Pagan Holidays Celebrated in
January, 2010 |
Janus, Roman coin. |
The oldest Roman calendar began the year in March. In the Julian calendar, January is named for the Roman God Janus, who oversaw beginnings and endings, and so the year began in January, as it has ever since. |
| January 1 |
Roman: Fortuna
Roman: Agonalia
Feast of Juno and Janus, God of beginnings and thresholds. On this day, no
evil may be spoken, so that the day and the year may be sweet. "Words have
weight, and the ears of the Deities are open." (Ovid, Fasti). Friends
exchange small jars of honey with dates or figs, along with good wishes.
These were called Strenae, after the Sabine Goddess of Health. This custom
has continued in France to this day.
In medieval times, people wore animal masks on this day; this was called
"guising."
Greek: Gamelia, Feast of the Goddess of Marriage, Hera (corresponding to the
Roman Juno).
Anglo-Saxon: Wassail "Be Hale (whole)"
Roman: Feast of Aesculapius (Healing God), his mother Coronis, and his
daughter Salus (Health).
Sumerian: Inanna's Nativity feast is begun by lighting a white candle at
sunset. It is to burn
through the night and is extinguished at dawn.
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| January 2 |
Sumerian: Birth of Inanna, Goddess of Earth and Queen of Heaven.
Egyptian: The advent of Isis, recovering the ark in which Osiris had been
carried to Phoenicia.
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| January 2 |
Pueblo
Indians: Deer Dance for fertility.
Roman: Compitalia. Honor the crossroads and boundaries, by leaving an
offering of garlic. Make a wooden doll for each member of the family to put
up at the family altar. The Romans held block parties with potlucks.
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| January 3 |
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| January 4 |
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| January 5 |
At
sunset, nocturnal rites celebrating the epiphany of Kore (Persephone) begin.
The mystai
(initiates) sang all night to flute music. At the Koreion in Alexandria,
these included a drama of Her descent and return.
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| January 6 |
XIIth
Night
Celtic: Feast of the Triple Goddess the Morrigan (Ana Badb, and Macha)
Roman: Sirona, river Goddess
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| January 7 |
Egyptian: Feast of the Decrees of Sekhmet, Goddess of Justice and Law.
Saxon England: Distaff day, in honor of Frigg; women resume spinning after
Yule. The Distaff
was a staff from which flax is drawn when spinning with a drop spindle.
Japanese: feast of Sun Goddess Amaterasu.
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| January 8 |
Roman:
Feast of Justitia, Goddess of Justice.
Greece and Macedonia: Midwife's day, dedicated to the Goddess Babo.
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| January 9 |
Egyptian: Dirge of Isis and Nephthys for the soul of Osiris.
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| January 10 |
Roman:
Feast of Securitas, also invoked after close calls.
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| January 11 |
Roman:
Carmentalia, honoring the Carmenta Goddess of childbirth and happy prophesy
and the Carmenae (Muses), worshipped primarily by Roman matrons. Animal
skins, leather, and any other sign of death was forbidden in her temple.
Roman: Joturnalia, feast of the prophetic Goddess of fountains, Spirit of
Living Waters, patroness of water workers.
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| January 12 |
Roman:
Compitalia -- honoring Mania and the Lares, household Gods. Mania was known
as the Mother of Ghosts. People hung woolen effigies of men and women and
hung them at the doors as an offering to her, lest she take a family member.
Hindu: Besant Panchami, a festival of Sarasvati, Goddess of Wisdom and art.
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| January 13 |
Norse:
Midvintersblot in honor of Tiu (roughly corresponding to Mars).
Norse: First Monday after Epiphany/12th Night dedicated to the Goddess Freya
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| January 14 |
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| January 15 |
Roman:
Feast of the Ass, who saved the Goddess Vesta, Goddess of the sacred
hearthfire.
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| January 16 |
Concordia, Goddess working for harmonious relationships. Pray for Peace, and
practice it.
Hindu: feast of Jaganath, God of Success who appears as an elephant child.
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| January 17 |
Roman:
Felicitas, Goddess of happiness and good luck. Greet friends with this
blessing: "Ave,
Felicitas, Pax et Concordia!" [Hail the Goddesses of Happiness, Peace and
Harmony!]
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| January 18 |
Hindu:
Surya, Sun God/dess who give health and good fortune.
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| January 19 |
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| January 20 |
Birthday
of Martin Luther King, Jr.
At sunset begins a traditional day for divination by fire, particularly
about love.
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| January 21 |
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| January 22 |
Greek:
Apollo, God of prophecy, healing, and art |
| January 23 |
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| January 24 |
Roman:
Ceres and Tellus (Mother Earth). The Sementivaea, a feast for sowing the
seed,
prosperity and peace begins at Sunset.
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| January 25 |
Old
Norse: Disting, feast of the Disir, Norse guardian Goddesses. Continued in
Scotland under
the name "Burns' Night" revels.
