![]() ![]() That particular time of day and time of year must have been sacred to our ancestors, for them to go to such trouble to mark it, over 5000 years ago. The most famous of these is Brú Na Bóinne, or Newgrange, where the rising sun of the Winter Solstice enters a carefully positioned window box and penetrates a long passage to light up the chamber in the heart of the tomb. These celebrations certainly included observing astronomical phenomena such as the Solstices and Equinoxes, and celebrating the seasons with community fire festivals.įor example, in Ireland, we have many megalithic monuments which are specifically aligned to allow sunlight or moonlight to interact with the stones, passages and chambers only at certain times of the year. Some of these events were specific to each culture, while others were common among several cultures. These are known collectively as the Wheel of the Year, because each festival marks a different season of the year.Īncient Polytheist people observed different festivals at various times throughout the year. ![]() Crossing these two halves, the Spring Equinox and the Autumn Equinox are when night and day are equal.Īlmost all paths of Modern Paganism celebrate a cyclical pattern of eight holidays spread out over the course of a year. Then during the Summer Solstice at the other half of the year, the days are longest and lightest but begin to shorten and turn again towards the darkness. ![]() The days begin getting longer and daylight hours increase. This day marks the beginning of the light half of the year, though it doesn’t feel like it at the time. Though different traditions view the cycles in their own way, in the Northern Hemisphere the Wheel may begin on the Winter Solstice, marking the start of winter. What’s more, the Wheel of the Year can be adapted for use by anyone interested in learning about the natural world around them. These Pagan festivals are often observed by Wiccans, Druids, Heathens, Celtic Pagans, and others who practice polytheism. The ‘Wheel of the Year’ is a Pagan calendar based on the movement of the sun around the earth, and our agricultural cycles. Here, we will look at Pagan festivals in general, both historic and modern, and then Irish Pagan Festivals in particular, with respect to the native traditions that we work with at the Irish Pagan School. Some of these festivities were religious in nature, while others were secular. These celebrations included feasts, music, dance, art, poetry, storytelling, and other forms of entertainment. Through the ages, Pagans have celebrated our holidays (holy days) through rituals and ceremonies. What are the Pagan festivals, and where did they originate? How do contemporary Pagans celebrate their holidays today? ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |