#Ēostre/Ostara

[onenakedfarmer]

Daily Painting

Artist Unknown THE LORD AND SAVIOR OF AMERICAN CHRISTIANS - DONALD J. TRUMP, KING OF THE THIEVES

[child-of-frigg]

Ostara/Ēostre: The Spring Equinox and The Sun Goddess Héwsōs.

The Spring Equinox like many other Solar and Lunar events, was a significant marker as to the passage of time for the Northern tribes. On this day the sun rises and sets directly from east to west in the Northern hemisphere, marking a significant change in weather as summer quickly approaches and the sun begins to thaw the frozen ground. The deity associated with the Spring Equinox is now commonly referred to as Ostara or Ēostre, this was not always the case though.

Saint Bede of the seventh century was the first to make a written account of the Goddess Ēostre, where he states Pagan Anglo-Saxons held feasts in her honour during the month of Ēosturmōnaþ, the Germanic equivalent of April. For the Germanic tribes this event was to signify the beginning of the summer half of their year, for the Norse this would kick off the last month of winter, Einmánuður. Sources tend to agree that in both cases a Goddess by the name of Ostara or Ēostre was hailed during these months, representative of the sun and the essence of Spring, however this deity seems to be largely absent from Norse mythology barring Idunn who has only recently been associated with the spring season.

The Goddess Ēostre seems to be based on the Proto-Indo-European Héwsōs, meaning 'the Dawn', who scholars agree was the inspiration behind similar deities such as the Greek Eos and the Roman Aurora. Due to the consistency of her characterization she is considered one of the most important deities worshipped by the Proto-Indo-European people, and this firmly suggests an importance in Norse faith as well. The significance of spring flowers is also consistent throughout the worship of Héwsōs, with an emphasis on the colours blue, purple, and yellow which were considered sacred to the spring season by the Nordic, as well as some Western Germanic tribes; be for the colours of spring flowers or the colour of the sunrise itself this seems to be the same for many of the deities inspired by Héwsōs.

[babysfirstpentagram]

Ostara, The Beginning of Spring:

Deities:

Brigid

Celtic

Goddess of fire, the home, and the end of Winter. 

Her holiday is technically Imbolc, but I felt the need to add her because she is, in fact, a spring goddess

Ēostre/Ostara

Anglo-saxon/Germanic

Goddess of Spring

This is her holiday, as it was named after her. There are myths about her spanning from Germany to England. 

Persephone

Greek

Goddess of Spring and the Queen of the Underworld. 

Her celebration of the return to the overworld is April 3rd. 

Flora

Roman

Goddess of flowers and the season of Spring

Jarylo

Slavic

God of vegetation, fertility, and springtime

He is called many different things depending on the country he is being spoken about in. 

Eiar

Old Greek

Hora of Spring

A hora is the goddess of a season.

Crystals of Spring:

Emerald

Known for its calming nature, bright green color, and the rest it takes to get an emerald shiny. 

May’s birthstone and a gemstone associated with Mercury. 

Aquamarine

A stone of rebirth, peace, and wisdom

March’s birthstone and a gemstone associated with Saturn

Moss Agate

A stone known for its connection with Earth, confidence, and creativity.

Moss agate is a stone of the Moon and of Earth.

Green Aventurine

A stone of wellness, prosperity, and abundance. 

Associated with Venus

Golden Apatite

A self help stone that boosts creativity, confidence, and manifestation. 

This stone is associated with Mercury

Herbs of Spring:

Chervil

Chives

Dill

Lemongrass

Lime leaf

Mint 

Marjoram 

Oregano

Parsley

Rosemary

Tarragon

Thyme

[talonabraxas]

Deities & Demons: Ostara and the Dawn

THE DAWN

Ostara, Ēostre who stemmed from Astarte is both an Ancient Germanic Goddess and one of the eight Neopagan Sabbats which make up the Pagan Wheel of the Year. The Sabbat, or Holiday celebrates the re-birth of Spring after the barren winter season. The face of the Goddess Ostara is the Virginal Maiden of Spring, the smiling celestial crescent, emerging in the sky from the black horizon of winter.

One must imagine the ancient European Winters to truly appreciate the return of this gentle fertility Goddess. To get through the barren season, families would store grains, nuts, dried meats and herbs for their survival. This preserved prosperity directly from the land equated with the sustaining of life when external conditions i.e. weather did not support it. Ēostre emerges from the rich Pagan canon of deities who came about when survival truly depended on the fertility and abundance of the land and humanitie’s harmonious relationship with it. She is and was and is a Goddess of the People, the Workers, the Creators, the Stargazers, and the Bacchanalian Merry makers. Now more than ever, in our modern age of convenience, and urban aversion to the laws of Nature’s Cyclic cornucopia, do we need the return of an abundant feminine force.