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| January 26 |
Roman:
Roman: Ceres and Tellus. The Paganalia, a feast for sowing the seed,
prosperity and
peace ends at sunset.
Bolivia: festival of Ekeko, God of Abundance
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| January 27 |
Rome:
Sementivae Feria, seedtime holiday dedicated to Ceres, Goddess of the Grain.
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| January 28 |
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| January 29 |
Roman:
Peace festival honoring the birth of Pax (Greek: Irene).
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| January 30 |
Roman:
Dedication of the Altar of Peace in the reign of Augustus, who ended a
generation of civil war. (See ~Benediction section of this ezene.)
Santeria: Senhora Do Bonfim, Our Lady of Happy Endings, a water purification
ceremony.
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| January 31 |
Celtic:
February Eve, begins the festival of Brigantia (Imbolc). Also called Imbolg,
Candlemas, or Brigid. Ewes come into milk, pregnancies are advanced, births
of many animals are immanent. Sap begins to rise. Many hibernating animals
begin to stir. The season of quiescent Winter is half over.
An effigy of the Goddess, made of grain and sometimes a brook and dressed in
white women's
clothing, carried from house to house. Gifts of butter were given to
friends. Pieces of cake or
bread and butter were left as offerings around the home and farm. At night
it was laid in a basket with a wooden club beside it (Brigid's Bed)
Norse: Feast of the Valkyries and the Norns (Fates)
Graeco-Roman: Hecate, Goddess of Refugees and women in distress. Make an
offering "Hecate's Supper" where a side path joins a main road.
Scotland: Up Helly Aa, a Norse-derived fire festival beseeching the return
of the Sun and
celebrating abundance and friendliness.
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Pagan Holidays Celebrated in
February
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February is named for Februum, the Roman tradition of purifying the temples. This is the time for
cleaning, polishing and repairing ritual tools, statues, and other
religious art. (See Feb. 5 and 15 entries.)
The dreams of Yuletide now face the
first test: will you prepare the way for them to come into the
world? Are you ready to feed your dreams and protect them? Or will
they die aborning?February
is Ethnic Equality Month: This is a time to honor the beauty and wisdom
carried in all ethnicities, particularly the often mis-represented and
underrepresented traditional communities of Africa, Asia, Oceania, the
Middle East, Europe, Latin America, and the First Nations
(Amerindians).
For more on classical
holidays in February, see http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/SF/MidWinter.htmlDuring
this time, prior to the beginning of planting, farmers purify their fields
of last year's remaining weeds, pick rocks, mend fences, prune, and attend
to the foaling, calving, and lambing.
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February 1-2
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Celtic: Imbolc (in
the belly), Oimele (Ewe's Milk), also spelled Oimelc, I or Imbulc. This feast begins the season for preparing for new
births, blessing midwives and pregnant women, blessing seeds and fields,
blessing candles. The new agricultural year begins in warmer climes
with picking stones heaved by winter frosts, pruning, removing brush from
fields, a collecting maple syrup. Also in warmer climes, ewes come into
milk and bear lambs, migrating birds return, hibernation ends, first
shoots from perennial greens provide the early salads, and the first
plowing may take place. In Minnesota, we plan gardens and start
ordering seeds.
Old Egyptian: Feast of Isis, the Healer. Recalls how when Set (God
of Chaos) poisoned her child Horus, the Goddess Isis intervened, defeating
Set, and healing Horus.
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February
1-3
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Mid-Winter/Groundhog's Day
-- Festival marking the transformation from death to life - the beginning
of the agricultural year, awakening of hibernating animals, and return of
migrating birds and fish. Observed with a candlelight procession to bless
fields and seeds, recognition of newborns, and contemplation of life.
Celebrated from sunset Jan. 31 to sunset Feb. 3.
Greek: Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries, a preparation for initiation. Most
important Greek holy day celebrating the descent of Persephone into the
Underworld and the unity of all mystes, those who are adopted
children of the Goddess Demeter. Publicly celebrated continuously at one
site in Eleusis for over 2000 years.
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February
1-14
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Greek: festival Dionysos,
in which vines were pruned and sprinkled with wine, accompanied by ritual
singing and dancing. [a/k/a Trifon Zarezan, Viticulturists' Day, still
celebrated in Bulgaria.]
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February
2
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Roman: Juno Februa,
Goddess of marriage. Girls decorated their pillows with 5 bay leaves to
dream of their husbands. Candles were lit in honor of Februa to scare away
evil spirits.
Roman: Ceres and Proserpina (identified with Demeter and Persephone) -- see
Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries Feb. 1-3.
