakapple,

Not that I ever replied but have missed your daily posts about Festivals. What a lovely tribute to your wife, a bit of a secret "he, he", which of course is fine! Ha, Ha!!! Happy crabapple day Crabapple!! I did post in another thread that it was a lovely pic!

We have enrolement mass for our son's catholic holy communion on Sunday, hubbie is catholic, I am neither here nor there, being raised by catholic mum and atheist dad. Anyway at school they wanted committee of parents to do a few masses over the next few months till the day in May 08!, of course I said yes. I am doing a sacred space on the altar, although a bit pagan as such, a halloween, celebration of harvest, browns, golds, wheat and lots of crabapples which I have got for free!!, maybe the children can take one each home.

Will be busy making and doing the weekend.

Hope Oakapple and Crabapple, you enjoy yours,

Love & blessings,

Rachel

Hi enchantedhands,

Hope your son's holy communion goes well and that your weekend is a good one. We are off to Cornwall for a few days tomorrow, love that part of the country!

I don't do the daily posts any more, as it takes too long to type...I am a one fingered dude!! Will be popping in from time to time though, for special festies!!

[DLMURL] http://www.england-in-particular.info/gazetteer/gz-index.html [/DLMURL]

Love

Oakapple xx

Oakapple,

Do let us know the special ones, I find it so interesting and think its great when I am at work on a mundane day and know that somewhere people are celebrating some festivity.

My son's communion is actually in May but they have enrolement mass this Sunday and then 5 more masses that a committee of parents will organise. I will be busy tomorrow setting up the sacred space, though just found out tonight that I have no glue!! Off to shops in the morn.

Hope you and Crabapple enjoy your break in Cornwall, must admit don't know what it is like there as I have just been mainly in London (met hubbie there and we were back and forth)!! though probably not the right thread to say this on but my Irish mum met my english dad (who has now passed on), just down the road from where I met hubbie - like to think there was a helping hand there!!

Gosh, a bit of a waffler I am.

Love & blessings,

Rachel

Allen Apple Day

Today in Cornwall, locals celebrated ' Allen Apple Day '. This day was reserved for telling fortunes and divining ones true love.

In the past, the unmarried men and women of the village would pick an Allen apple. The apple would be placed under the pillow before bedtime. Before dawn, the next morning the apple was taken from under the pillow and eaten. The young person would then go outside and stand beneath a tree....It was believed, the first person to pass him or her by, would be his or her future spouse

These old customs still survive in some parts of the UK, and as we have just visited Cornwall I thought I would share.

Oakapple xx

Feast of St Edmund

Today is Saint Edmund's Day......recognised by the Catholic church as a martyr, and was heralded as a divine victim.... He was killed by the Viking invaders for not bowing to their demands.

Edmund was king of the East Angles in 855 and was a model king. In 869 he was captured by the Viking, Ingvarr the Bonless, and would only spare his life if he vowed to share his throne with the invaders. He refused, and was tied to a tree and used for target practice by the Danish archers, he was then beheaded.

Following this ritualistic death, his head was thrown into a thicket and when his followers stumbled upon it they found a grey wolf guarding it. His tomb, which is in the holy city of Bury Saint Edmunds, has been the site of many miracles, and it was upon his bones that the barons swore their oath that led to the Magna Carter, the beginning of human rights in England.

Festival of Ydalir

For those who follow the Nordic traditions, this day is Ydalir.....meaning Valley of the Yews, it falls under the leadership of Ull.....the Norse God of Wintertime.

His name means....Brilliant One, and is the patron of skiing, archery and hunting....he was invoked before any skirmish. He is the son of Earth Mother..Sif......Father unknown.

Ull is associated with Aurora Borealis..( Northern Lights ) and with the Oath Ring;...( Torque ) All vows on the Oath Ring were sworn to Ull.

Although very little is recorded about Ull in myth and legend. His cult had a large following in Scandinavian countries.

Here is a link with more information:

Saturnalia 17-23 December

Today marks the beginning of the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia....It was the most loved of all Roman festivals...

This festival grew out of the dedication-day of a temple to Saturnalia,the God of seed and sowing.....It was equated with the Greek Kronos, father of Zeus, and supreme God during the age of the Golden Race.

It was believed that Saturn was the King of Italy, during the time of equality and abundance.

Festivities began with a sacrifice at the temple of Saturn....Which was followed by a great public banquet.......during these festivities, all shops and schools were closed, and gambling , which was usually prohibited.....was allowed.

Each household chose a mock king to reign over the festivities.....masters
waited on their slaves....and presents were handed out to the entire household......many of the Roman traditions were later absorbed into the Christian...Christmas celebrations....that falls on tht 25th December

Festival of Epona

Today,In ancient times this day marked the festival of Epona...She was a Celtic Horse Goddess, and her image can still be seen, carved into the chalk downs at Uffington....

Her worship was most popular in eastern Gaul and on the German frontier. She was so popular that she the only Celtic Deity to be honored by Rome......She is also associated with the Triple Mother Goddess.

Wedding day summer solstice

Dear Pagan friends

It has long been by wish that when and if I ever got married, I would want to be outside, in bare feet, amongst the elements, amongst the trees. I am interested in the Pagan circles of the seasons, and feel a great affinity with nature. I've welcomed a few sunrises, :nature-smiley-008:and thrown things in the fire, but I don't have a great wealth of knowldege and experience about these things.