Even in modern astrology, the wheel of the zodiac starts with Aries, which correlates to March (the Sun enters Aries around the Equinox).

This means that you can think of March as a new beginning, too. If your year hasn’t started on the right footing, if you feel like you’re already behind, if you need some of that New Year energy again, here it is for you. Take it!

Ostara ☀️ Talon Abraxas

[sailtomarina]

Will it fit?

Hermione stood in front of the mirror nervously smoothing the pleats of her dress, a floaty, ephemeral thing hitting just above the knees that Luna insisted appropriately fit the pagan holiday. Hermione had never been one for celebrating anything aside from birthdays, Christmas, and New Year’s, but ever since entering the Wizarding world she found herself on a treadmill of festivals and holidays almost every month of the year. This time, it was Ēostre, or Ostara, or Easter, whatever you preferred to call it. It was one of a handful of celebrations of spring.

This year, rather than celebrating at one another’s homes like usual, their friends had opted to sign up for the Ministry-sponsored event. Guests were invited to frolic in fields and plant literal seeds for harvesting produce later in the season. A feast would follow that same evening under the ceiling of the night sky. It all seemed terribly whimsical and romantic, and normally Hermione would be excited if not for one more pesky detail.

In addition to the event signup was an optional service: matchmaking. And of course, her friends scribbled her name down for both.

So what if it had been months since her last romantic relationship? She was perfectly pleased with her life at the moment. Her days consisted of work, meals, reading, and evening walks. She even included socialization with semi-weekly trivia at the Leaky Cauldron and Flourish and Blotts’ monthly book club meetings. 

It was with irritation and swiftly growing horror that Hermione discovered not only was she to attend the silly Ēostre event, and she would do so with a blind date. Pairs were provided with thin golden arm bands that slipped over the elbow and twinkled with a color matching only one other. Hermione’s armlet sparkled white gold.

“Does it fit?” Luna’s head poked into the washroom where she continued to examine herself.

Gesturing to the band that magically sized to fit snugly around her bicep, Hermione nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. Let’s hope whoever I end up with fits just as well.”

“Oh, you needn’t worry about that. The matches include compatibility charms,” chirped Luna, as she braided small white blossoms into Hermione’s curls.

“Compatibility…charms? Is that even legal?”

She tittered as she waved a wand over her handiwork, ensuring Hermione’s hair and makeup would stay in place for several hours. “Yes. It doesn't affect your choices or anything sinister like that. Just points you in a promising direction and lets you figure out the rest.”

“Hmph. Well I suppose I could use the help given my poor choice in partners.”

“Your last one wasn’t that bad, Hermione, and Oliver was definitely worth the time.” Hermione blushed at Luna’s knowing wink. Oliver certainly did give her some delicious memories, and their breakup was friendly enough given the circumstances. “No more dilly-dallying! It’s time to go.”

Slipping on a pair of leather Grecian sandals and taking one more peek in the mirror, Hermione took a deep breath and tried to smile. Compatible sounded like a good thing, didn’t it?

***

“Oh, my god.”

Draco Malfoy stood frozen in front of her in a similar state of shock. An identical arm band fit around his arm. He cut a fine figure, if she was being honest with herself, in his cerulean chinos and tailored white oxford, sleeves rolled up to bare his muscled forearms with prominent veins cording the length of them. Shaking his head as if waking himself from a trance, he stepped closer to wave his hand over her arm. The resulting pulse of light confirmed their suspicions.

“Uh…” Could she be any less dull-witted? Where were the words that usually flowed out of her mouth like a bloody flood? Her mouth clicked shut—hanging open earlier like an imbecile—when he lifted his elbow to offer an escort.

“You look lovely, Hermione. It would be my pleasure to accompany you.”

Her tongue loosened at last. “Malf—Draco. What a…pleasant surprise.”

He smirked at her obvious difficulty at pleasantries.

“I would have never expected you of all people to require matchmaking.”

“Yes, well, I suspect we both have well meaning, meddlesome friends.” 

She had to share a smile at that.

It wasn’t that she loathed Draco Malfoy. Quite far from it, actually. She had definitely noticed him over the years as their circles occasionally bumped and overlapped. First it was the occasional work collaboration, then it was friends dating. The formerly thin and haunted young man filled out, his eyes lightening and gaining confidence. He was now the object of many a glance when circumstances threw them together, and even a friendly word now and then.

