Tag: Book of Hours

Calendar of the Sun for April 1

Calendar of the Sun
1 Eostremonath

Veneralia: Day of Venus

Color: Sea green, golden, and pink
Element: Water
Altar: Upon cloth of sea green, golden and pink, set many shells, flowers, beautiful ornaments, pink candles, hearts, doves, incense of rose and violets, and a great chalice of white wine.
Offerings: Hearts and flowers. Giving a gift of love to someone.
Daily Meal: Seafood. Angel hair pasta. Sweet breads, cakes, and desserts.

Invocation to Venus

Hail, Lady of the Morning Star!
You who rose form the sea foam,
Born of the impersonal severed phallus of the sky
Immersed in the impersonal womb of the sea,
You who rode to shore on a shell of pearl
And whose powers no one can resist
Save the virgin goddesses,
You who bring the glow of gold
Into the lives of all whom you touch,
Lady, we revere you as the avatar
Of the love between equals
Who look each other in the eye,
The attraction and pursuit
Between every particle in the universe.
Hail, Lady of the Evening Star!
You who rule the night
With its darker passions,
You who tempt the wistful heart,
You whose hands reach out
To all the world and more,
Lady, we revere you as a force of nature
Far greater than merely the human heart,
For you are the force that binds together
All that dances with another of its kind
In the endless dance of creation.

(The wine is passed around, and poured as a libation to Venus. Each takes a flower and wears it until Hesperis, in honor of Venus.)

Chant: Venus Veritas Amor Amor

[Pagan Book of Hours]

Calendar of the Moon for March 26th

Calendar of the Moon
26 Fearn/Elaphebolion

Day of Prometheus

Colors: Blue and red
Element: Air
Altar: Upon cloth of blue place a great torch, a large and ugly stone with a chain laid over it, and a great curved blade laid against it.
Offering: Stand up for something that you believe in, even if it will do you harm.
Daily Meal: Vegan

Invocation to Prometheus

Long ago, wars tore the land
And the great and powerful laid waste
To all things, and some won,
and some lost, but the true losers
Were those unfortunate humans
Who were beneath the notice of either side.
One Titan took pity on them,
And tricked the gods who would have
Robbed them of even their food,
And taught them to keep the best part
Of their sacrifices for themselves.
And then, to help them further
In the face of the wrath of the powerful,
He stole fire from the sacred forge
And gave it to weak humanity.
And for this he was punished,
As he knew he would be punished,
Chained to a stone and torn by a vulture.
And yet the knowledge of that punishment
Did not deter him from his goal,
For when there is something that must be done,
And it is right to do it,
Then harm to body and mind
Does not stop right action.
For this we hail Prometheus,
Lord of Forethought,
He who sacrifices for the good of all,
He who knows what it is to be right,
And what will be the consequences.

(All stand before the altar and salute the torch, and speak of their own convictions.)

Pagan Book of Hours

Calendar of the Sun for March 10th

Calendar of the Sun
10 Hrethemonath

Hypatia’s Day: Pagan Martyrdom

Color: Red
Element: Fire
Altar: On a red cloth set a blade, a glass of wine, incense, the Book of Hours laid open, and a burning torch.
Offerings: Educate – gently – for your faith, whatever that may be. Do it without hubris.
Daily Meal: There is fasting tonight in honor of Hypatia’s sacrifice, until dawn. Those who cannot fast for physical reasons shall eat cold raw food and fruit juice.

Invocation to Hypatia

This torch burns for Hypatia.
Scholar, teacher, priestess,
Bright mind that brought forth
Fine words of inspiration,
Beloved by her students
And hated by those who would
Darken our world to ignorance.
Slashed to death with the sharp edge
Of seashells, her blood poured
Upon the page of knowledge
That she had defended.
Do not forget her, children
Of those who came after her
Into a world of blindness.
Honor her with your vision,
Your intelligence, and your love of truth.

Chant:
Your spirit burns bright
Like the sacred flame
We will never forget
The meaning of your name
We will never forget
Your integrity
We remember your light
In our history
We remember your light
From a time gone by
You held fast to truth
And you will never die.

(Pour the wine out as a libation to Hypatia.)