Roman Britain: Feast of Sul-Minerva,
goddess of knowledge and healing, whose sanctuary featured an
ashless fire.Yoruba/Santeria feast of Oya, Orisha
of death and rebirth, daughter of Yemaya and Orungan. Yorubas/Santeros
worship the One Deity Olodumare and the Orishas (Olodumare's emanations
and messengers). In Mexico, Oya is represented as Our Lady of Candelaria,
who appears crowned, standing on a crescent moon, flanked by two cherubs.Norse: Barri
Catholic: Candlemas, feast of the purification of the Blessed Virgin from
the "pollution" of childbirth. Following the Jewish custom, as a
poor woman she sacrificed two doves to be rendered pure and permitted to
be touched by her husband. Candles are blessed. This holiday was
appropriated from the Roman feast of Juno-Februa. (above).
Japan: Setsubun, in honor of the Sun
Goddess Amaterasu, people throw beans and light lanterns.
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February
2-14
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Roman: Sacred to Juno Februra,
mother of Mars and goddess of the passion of love
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February
3
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February
5
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Roman: Fortuna
Greek: Tyche
Anglo-Saxon: Wyrd
These deities are commonly identified with each other. A traditional date
for divination
Roman: Februus, God of purification, was honored with a ritual
purification. A sweeping compound of meal and salt (mola salsa)
was spread throughout the house, including behind the furniture, and
swept out with a pine branch, cleaning the home of evil spirits.
Egyptian: Feast of Old Egyptian
Goddess Isis, the Healer--recalls Set (God of Challenges and Chaos)
poisoning child God Horus, and Isis intervening, defeating Set, and
healing Horus.
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February
5-13
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Iroquois Mid-Winter
Ceremony is celebrated with tobacco offerings, confession of offenses,
singing, drumming, dancing, name-giving, and dream-telling. By doing this,
the Iroquois, which considered themselves kin to all nature, for
continuation of all life-sustaining things.
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February
6
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Greek: Feast of Aphrodite, Goddess of sexual love.
Unitarian Universalist: Joseph
Priestley (1804), British scientist and freethinker, a Unitarian, whose
house was burned down because of his radical notions. After escaping, he
fled to America. [Birthday 3/13/1733] [U.U./Unitarian]
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February
7
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Greek: Feast of Old Greek
Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana / Slavic Diwitsa) - midwife of women
and animals, protector of the young, punisher of child abusers,
guardian of the woods. Celebrated beginning sunset 2/6 to sunset 2/7 eve.
Greek: Feast of Selene, a Moon Goddess,
patroness of longing lovers.
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February
8
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February
9
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Greek: Feast of Apollo,
God of Daylight, reason and prophesy, healing, music, and all the fine
arts.
Roman: Feast of Apollo.
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February
10
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February
11
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Catholic: First appearance
of "The White Lady" to Bernadette at Lourdes, France. The site
was long sacred to Persephone/Proserpina in Roman Gaul.
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February
12
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Roman: Feast
of Diana, Virgin Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt.
UU: Birthday of Charles
Darwin (1809), Unitarian biologist and evolutionary.
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February
12-14
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Greek: Anthesteria,
festival honoring Dionysos as Plouton, God of the dead, and welcoming the
visiting dead from Elysium. [The new wine was presented to Dionysos, and
libations were made.] Celebrated from sunset 2/12 to sunset 2/15
eve.
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February
13
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Roman: Feralia, Old Roman
festival dedicated to Faunus-Fauna, God/dess of wild animals, celebrating
all kinds of love, and especially fertility. Faunus (from Latin favere,
the Kindly One) was oracular. A seeker would come to his sacred grove, ask
the question, and then listen to the night noises, interpreting them
himself.
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February
13-21
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Roman: Parentalia, a
privately celebrated feast of the ancestral dead (manes), begun with a Vestal Virgin pouring
a libation in their honor. During the Parentalia, all temples were closed,
marriages were banned, no offering fires were lit. Loving reverence for
deceased ancestors might be rewarded with an appearance of the dii
manes (Latin, the immortal good ancestors, children of Mania.)
From the Ides of Februarius (13th) until the Feralia (21st), Romans
reserved a time to honor the manes, or spirits of the ancestors;
whole temples were closed, magistrates didn't wear their togas of office,
and no marriages were performed.
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February
14
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Roman: Juno Februata (Juno the Fructifier)
Norse: Feast of Vali, the archer and son of Odin, as well as the God of
friendship, absorbed by the Christian church as the feast of St.
Valentine.
Scandinavia: a traditional date for running labyrinths.
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February
14-21
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Roman: Lupercalia, one of
the oldest festivals of Roman religion, in honor of Juno-Lupa, the
she-wolf who suckled Romulus and Remus. Two youths are swabbed on the
forehead with wool dipped in milk.
This was a festival of love. One feature was a lottery in which tokens
(original valentine) with the names of single women were drawn by young
men. The couples were companions for the week's festivities.
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February
15
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Roman: Februum, a
purification ceremony. The statues of the Gods were removed from temples
for cleaning.