She just couldn’t fathom any dimension where he’d be interested in dating her, and she’d rather bite her tongue off than admit to fancying his appallingly good looks.

Damn Luna.

“Shall we go pick our seeds?” He guided them towards the tables where others gathered.

“Not quite done sowing your oats?” 

Why in Godric’s name did she have to be so nasty?

Rather than getting insulted, he surprised her by chuckling softly. “Long past that stage of my life—does that disappoint you?”

He picked up a small basket and guided them towards the root vegetable section.

“So are you actually looking to settle down? Find the next Lady Malfoy?” Hermione snagged parsnip seeds, to which he nodded approvingly.

“I’m strongly considering it.”

“I’m not exactly Malfoy material.”

“I know.” 

Turnips made their way into the basket. She licked her lips imagining sharp bites of the taproot in a bed of arugula and prosciutto. She couldn’t find any fault in his chosen produce. If anything, they’d make a fantastic salad together.

“But you’re my preferred material.”

Jerking to a stop, she looked fully up into his eyes for the first time. He gazed back, not a hint of humor on his face. He was serious.

She could barely breathe the question shouting against her skull. “Since when?”

He reached forward with one hand to tuck a wayward curl behind her ear before running his fingertips down her arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake. Grasping her hand in his, he prompted her to resume walking out towards the fields.

“For longer than I’d care to admit right now.” He didn’t elaborate, and Hermione found herself utterly devoid of any courage for further inquiry.

Following the rows of carefully labeled signs, they made their way silently to the appropriate section to cast their seeds out into the dirt, where they magically burrowed into the earth.

“Well that was much easier than expected,” he mused, glancing around to watch as others similarly finished.

“It’s more symbolic than literal planting, isn’t it? No digging into the dirt by hand here.”

Appraising her form with an appreciative eye that resulted in a pretty flush, he responded, “And a good thing, too, given our attire.”

She snorted in agreement. “I don’t know what Luna was thinking, picking this dress out.”

“Probably what I’m thinking right now. I meant what I said earlier, Hermione. You are lovely.”

She couldn’t take it anymore. Where did he get off being so…charming? So complimentary and intriguing? With a scoff, she pushed him back a step, her palms flat against his chest.

“Stop it, Malfoy. You don’t have to force yourself to be nice just because we were coincidentally matched together.”

Warm hands grasped her wrists, gently holding them in place.

“I’m not forcing anything. And even if neither one of us were signed up for today, I would’ve asked you out on my own soon anyways.”

There he went grabbing her attention again. It felt like rather than her wrists he was holding, it was her heart in a tight fist.

“All these years I've always wondered why I’m constantly drawn to you. Why I started out unable to stop teasing you, saying anything that came to mind to catch your attention. Stupid things. Regrettable things.”

“So stupid.” Her soft interjection pulled a wry smile from him in the middle of his speech.

“And after all the shite, the war, the trials, the slog of adulthood, I realized something.”

She could barely breathe listening to his words.

“I like you. I more than like you. I want to get to know you. See if we fit together as much as I think we will.”

Standing in the middle of a field, an uncharacteristic British sun beating down on them and people milling all around casting seeds in the hopes they’d take hold and grow into more, Hermione’s breath came back all at once. Pulling one hand loose from his grip, she returned his favor from earlier and brushed a silken strand of platinum hair off his forehead.

“I think we will, too.”

Or perhaps it wasn’t the sun that shone so brightly, but Draco himself as he smiled wider than she’d ever seen before.

[thorsvinur]

There's absolutely no inherent need to try to "Norsify" Ostara/Ēostre. The Swedes at least already had a celebration that took place near the vernal equinox, that being Dísablót and the Dísaþing/Disting before it was moved into early February. Not long after, summer begins, which on a lunisolar calendar is generally only around a month after the equinox give or take a couple weeks. It can be argued that Old Norse time reckoning had quarter marks to the year, even within the primary winter/summer scheme, but those marks would have been Jól/Miðvetr and Miðsumar (in July, not June) since they're the halfway points of their respective seasons. For them, this would simply be late winter.

