Seasons of the Witch – Legends and Lore, Ancient Holidays And Some Not So Ancient!

Remember The Ancient Ways and Keep Them Holy!

 

Ancient Egyptian: Ma’at unites as one with all the Netjeru of the heavens Ancient Rome: The Ides of June and climax of Vestalia. Ma’at is the Goddess of truth, justice and the order of the universe. Her symbol is the feather. She sits in the underworld, judging the souls that pass through.

Celebration of the Muses: Calliope – song, Clio – history, Euterpe – lyric song, Thalia – comedy, Melpomene – tradedy, Terpsichore – dance, Erto – erotic poetry, Polyhymnia – sacred hymns, and Urania – astronomy. Select your favorite(s) and dedicate your day to Her.

On this date in the year 1648, Margaret Jones of Charlestown, Massachusetts, was executed in Boston for practicing Witchcraft and magickal healing. This was the first pre-Salem Witch execution to be officially recorded in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Trinity Sunday – The Sunday after Pentecost is set aside by Catholics for honoring the doctrine of the Trinity, the three deities in one: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Urlin comments wryly that “perhaps the identification of this day with a dogma, rather than an event, or a personage, has tended to discourage the growth of folk-lore around it. At any rate, there is a certain dearth of Trinity Sunday customs recorded by English writers.”

In Russia, this is the day when people got out and collect birch branches and picnic outside. The same is true in Yugoslavia. The floors of the churches are covered with grass and flowers. People weave wreathes during the morning services, then take them home to hang as symbols of blessing beneath icons or above doors.

There is a folk belief in Lorraine, France, that on Trinity Sunday you can see three suns rise. Pansies are the flowers used to decorate for this holy day in Saxony, where they are called Trinity flowers, perhaps because they bloom at this time or because of their tripartite structure. Spicer, Dorothy Gladys, The Book of Festivals, The Woman’s Press 1937
Urlin, E, Festivals, Holy Days and Saints Days

End of Vestalia – In ancient Rome, this day marked the end of the week of festivities devoted to Vesta (see June 7). Her temple was cleaned, the refuse thrown into the Tiber, the penus (or inner storehouse) was closed up and the Vestals went back to their regular duties. This marked the first day (in over six weeks) considered propitious for marrying.
Blackburn, Bonnie and Leofranc, Holford-Strevens, The Oxford Book of Days, Oxford University Press, 2000

St. Vitus – St Vitus is one of those obscure fourth century martyrs. The story goes that his father, angry because his son had been converted to Christianity by his nurse and her husband, turned him over to the authorities. Angels danced for him while he was in prison, thus he is the patron of dancers, actors, mummers and those inflicted with fit-producing diseases like epilepsy and chorea (also known as “St Vitus’ Dance). He is also the patron saint of Bohemia and he helps those who have difficulty rising early. His emblem is a cock or a dog.

If St Vitus’ day be rainy weather
It will rain for thirty days together
Blackburn, Bonnie and Leofranc, Holford-Strevens, The Oxford Book of Days, Oxford University Press, 2000

 

 

Courtesy of GrannyMoonsMorningFeast