Roman: The Februum was merged
with worship of Faunus, God of flocks and agriculture generally identified
as a less violent Pan; Faunus was also an oracle. During the Lupercalia, the luperci priests sacrifice goats and a dog, as well as sacred cakes; then a
noble youth dressed in the bloody goat's skin raced through the city with a
scourge made of strips of the goats' skin,
chasing the women who sought to become fertile. Revelry ensued.
Teutonic: Holiday honoring the hero Sigfrid.
UU: Birthday of Galileo (1564), astronomer; day to mourn the persecution
of scientists by religious authorities.Chinese: Celebration of Chinese New
Year ends with the feast of Kwan Yin, a virgin Goddess of compassionate
resistance.
Unitarian Universalist:
a
great non-violent advocate for the rights of women and African Americans. (2/15/1820-3/13/1906)
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February
16
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Roman: Feast of the
Goddess of Victory, Diana Lucifera (the Lightbearing Goddess, waning moon
and sister of the morning star in Etruscan religion.)
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February
16-24
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Navajo: Festival in
honor of Estsanatlehi/Changing Woman in which fields are blessed in
preparation for planting. Navajos believe she wields the power to
constantly create and change the world.
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February
17
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Roman: Fornacalia,
a festival of bread ovens, and the oven Goddess Fornax. A sacred time for
tending young plants; start earliest plantings under glass today if you
have strong light.
Roman: Feast of Fools.
Guatemala: Quetzalcoatl, called under Spanish rule "The Black
Christ."
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February
18
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Persian: Spenta Armaiti,
feast of women, honoring fertility Goddess Spandarmat, identified with the
Earth and one of the seven undying and well-doing powers. Pray for the
liberation of oppressed women in Iran.
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February
18-21
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Roman: Tacita, also called Dea Muta, Goddess of silence, Mother of the Lares. She binds hostile and malicious
speech. Avoid unfriendly speech and hostile tongues.
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February
19
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Greek: Lesser
Eleusinian Mysteries--Old Greek festival celebrating the marriage of Goddess
Kore and God Dionysos, following their return from Elysium.
Celebrated from sunset 2/20 - sunset 2/27
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February
20
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February
21
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Egyptian: Day
of Nut (Egyptian Goddess of the starry night sky, whose body is arched over
the world for love and whose feet do not crush the little flowers. Nut (also
Nuit) makes room for all the stars in the sky; honor her by making room in
your heart for someone who needs your respect and caring.
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February
21-27
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February
22
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Roman: The
Feast of the Goddess Concordia was called the Caristia, or Cara
Cognatio (Dear Kindred) the feast of goodwill, celebrated with a shared
pot-luck meal (sacra mensa), renewing friendships and family ties and
patching up quarrels.
Catholic: Feast of St. Lucia, identified with the Roman Lucia, Goddess of
Light. Lucia was depicted as a winged woman bearing a torch.
Egyptian: Day of Nut (Egyptian Goddess of the starry night sky, whose body
is arched over the world for love and whose feet do not crush the little
flowers. Nut (also Nuit) makes room for all the stars in the sky; honor her
by making room in your heart for someone who needs your respect and caring.
Roman: Last day of Parentalia, a day of purification, honoring ancestors
with white candles. Offerings at tombs included flowers or a little
wine, bread, perhaps a sprinkling of salt. Parentalia was a celebratory
period in which ancestors were honored. It lasted from February 13 through
the 21st. The temples were all closed during this period. The last day of
this feast is called
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February
23
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Roman:
Terminalia honors Terminus, the rural God of boundaries and endings,
identified with Janus. Land boundaries were set and decorated with garlands
and an altar built in silence; grain and honeycomb was sacrificed in fire
carried from the family hearth. Feasts were shared by adjacent landowners.
Similarly, at the boundary stone in the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on
the Capitoline Hill, ritual was held of behalf of the People of Rome. This
is also a fortuitous time to put an end to any habit that no longer serves
you.
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February
24
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Roman:
Regifugium, the Flight of the King. This ritual commemorated the founding of the Republic and the expulsion of the last King of Rome. After the republic was established, nearly 3 millennia ago, a rex
sacrorum (King for ritual purposes) filled this role each year, but
wasn't actually sacrificed.
According to legend, in earliest times, the king was annually chased by
the senators. If they caught him, they killed him. This is an example
of King sacrifice, a way to renew the nation, and something of a referendum.
(Since the senators were the eldest males of their family lines, this
usually wasn't a great risk unless they were REALLY motivated.)
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February
25
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Egyptian: Mut,
purifying Goddess with the wings of a vulture. Associated with vitality,
honor, loyalty.
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February
26
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February
27
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Indian: Mira Bai, XVI
princess, mystical poet.
Roman: Equirria, a festival dedicated to Mars, god of war and agriculture.
Horse racing was a major feature.
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February
28
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Roman: Amburbium a
procession of worshippers encircled the city, chanting and offering
prayers and offering sacrifices such as wine or milk.