Even in an Anglo-Saxon and Continental Germanic context, there's debate over whether the goddess Ēostre was worshiped widely outside of Northumbria since Jacob Grimm was apparently a fan of shoehorning things in to support the idea of Pan-Germanic traditions. But even then, what is important in one place isn't necessarily important in another, and their being related cultures further back only goes so far since things can and do change over time. The closest linguistically related figure to Ēostre in the Norse context with any remaining attestation is Austri, a dvergr (dwarf) who along with the three others (Norðri, Suðri and Vestri) holds up the dome (sky) created from Ýmir's skull.

It has been proposed that Ēostre may even be more directly related to the Romano-Celtic Matronæ cult, and that her worship in Northumbria may have been a product or a relic of Roman cultural influence. It's impossible to say for sure, but it's a competing theory.

As I generally say with all of these types of things, in a modern context things are more open to modification since it is and should be a living tradition. If a person wants to celebrate Spring, at least where there actually is a defined "Spring" period, then there's no reason not to. It's simply not necessary, though, to try to apply it back onto Old Norse culture(s) for a sense of justification in Heathen practice where none is really required.

[voraciouskingdom]

"In Germanic Polytheism Ēostre or Ostara (Old English: Ēastre, Northumbrian dialect Ēostre; Old High German: *Ôstara) is the Goddess of Spring and Dawn. The Germanic month bearing her name (Northumbrian: Ēosturmōnaþ; West Saxon: Ēastermōnaþ; Old High German: Ôstarmânoth), is the namesake of the festival of Easter. Ēostre is attested solely by Bede in his 8th-century work The Reckoning of Time, where Bede states that during Ēosturmōnaþ (the equivalent of April), pagan Anglo-Saxons had held feasts in Eostre's honor, but that this tradition had died out by his time, replaced by the Christian Paschal month, a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Old English Ēostre continues into modern English as Easter and derives from Proto-Germanic *austrōn meaning 'dawn', itself a descendent of the Proto-Indo-European root *aus-, meaning 'to shine' (modern English east also derives from this root). In Northern Europe, Easter imagery often involves hares and rabbits. Citing folk Easter customs in Leicestershire, England where "the profits of the land called Harecrop Leys were applied to providing a meal which was thrown on the ground at the 'Hare-pie Bank'", late 19th-century scholar Charles Isaac Elton theorizes a connection between these customs and the worship of Ēostre. In his late 19th-century study of the hare in folk custom and mythology, Charles J. Billson cites numerous incidents of folk custom involving the hare around the period of Easter in Northern Europe."

🌙💙🌙

[valeria-prieto]

Happy Ostara! The renewal of life has started, I can’t wait to see the green landscapes again, the flowers and the sun warming me again. Alway, here we go again and again again! And here mi painting Ēostre/Ostara (sold) as a beauty reminder for this day. 💐🌞🙏🏻. . ¡Feliz Ostara! La renovación de la vida ha comenzado, no veo la hora de volver a ver los paisajes verdes, las flores y el sol calentándome de nuevo. ¡Siempre, aquí vamos una y otra vez! Y aquí mi cuadro Ēostre/Ostara (vendido) como recordatorio de belleza para este día. 💐🌞🙏🏻. #ostara #ostarablessings #eostre #eostreart #ostaraart #spring #art #artist #artistpainter #oilpainting #oil #oilpaintings #oilpaints #springgoddess #nature #naturelovers #latina #latinartist #artistalatina #pintoramexicana #pintorasmexicanas #pintoralatina #onmyeasel #onmycanvas #pagan #magick #celtic #celticart #folkart #lightcodes (at Colorado Springs, Colorado) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqA_zL9OZ09/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[caitlinmccarthyart]

Ēostre 💐🪺🐇 Here’s a little close up of sweet Ēostre. I drew her in a floral flour sack dress, cradling a sweet bunny, and a literal birds nest in her hair. A perfect spring goddess to call upon this Ostara for new beginnings, abundance, and fertility! 💐✨ #caitlinmccarthyart #eostre #ostara #ostarablessings #springmagick #witchcraft #witchtips #pagan #paganwitch #pagansofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CpwLJynLk9S/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[onenakedfarmer]

The reason for the season: Ēostre --> Ostara --> Easter

[luminous-gemstone]

Pagan Holidays

Origin

The Wheel of the Year is an annual cycle of seasonal festivals, observed by many pagans, consisting of the year's main solar events, solstices and equinoxes, and the midpoints between them. While names for each festival vary among diverse pagan traditions, they often refer to the four solar events as "quarter days", with the four midpoint events as "cross-quarter days". Observing the cycle of the seasons has been important to many people, both ancient and modern. Contemporary Pagan festivals that rely on the Wheel are based to varying degrees on folk traditions, regardless of actual historical pagan practices. Among Wiccans, each festival is also referred to as a Sabbat, based on Gerald Gardner's view that the term was passed down from the Middle Ages. Modern conceptions of the Wheel of the Year calendar are heavily influenced by mid-20th century british paganism. Historical and archaeological evidence suggests ancient pagan and polytheist peoples varied in their cultural observations; Anglo-Saxons celebrated the solstices and equinoxes, while Celts celebrated the seasonal divisions with various fire festivals.