My query is this... I am getting married next year. I tried to choose the date nearest to midsummer and the solstice. Sat 21st was already booked up for the legal bit, so we chose Fri 20th instead. I've looked up loads of websites since, and Fri 20th seems to be the longest day next year... hurray!

But what morning should we be on outside on Dartmoor to welcome the sun and hold our DIY blessing ceremony? Is correct practice to celebrate the morning of the longest day, i.e. dawn on Friday 20th? Or the dawn after the longest day, i.e Sat 21st? I'm getting a bit confused. I understand that the winter solstice is celebrated the morning after the shortest day, to welcome the return of the sun, but still haven't been able to figure out exactly how that should correspond in the summer. Durrr. :032:

My partner says that I really shouldnt worry about which morning we choose, but I'm a sucker for specifics. Some clarification from someone who knows would be greatly appreciated!

Also, whilst I'm here, if anyone else here has created their own pagan-influenced wedding ceremony/handfasting, or been to one, and has anything to share, would be lovely to hear about it. We're researching ours at the moment, and looking to have no official celebrant, but run the ceremony between ourselves and our friends, including a handfasting, blessings from the elements and snippets from other nature-based faiths. We're using a couple of resource books and the net, but it would be fabulous to have some first-hand insights and experiences too

with love and reiki hugs

Claire x

St Faiths Eve

Today ....in history St Faiths Eve was dedicated to unmarried women who would engage in divination to learn the name of their future husband

The well of St Keyne

The Well of St. Keyne.....8th October

Information
This tune is from The Songs of England (see citation below). It is listed there as A Well There is in the West Country, a Cornish Air. The poem The Well of St. Keyne was written by Robert Southey (1774-1843) and appeared on December 3, 1798 in the London Morning Post. The poem retells the legend of the Well of St. Keyne, which is located in Cornwall.
St. Keyne was the daughter of King Broccan. She is reputed to have lived in the sixth century and died a virgin. Her feast day is October 8.
Robert Southey was Poet Laureate from 1813-1843. He was born in Bristol, the son of a linen draper. An Uncle sent him to Westminster, but he was expelled in 1792 for protesting the practice of flogging. Southey works include, Joan of Arc, The Battle of Blenheim, Wat Tyler and A Vision of Judgement (commemorating the death of George III).

Lyrics -The song of the well of Keyne

A well there is in the West country,
And a clearer ne'er was seen a,
There's not a wife in the West country
But has heard of the well of St. Keyne a;
An oak and an elm tree stand beside,
And behind does an ash tree grow a,
And a willow from the banks above,
To the water droops below a.

You drank of the well, I warrant, betimes,
To the countryman he said a;
But the rustic sigh'd as the stranger spake,
And sadly shook his head a;
I hasten'd here, when the wedding was done,
And left my wife in the porch a,
But truly she had been wiser than me,
For she took a bottle to the church a.

festival of lights.....

On this day in Brazil begins the festival of lights with each village or town celebating in their own unique way. The festival usually begins with a parade of penance.

This is followed by the lighting of torches, candles fires and oillamps to drive away all evil spirits of the darkness that bring confusion and bad luck.

Candle Spell....

items needed;
One dark blue candle; patchouli oil; pine incense; salt and water.

Anoint the candle with the patchouli oil as you chant:

Candle of protection power and might,
Protect me from evil with your pure light.

Light the candle and incense. Anoint your forehead with the patchouli oil. Sprinkle some of the salt and water around the candle. Visulise all negative thoughts and vibrations fading away as you chant:

Let all the elements now combine,
To protect my heart and my mind.
Let darkness and evil now fade away,
So that only good shall come my way.

Leave the candle to completely burn out.

Always make sure the candle is placed in a stable and well protected vessel.

fetival of Fortuna Redux

Today in anciet Rome, citizens celebrated the dedication of Fortuna Redux.

She was the Goddess of destiny. People belives she steered their loved ones home from campaigns of war held in distant lands.

Samhain; 31 October

Today marks the beginning of the old Celtic new year. This is also known as Allhallows Eve or more commonly as Halloween.

Samhain is an old Celtic word meaning summers end and the origins of this festival lie far back in pagan times when the passage of the dead was greatly revered.

During the Samhain festival huge bonfires were constructed from all the rubbish in the village and lit for a week to mark the death of summer and the birth of winter. Since Samhain was the night of death it was traditionally the time for people to remember those who had died during the year.

Samhain was also known as ' The Festival of the Dead ' and people gave thanks to their dearly departed who they believed still helped them from the spirit world.

The bonfires of Samhain had a duel purpose. They, not only marked the end of summer but also lit the way for the dead as they journeyed to higher realms.

As a mark of respect, people would build altars and pile them high with apples as offerings of thanks. Apples were considered the fruits of immortality, they were often buried on Samhain so that those souls returning to the mortal world in the spring would have enough food during the cold months. Because of this custom Samhain is also known as ' The Festival of Apples '.

Thanks Oakey, 🙂

A lovely reminder what this cycle of the year is all about, and a great link there too.

All Saints/All Hallows Day

All Saints/All Hallows Day begins as the sun sets the evening before on Samhain, the festival of the dead.

It was made into a celebration of all the known saints and martyrs of the Catholic church in the seventeenth century. Originally, it was celebrated on May 13th, but was shifted to this date in the eighth century to coincide with the pagan festival of the dead.

This is the time of intercession for the dead souls that have not been purified and ascended to heaven. Family members and relatives send prayers for their loved ones in the hope of helping them. Mumming, bonfires, the decoration of graves and fortune telling games are associated with this celebration.