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February
29
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Leap
Day: corrects the calendar, and gives an extra day to electioneer and
register to vote. Also "Sadie Hawkins Day," when women
were permitted to propose marriage to shy beaus.
American presidential elections take place on leap years. |
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Pagan Holidays Celebrated in
March
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Mars Ultor, polychrome by Christa Landon after Roman statue, imperial period. |
The word "March" comes from
the Roman God Mars, personifying passion and forcefulness and masculine
energy and sexuality. According to Proclus (Repub. p. 388), Mars' essential
role is to contribute energy, to constantly excite the contrarieties of the
universe, and to perpetually discern the sound from the unsound, and that
the world may be complete. But he requires the assistance of Venus, that he
may insert order and harmony into things contrary and discordant. Current
evolutionary biology notes the same dynamic!
Mars is most commonly identified today as the God of war (Mars Gradivus);
but the Roman Mars was more complex than the Greek Ares. He was also
MarsPater, Father Mars, and the protector of the Roman People, Quirinus.
As the early Roman Marmor, he was the personification of the shield.
Even earlier, Mars Sylvanus (Mavors) was a fertility God, the
personification of the spear-like shoots of grain which emerge from the
ground after planting. Farmers prayed to Mars,
"to prevent, ward off and
avert diseases, visible and invisible, barrenness and waste, accident and
bad water; that You permit the crop and fruit of the earth, the vines and
shrubs to wax great and prosper, that you would preserve the shepherds and
their flocks in safety and give prosperity and health to me and my
household."
(Cato, De Agricultura, l. 142,
transl. Frances Bernstein.)
In the old Roman calendar,
March was the first month of the year. The doors of the Temple of Mars were
ceremonially opened, beginning the period in which warfare might be
conducted.
Identification with the wolf ran deep; the founding twins of Rome, Romulus
and Remus, were saved by a she-wolf who suckled them. The sacred animal of
Mars is the wolf, cunning and strong, but an animal whose real power comes
from cooperation with its own kind. Warfare in early Rome evolved from
cattle-raids and Roman troops were accompanied by wolf-skin clad priests.
In ancient Rome, March was also sacred to Minerva (from mens, L.
mind). Minerva was one of the Roman Trinity (with Juno and Jupiter) and
identified as the clever and astute Goddess of the Arts and Crafts. Only in
the latter half of Roman history was Minerva identified closely with the
Greek warrior Maiden Athena.
Here in the Northern Midwest, the lengthening days of March bring the first migratory birds
(robins, red-wing blackbirds, earliest great blue herons) seeking nesting
territories, sap runs and maple syrup can be collected. Eastern chipmunks
emerge mid-month. Gardeners are planning for the new season and ordering
seeds, but we must practice Saturnian restraint because only
slow-germinating seeds should be planted indoors until the end of the month.
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For another image of
Mars and ancient Pagan prayers, visit our Virtual Temple |
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March 1
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Egyptian: Feast of Ranuit,
Lady of Harvests, honored at the beginning of the 3 month long harvest
season.
Persian: Spenta
Armaiti.
Greek: Artemis, Goddess of the hunt, honored by the consumption of
deer-shaped cakes on this date.
Roman: The ancient Roman new year was marked with decorating the Temple
of Vesta with fresh Laurel and rekindling the sacred fire of the Temple
of Vesta. The Vestal Virgins lit the new fire by using a burning glass
or boring a piece of fruitwood.
Roman: First dance of the Salii ("The Leapers," a dancing priesthood of
24 young men whose parents are still living.) The dances honor the
fertilizing power of Mars Gravidus and featured the clashing of staffs
against figure 8 ceremonial "shields" to scare away evil spirits.
Norse: Feast of
Iduna, Goddess of Spring.
Welsh: David,
Patron Saint of Wales, is honored. His emblematic plants, the leek and
daffodil, represent the vigorous growth of springtime and recall the
royal colors, green and white, of ancient Britain.
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March 2
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Celtic: Ceadda, God
of healing springs and holy wells, identified with the Crann Bethadh,
tree of life. Clear trash from around springs.
Bulgaria: Mother March. According to tradition, if women work on this day,
the Goddess will send storms to destroy instead of to nourish the crops.
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March 3
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Greek & Roman: Matronalia,
the festival of women held on the Kalends, originally the New Moon in March.
This date is especially sacred to Hera/Juno Lucina, protectors of women,
children and the family. Women dressed up and put flowers in their hair.
Slave-owning women waited on the slaves of the household.
Statues of the Goddess showed Her veiled, with an infant in swaddling
clothes in her left hand and a flower in Her right. These were decorated
with flowers, and special fires were lit. Girls made offerings to Juno
Lucina at this time of year for happy and prosperous marriages. Vestal
Virgins hung offerings of their hair on the oldest tree in the sacred grove.
Roman husbands gave their wives gifts and prayed for the health of their
wives, and everyone gave presents to all the women in their lives. A
public banquet was held at the temple of Juno Lucina.