Dates and Offerings

Dates may be on the days of the quarter and cross-quarter days proper, the nearest full moon, the nearest new moon, or the nearest weekend for secular convenience. The festivals were originally celebrated by peoples in the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Consequently, the traditional times for seasonal celebrations do not agree with the seasons in the Southern Hemisphere or near the equator. Pagans in the Southern Hemisphere often advance the dates 6 months to coincide with their seasons. Offerings of food, drink, various objects, etc. have been central in ritual to and for deities for millennia. Modern pagan practice strongly avoids sacrificing animals in favour of grains, herbs, milk, wines, incense, baked goods, minerals, etc. Burying and leaving offerings in the open are also common in certain circumstances. The purpose of offering is to benefit the deity, show gratitude, and give something back, strengthening the bonds between humans and divine and between members of a community.

Festivals

Winter Solstice (Yule, Saturnalia, Midwinter)

Midwinter, known commonly as Yule or within modern Druid traditions as Alban Arthan, has been recognised as a significant turning point in the yearly cycle since the late Stone Age. The reversal of the Sun's ebbing presence in the sky symbolizes the rebirth of the solar god and foretells the return of fertile seasons. From Germanic to Roman tradition, this is the most important time of celebration. Practices may vary but common offerings, feasting, and gift giving are common elements of Midwinter festivities. Bringing sprigs and wreaths of evergreenery (such as holly, ivy, mistletoe, yew, and pine) into the home and tree decorating are also common during this time.

Imbolc (Candlemas)

The cross-quarter day following Midwinter falls on the first of February and traditionally marks the first stirrings of spring. It aligns with the contemporary observance of Groundhog Day. It is time for purification and spring cleaning in anticipation of the year's new life. For Celtic pagans, the festival is dedicated to the goddess Brigid, daughter of The Dagda and one of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Among Reclaiming tradition Witches, this is the traditional time for pledges and rededications for the coming year.

Spring Equinox (Ostara)

Derived from a reconstruction produced by linguist Jacob Grimm of an Old High German form of the Old English goddess name Ēostre, Ostara marks the spring equinox in some modern Pagan traditions. Known as Alban Eilir to modern Druid traditions, this holiday is the second of three spring celebrations, the midpoint between Imbolc and Beltane, during which light and darkness are again in balance, with light on the rise. It is a time of new beginnings and of life emerging further from the hold of winter.

Beltane (May Eve)

Traditionally the first day of summer in Ireland, in Rome the earliest celebrations appeared in pre-Christian times with the festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers. Since the Christianisation of Europe, a more secular version of the festival has continued in Europe and America, commonly referred to as May Day. In this form, it is well known for maypole dancing and the crowning of the Queen of the May. Celebrated by many pagan traditions, this festival recognizes the power of life in its fullness, the greening of the world, youthfulness and flourishing.

Summer Solstice (Litha)

Midsummer is one of the four solar holidays and is considered the turning point at which summer reaches its height and the sun shines longest. Among the Wiccan sabbats, Midsummer is preceded by Beltane, and followed by Lammas or Lughnasadh. Bede writes that Litha means gentle or navigable, because in both these months the calm breezes are gentle and they were wont to sail upon the smooth sea. The sun in its greatest strength is greeted and celebrated on this holiday. While it is the time of greatest strength of the solar current, it also marks a turning point, for the sun also begins its time of decline as the wheel of the year turns.

Lughnasadh (Lammas)

Lammas or Lughnasadh is the first of the three Wiccan harvest festivals, the other two being the autumnal equinox, or Mabon, and Samhain. Wiccans mark the holiday by baking a figure of the god in bread and eating it, to symbolise the sanctity and importance of the harvest. The Irish name Lughnasadh is used in some traditions to designate this holiday. Wiccan celebrations of this holiday are neither generally based on Celtic culture nor centered on the Celtic deity Lugh. This name seems to have been a late adoption among Wiccans. In early versions of Wiccan literature the festival is referred to as August Eve. The name Lammas implies it is an agrarian-based festival and feast of thanksgiving for grain and bread, which symbolises the first fruits of the harvest.