Teutonic: Aegir, God of the Sea.
Japan: Doll Festival.
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March 4
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Celtic: The Feast of
Rhiannon is celebrated on this day by many Wiccans in honor of Rhiannon, the
Celtic/Welsh Mother Goddess who was originally known as Rigantona (the Great
Queen) and is associated with the mare-Goddess Epona.
Greek: An annual three-day long ritual called the Anthesteria was held on
this date to honor the Goddesses Flora and Hecate, as well as the souls of
the dead (the Keres).
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March 5
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Egyptian & Roman: Navigum Isidis (Blessing of the Vessel of Isis). This annual festival of
music, dancing, and feasting honored the Egyptian Goddess Isis, Lady of the
Moon and Ruler of the Sea, ruler over safe navigation, boats, fishing, and
the final journey of life. A boat loaded with offerings to Isis is launched
to begin the shipping season. Flowers were floated in rivers and boats
blessed with incense on this day in an annual ceremony signifying Isis's
opening of the seas to navigation.
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March 6
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Roman: Compitalia, feast of Mania and the Lares (ancestral spirits).
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March 7
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Roman: Beginning at sunset, the Junoalia, honors of Juno, a
festival including a ceremony of Peace, celebrated by women and girls.
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March 8
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International Women's Day--Day to mourn victims of gender-based
oppression and misogyny (past and present), make peace, and celebrate
women's empowerment.
The Chinese honor the
birthday of the Earth as a Mother Goddess with the annual Mother Earth Day
festival. The festival consists of street parades, lighting firecrackers,
eating and partying. Coins, Flowers, incense, paper dolls, etc., are placed
in small holes in the ground, blessed and then covered with soil as birthday
presents.
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March 9
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Roman: Liberalia, held 2 days after the full moon, is sacred to
the wine-God Liber-Pater (Bacchus),and is the date for initiating
boys into manhood.
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March 10
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Greek: Feast of Adonis and Aphrodite. While Aphrodite is a Greek Goddess,
this late myth is probably Near-Eastern in origin, and portrays the
Goddess's pain in loving a mortal who is gored by a wild sow.
Persia: First Day and
Night of the Farvardigan (10 days of the Dead), spent in deeds of charity,
religious banquets, and ceremonies honoring the dead.
Babylonian: Ishtar &
Tammuz: The Goddess of Love and Her tragically mortal lover.
Syrian Astarte & Adonis: The Goddess of Love and Her tragically mortal
lover. (Astarte was later identified with the Greek Aphrodite.)
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March 11
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Greek & Roman: Feast of the semi-divine hero Herakles (called Hercules by
the Romans)
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March 12
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Martyrdom of Hypatia, known as
the Divine Pagan. She was dean of the Neoplatonic school at Alexandria. A
famed philosopher and mathematician, she was murdered by a Christian death
squad. A Pagan, Humanist, and Feminist holyday.
Persian: Day of Marduk - Marduk (called IHVH "Jehovah" by the ancient
Hebrews) was the Sun God who defeated the sea goddess Tiamat and took claim
to the creation of the world from Her remains. Tiamat was the cause of the
Great Flood according to the Babylonians, freeing Marduk from the stigma of
being a murderer of innocent men, women, and children. Other religions take
the view that Jehovah caused the flood. Marduk was considered the consort of
Bell/Belili. Some identify Marduk with the planet Jupiter.
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March 13
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Anniversary of the death of
Susan B. Anthony (1906), non-violent advocate for the rights of women and
African Americans. [UU; birthday 2/15/1820.]
In Luxembourg, a fire
festival called the Burgsonndeg is celebrated annually on this day with the
lighting of great bonfires to welcome the rebirth of the Sun and coming of
spring.
Bali: Purification feast
to overcome Yami, God of Death.
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March 14
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Egyptian: Festival of the
ancient Egyptian Reptile and Mother Goddess Uazit, also called Lady of the
Night.
Greece:
Annual Diasia festival, held to ward off poverty.
Roman: feast of of
Mamurius, the old Mars. A scapegoat was driven out of the city on this day,
symbolic of expelling the old and bringing in the new.
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March 15
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Phrygian: Festival of Attis
and Cybele, celebrated in the Near East and eventually Rome.
Greek: Noumenia --
festival honoring Moon Goddess Selene and all the Gods and Goddesses.
Greek: Rhea, Earth
Goddess and mother of Zeus.
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March 16
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Roman: Bacchanalia - a
Roman festival in honor of the wine god Bacchus - banned in 186 BC. The
celebrations tended to get wild and out of hand.
India: Holi, a
spring fire festival.
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March 17
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Greek: Feast of the Goddess
Athena - as protector and defender.
Canaanite: The annual
Festival of Astarte honored the Goddess known as Queen of Heaven. Roman: Liberalia, a feast of Liber and his consort Libera. Considered a women's festival of
freedom. (Liber was a title of Dionysus/Bacchus, see March 16). Slaves were
permitted to speak with freedom.
Eire: St. Patrick's Day
-- Christianized Old European festival marking rebirth of the Green
Man/Green George (God as Deciduous Vegetation).
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March 18
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Anna Perenna: A Crone who
oversaw the continuity of life from one year to the next. Her boisterous
feast involved drinking and belly laughter.
Ireland: Sheelah's Day -
ancient festival to honor the fertility Goddess known as Sheela-na-gig.
Greek: Feast of
Aphrodite and her son Eros (Cupid) -- a day to honor love and passion.
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March 19
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Yoruba/Santeria: Feast of
Osanyin, Orisha of deciduous vegetation.
Babylonian: The Akitu, an
annual Babylonian New Year Festival celebrating the marriage of Heaven and
Earth, begins this date and lasts for ten consecutive days.
India: New Year.
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March 19-24
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March 20
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Spring or Vernal
Equinox--Marks the beginning of Spring and point of equal daylight and
darkness; celebrates first, annual, and perpetual creation with egg hunts
and exchanges. Sun is at a 45 degrees angle. Feast of Nox and Dies (deified
Night and Day). The Spring Equinox is also called the Festival of Trees, Alban Eilir (Celtic), Ostara, (Germanic) and the Rites of Eostre (Norse and Northumberland). This fertility rite celebrates the
birth of Spring and the reawakening of life from the Earth. It is the origin
of many of the secular traditions surrounding the Christian holiday of
Easter.
Greek:
Feast of Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana/Slavic Diwitsa) - as protector
of wild animals and vegetation.
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March 20-21
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Old Sumerian &
Canaanite-Hebrew festival celebrating the return of Dumuzi/Baal (God
of Life and Death) from the Underworld to be with Inanna/Astarte (Goddess of Life) for the verdant part of the year.
Old Anglo-Teutonic festival of
Goddess Eostre/Ostara, celebrating the annual rebirth. Her Hare gave
gifts of eggs - signifying rebirth.
Norse: Iduna or Idun,
Goddess personifying the bright half of the year; she appears in the form of
the sparrow and tends the apple tree which bears the fruit of immortality.
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March 21
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Heliacle New Moon
Egyptian: The annual Spring Harvest Festival was celebrated on this date
along the banks of the River Nile, in honor of the Mother-Goddess Isis.
Voudon: Legba Zaou - a
ceremony to honor Legba, loa of the sun and guardian of the gate between
worlds, with a sacrifice of a black goat. Greek: A lesser festival
of Kore and Demeter
Iranian: No-Ruz, Iranian
New Year originally dedicated to Astarte and Adonis / Ishtar-Damuzi.
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March 22
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Greek: Asklepieia --
festival honoring Asklepios, God of healing, and Hygieia, Goddess of health.
In Asia Minor, and later
Rome, pine trees were carried through the streets on this date by devotees
of the cult of Attis, and taken to his temple as part of the annual ritual
the Procession of the Tree-Bearers, to mourn the God's demise.
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March 23
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Norse: Festival of the Summer
Finding, the ascendancy of light over darkness
Roman: Dance of the Salii -
The Gods Mars and Saturn were invoked each year on this date in ancient
Rome, by priests dancing while brandishing spears and clashing ritual
shields. The evil spirits of Winter were expelled from the city, and the
growth of crops stimulated through sympathetic magic. This is one of their
oldest recorded rites.
Polish: The Marzenna was
an old Polish Spring festival celebrated with singing, dancing, and the
sacrifice of straw effigies.
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March 23-27
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Greek: City Dionysia--Old
festival honoring God Dionysos as patron of drama, poetry, music, and
inspiration.
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March 24
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Norse: Heimdal, Aesirian
Guardian of the Rainbow Bridge between Asgaard and Earth
British: The day of Albion (or
Prytania, or Britannia), was celebrated on this date in Britain. Her image
appeared on ancient British coins.
Roman: Bellona's Day,
Goddess of Battles.
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March 25
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Roman: Lady Day, honoring Domina (Our Lady) Cybele. Annual feast of Hilaria was held
to celebrate the power of the Goddess Cybele to overcome death. (See March
22, death of Attis.) Also resurrection of Adonis, Tammuz, and Dionysus.
Roman: Mars and His Consort, Neria (whose name means "strong.")Babylon: The Goddess
Beltis is honored.
Yoruba/Santeria feast of
Oshun, Orisha of love and compassion, passion and fertility.
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March 26
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Slavic: Mata Syra Zemlja,
"Moist Earth Mother." Because She is pregnant, it is considered a sin to
strike the Earth with iron (plough) before this date.
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March 27
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Hindu: The Goddess of marriage
and abundance, Gauri/Isani, is honored with an annual women's festival and
swinging ritual.