Autumn Equinox (Mabon)

The holiday of the autumnal equinox, Harvest Home, Mabon, the Feast of the Ingathering is a modern Pagan ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth and a recognition of the need to share them to secure the blessings of the Goddess and the Gods during the coming winter months. The name Mabon was coined by Aidan Kelly around 1970 as a reference to Mabon ap Modron, a character from Welsh mythology. Among the sabbats, it is the second of the three Pagan harvest festivals.

Samhain

Samhain is one of the four Greater Sabbats among Wiccans and Pagans. Samhain is typically considered as a time to celebrate the lives of those who have passed on, and it often involves paying respect to ancestors, family members, friends, pets, and other loved ones who have died. Aligned with the contemporary observance of Halloween and Day of the Dead, in some traditions the spirits of the departed are invited to attend the festivities. It is seen as a festival of darkness, which is balanced at the opposite point of the Wheel by the festival of Beltane, which is celebrated as a festival of light and fertility. Many Neopagans believe that the veil between this world and the afterlife is at its thinnest point of the year at Samhain, making it easier to communicate with those who have departed.

Dates

Yule~ December 20-23

Imbolc~ February 1

Ostara~ March 19-22

Beltane~ May 1

Litha~ June 19-23

Lughnasadh~ August 1

Mabon~ September 21-24

Samhain~ October 31- November 1

[i-am-theseeker]

Ostara (The Spring Equinox)

Ostara (oh-staa-ruh) is a modern Pagan holiday that celebrates the spring equinox. The equinox is celebrated around March 20th-22nd in the northern hemisphere and September 20th-22nd in the southern hemisphere. During this time the length of night and day are equal. Ostara is named after the Germanic goddess Ēostre but she may have been avariant […]Ostara (The Spring Equinox)

[irunevenus]

Pagan Festivals: The Transition to Christian Festivities

Over the centuries, the Catholic Church incorporated and adapted various pagan festivals in an effort to Christianize them, a process that transformed ancient rites and celebrations into dates on the Christian calendar. This religious syncretism had profound cultural and social implications, shaping traditions that we still practice today. This article examines some of the major pagan festivals that were transformed into Christian festivals, highlighting the details of each.

Winter Solstice and Christmas

Pagan Festival: Saturnalia and Yule

Saturnalia: Celebrated in December in ancient Rome, Saturnalia honored Saturn, the god of agriculture. It lasted several days and included feasting, exchanging gifts, decorating homes with plants, and a temporary suspension of social norms, where slaves were allowed to participate in the festivities as equals.

Yule: In Nordic countries, Yule celebrated the winter solstice. Customs included lighting the Yule log, which burned for several days, and performing rituals to ensure the return of the sun and fertility in the following year.

Christianization: Christmas

The choice of December 25 as the birth date of Jesus Christ was adopted in the 4th century. Elements such as the Christmas tree, present in the Yule festivals, and the exchange of gifts, similar to Saturnalia, were integrated into the Christmas celebrations.

Spring Equinox and Easter

Pagan Festival: Ostara

Ostara: In Germanic paganism, Ostara (or Ēostre) was the goddess of spring and fertility. Festivities in her honor included rituals to ensure the fertility of the fields, decorated eggs symbolizing new beginnings, and rabbits, associated with fertility.

Christianization: Easter

Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, occurring after the spring equinox. The symbols of the egg and the rabbit were incorporated into Christian celebrations, maintaining their connotations of rebirth and fertility.

Samhain and All Saints' Day

Pagan Festival: Samhain

Samhain: Celebrated by the Celts on October 31, Samhain marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. It was believed that the veil between the world of the living and the dead was thinner, allowing communication with spirits. Customs included lighting bonfires, dressing in costumes to ward off evil spirits, and offering food to the dead.

Christianization: All Saints' Day and Halloween

With Christianization, Samhain was transformed into All Saints' Day (November 1) and All Souls' Day (November 2). The eve of the day, October 31, became Halloween, maintaining traditions such as costumes and jack-o'-lanterns, derived from pagan practices.

Lupercalia and St. Valentine's Day

Pagan Festival: Lupercalia

Lupercalia: A Roman festival of purification and fertility, held on February 15. Rituals included the sacrifice of goats and dogs, followed by a race in which young men beat passersby with strips of goat skin, supposedly to promote fertility.