Roman: Last day of the Feast
of Cybele, the Heavenly Virgin, includes a procession and ceremonial
washing of the ancient statue in a river. When it is returned to the shrine,
it was decorated with flowers.
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March 28
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Taiwan: Birthday of Kwan Yin,
Boddhisatva of Compassion.
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March 29
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Greek: The birthday of the
Goddess Artemis Soteria, honored with a round "full moon cake"
decorated with candles. Also, the Delphinia - a celebration at
Delphi in Phocis, where Apollo gave his oracles. This may have been the
musical contest that was held annually Phocis and lasted several days,
involving several competitions, probably subdivided into musical styles such
as hymns and lyric poetry, which were the favorite of Apollo.
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March 30
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Roman: Concordia, Salus,
and Pax: these Goddesses were honored along with Janus, partner of gentle Concordia. Make peace with someone with whom you
have been in conflict.
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March 29-
April 2
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Greek: The Greater Dionysia
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March 31
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Italian: The annual Feast of
Luna, Goddess of the month, was celebrated annually at moonrise on this
date in ancient Rome.
Roman: End of the Hilaria.
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Sources
The above list of
Pagan holy days was compiled by Christa Landon
from various sources, including the URLs below.
(Note: In Celtic, Greek, Roman, Jewish, and Arabic traditions,
the day starts at the prior sunset.)
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Greek dates above are estimated, and based on the Macedonian calendar.
Each city state created its own. Some holidays varied according to the
date of the harvest, etc. Many ancient holidays were based on lunar phases, which make
perpetual calendars problematic.
http://www.interfaithcalendar.org/2005.htm
calculation methods: http://www.kelsung.com/calendar.htm
http://www.calendarzone.com
The Wheel of the Year Calendar:
WHEEL OF THE YEAR dates for these
holidays are based on the Macedonian (Lunar) calendar
http://www.WheeloftheYear.com
Today in the Roman
calendar
http://www.clubs.psu.edu/up/aegsa/rome/jun26.htm
http://www.clubs.psu.edu/up/aegsa/rome/romec.html
Nova Roma
http://www.novaroma.org/calendar/index.html
http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/SF/MidWinter.html
All You Ever Wanted to Know About Calendars
http://www.12x30.net/all.html
Athenian calendar
reconstruction:
http://www.hellenion.org/calendar.pdf
http://www.numachi.com/~ccount/hmepa/calendars/695.3.Gamelion.html
http://www.winterscapes.com/dionysus/calendar.htm
http://www.numachi.com/~ccount/hmepa/calendars/695.html
http://www.winterscapes.com/dionysus/calendar.htm
Seasonal Festivals of
the Greeks and Romans by Apollonius Sophistes
http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/SF/SF.html
Frances
Bernstein, Ph.D., Classical Living: Myths, Gods, Goddesses,
Celebrations, and Rites
for Every Month of the Year. (San
Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2000).
Lawrence Durdin-Robertson, Juno Covella (Eire: Cesara Publications, 1982).
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/
Llewellyn's Astrological Calendar
Ovid, Fasti.
Minnesota Weatherguide, published by the Freshwater Society.
Nigel Pennick, The Pagan Book of Days (Rochester, VT.:
Destiny Books, 1992).
Diane Stein, The Goddess Book of Days (St. Paul: Llewellyn,
1988).
A Base for Calendar Exploration
http://www.greenheart.com/billh/linked.html
"Holidays by religion" including Pagan
holidays.
http://www.earthcalendar.net/
http://www.12x30.net/hourly.html
Today in the Roman
calendar
http://www.clubs.psu.edu/up/aegsa/rome/jun26.htm
http://www.clubs.psu.edu/up/aegsa/rome/romec.html
Nova Roma
http://www.novaroma.org/calendar/index.html
http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/SF/MidWinter.html
All You Ever Wanted to Know About Calendars
http://www.12x30.net/all.html
Athenian calendar
reconstruction:
http://www.numachi.com/~ccount/hmepa/calendars/695.3.Gamelion.html
http://www.winterscapes.com/dionysus/calendar.htm
http://www.numachi.com/~ccount/hmepa/calendars/695.html
http://www.winterscapes.com/dionysus/calendar.htm
Seasonal Festivals of
the Greeks and Romans by Apollonius Sophistes
http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/SF/SF.html
Frances
Bernstein, Ph.D., Classical Living: Myths, Gods, Goddesses,
Celebrations, and Rites for Every Month of the Year. (San
Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2000).
Lawrence Durdin-Robertson, Juno Covella (Eire: Cesara Publications, 1982).
http://www.fellowshipofisis.com/
A Base for Calendar Exploration
http://www.greenheart.com/billh/linked.html
"Holidays by religion" including Pagan
holidays.
http://www.earthcalendar.net/
We are interested in additional sources,
especially for Celtic, Heathen, Norse, Romuva, and Middle Eastern
holidays.
If you can suggest some, please email
the
Editor.
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