Christianization: St. Valentine's Day

St. Valentine's Day, on February 14, was associated with St. Valentine, a Christian martyr. Celebrations of love and romance, including the exchange of letters and gifts, replaced the rituals of Lupercalia, but retained the themes of union and fertility.

Summer Solstice and St. John's Day

Pagan Festival: Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice: Celebrated on June 24 in many European cultures, it involved bonfires, dancing, and rituals to honor the sun and ensure protection and a good harvest. In pagan tradition, this was a time of abundance and light.

Christianization: St. John's Day

The celebration was Christianized as St. John the Baptist's Day. Bonfires of St. John are still common in many regions, reflecting the continuity of pagan rituals adapted to the Christian context, with bonfires, dances and community feasts.

Conclusion The adaptation of pagan festivals by the Catholic Church is a testament to the process of religious syncretism that has marked the history of Christianity. By absorbing and transforming pagan traditions, the Church not only facilitated the conversion of new believers, but also ensured the continuity of many cultural practices. Understanding these origins can enrich our appreciation of contemporary celebrations and reveal the complex layers of our shared cultural heritage.

This article reflects the rich tapestry of traditions that make up our festive calendar, offering an in-depth insight into how pagan celebrations were intertwined with Christian festivities to form the dates we know today.

The usurpation of pagan festivals by the Catholic Church was a deliberate and multifaceted strategy, motivated by reasons of conversion, consolidation of power, and cultural integration. Here are some of the main reasons:

Facilitating Conversion

Religious Syncretism:

By adapting pagan festivals into Christian festivities, the Church made Christianity more palatable to pagan converts. By maintaining festive dates and incorporating familiar elements of pagan celebrations, the transition to the new faith became less disruptive and more appealing.

Recognition and Familiarity:

By replacing or transforming popular festivals, the Church was able to introduce Christian concepts into a context that was already meaningful to the people. This helped promote faster acceptance and easier adoption of the new religious practices.

Consolidation of Power

Cultural Unification:

By integrating pagan festivities, the Catholic Church was able to unify diverse cultures under a common religious calendar, strengthening social and religious cohesion in newly converted areas. This made it easier to administer and control the emerging Christian communities.

Suppression of Pagan Practices:

By replacing pagan festivals with Christian celebrations, the Church attempted to suppress pagan practices and beliefs that were seen as competing or heretical. By transforming pagan rituals into Christian practices, the Church weakened competing religious traditions.

Cultural Integration

Preservation of Local Traditions:

The Church often adopted local cultural practices into its Christian festivals, creating a sense of cultural continuity. This helped preserve elements of indigenous cultures while also promoting Christian identity.

Attachment to Significant Dates:

Many pagan celebrations were tied to natural cycles, such as solstices and equinoxes, which were deeply meaningful to agricultural communities. By Christianizing these dates, the Church maintained the relevance of these celebrations to people’s daily lives.

Strategy Examples

Christmas and Saturnalia/Yule:

Choosing December 25th as Christmas, which coincided with festivals such as Saturnalia and Yule, was a way to incorporate these popular celebrations. This helped integrate the veneration of Jesus with already established traditions of joy, gift-giving, and family festivities.

Easter and Ostara:

Easter, celebrated near the spring equinox, was easily integrated with pagan festivals that celebrated rebirth and fertility. The symbols of eggs and rabbits associated with Ostara were assimilated into the Christian tradition, maintaining the relevance of these symbols to the new religion.

All Saints' Day and Samhain:

Transforming Samhain into All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day allowed the Church to Christianize one of the most important pagan festivals, associated with death and the afterlife. Halloween, held on the eve of Halloween, retains many elements of pagan traditions.

Conclusion

The Catholic Church’s usurpation of pagan festivals was a complex and strategic process designed to facilitate conversion, consolidate power, and integrate cultures. By adapting and transforming pagan festivals, the Church not only succeeded in suppressing competing practices, but also preserved cultural elements that helped unify Christian communities. This approach to religious syncretism has shaped the way many festive traditions are celebrated today, reflecting both cultural continuity and transformation over the centuries.

[the-mortuary-witch]

PAGAN AND SATANIC HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, LET ME KNOW IF I MISSED ANYTHING.

PAGAN:

IMBOLC (CANDLEMAS): (February 1st-2nd) a festival dedicated to the goddess of the New Year (Brigid).

OSTARA (SPRING EQUINOX): (March 19th-23rd) marks the Spring Equinox, which happens on March 19th-23rd. Ostara is a Pagan celebration of the German goddess Ēostre.

BELTANE (MAY EVE): (April 30th-May 1st) the Gaelic May Day festival, marking the beginning of summer. It is traditionally held between April 30th-May 1st, or about midway between the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice.

LITHA (SUMMER SOLSTICE/MIDSUMMER): (June 20th) Litha occurs during the Summer Solstice held on June 20th. More commonly referred to as Midsummer's Night, Litha is believed to be a time when faerie folk pass into the human world at Twilight and offer blessings. Litha is a time to celebrate the abundance and beauty of Mother Earth.

LAMMAS (LUGHNASADH): (August 1st) a Pagan holiday and one of the eight Wiccan sabbats during the year. Each sabbat marks a seasonal turning point. The sabbat occurs on August 1st, which is about halfway between the Summer Solstice (Litha) and the Fall Equinox (Mabon).

MABON (AUTUMN EQUINOX/FALL HARVEST): (September 22nd) represents the height of nature's abundance and usually falls on September 22nd. It is seen as the height of the harvest season and is a time to celebrate nature's bounty. Many also celebrate the balance in nature during Mabon.

SAMHAIN (ALL HALLOWS/FINAL HARVEST): (October 31st-November 1st) a festival dedicated to the dead and a celebration of the New Year.

YULE (WINTER SOLSTICE/MIDWINTER): (December 21st-25th) a Winter Solstice festival. The longest night of the year followed by the sun's "rebirth" and lengthening of days. In most traditions, Yule is celebrated as the rebirth of the Great God, who is viewed as the newborn solstice sun. Some Pagans consider Yule to be the beginning of the New Year

SATANIC:

LUPERCALIA: (February 15th) celebration of bodily autonomy, sexual liberation, and reproduction. Based on the Roman festival of the same name, Lupercalia falls on February 15. In keeping with the ancient tradition, February 13th and 14th are observed as feast days leading up to the actual holiday. What we are translating this to in TST is a "hail yourself" day. This idea offers a parallel to the "others-centered" traditions of Sol Invictus.

HEXENNACHT: (April 30th) occasion honoring those who fell victim to superstition and pseudoscience, whether by. In Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust: a Tragedy (1808), Mephisto and Faust attend the Walpurgisnacht revelry atop Mount Brocken. TST's Hexenacht is a solemn holiday to honor those who were victimized by superstition.

UNVEILING DAY: (July 25th) celebration of religious plurality and shedding archaic superstition. A centerpiece of our religious movement and icon of modern Satanism, the Baphomet with Children statue was commissioned by The Satanic Temple in 2014 and created by Mark Porter with "respect for diversity and religious minorities" in mind. On July 25, 2015, The Satanic Temple unveiled Baphomet to a large crowd of devotees in Detroit, signaling the beginning of the new Satanic era. We observe this milestone in Satanic history by celebrating Unveiling Day.

DEVILS NIGHT (MISCHIEF NIGHT): (October 30th-November 4th) an informal holiday on which children, teenagers and adults engage in jokes, pranks, vandalism, or parties. It is known by a variety of names including Devils Night, Gate Night, Goosey Night, Moving Night, Cabbage Night, Mystery Night and Mat Night.

HALLOWEEN: (October 31st) holiday to celebrate indulgence and embrace the darkness and its aesthetic. Halloween is consistently described as evil, demonic, and satanic by those steeped in religious dogma. Costumes, candy, and facing fears are to be embraced.

SOL INVICTUS: (December 25th) a holiday to celebrate indulgence and embracing the darkness and its aesthetic. The cult of Sol existed within Rome since its early days as a republic, and Invictus was an epithet used for Jupiter, Mars, and Apollo (among others). The festival celebrated these Gods and may have also been used to celebrate the winter solstice.

[nyctophiliac-muse-alafire]

Ēostre - Taurus in Spring

The word ‘Easter’ itself is derived from the Old English word ‘Ēastre’ or ‘Ēostre’. In turn, this is believed to be derived from the name of the pagan goddess Eostre also called Ostara or Eastre, a Germanic goddess associated with spring, fertility and dawn.

This is my rendition of ‘Taurus in Spring’ in the form of an ornate Easter Egg.

The egg symbolises new life & new beginnings. A fresh start to everything that I am and will be.

Ēostre - Taurus in Spring - adorned & ornate.

-AJ

Nyctophiliac Muse

[mautdesigns]

The Goddess Ēostre

Watercolor pens

Work in progress.

First project with these pens.

#mautdesigns #easter #EasterSunday #eostre #ostara #bunny #eggs #eastereggs #flowers #flowerstagram #watercolorpens #goddess