Messages in the Moonlight

Wiccan Holidays

This is a speech that I wrote for my speech and debate class in 2002. It's very general information on the days of power in Wicca, but hopefully it will be of some help. I intend to include more information on each of the Sabbats in the future.

Wiccans celebrate eight sabbats, or holidays, a year. These sabbats may be called by many different names or celebrated on slightly different days, depending on the tradition the individual follows. The stories that go along with each sabbat may also be different depending on tradition. Today, I will only be discussing the names, dates, and stories that I personally believe.

The first sabbat I will be discussing is Yule. Yule is generally celebrated on December twenty-first. Keep in mind that many religions celebrate some sort of divine birth around this time. In Wicca, this is the day that the Goddess gives birth to the God. The Goddess rest after labor until the next sabbat. This is the shortest day of the year. To celebrate, Wiccans light candles or bonfires to welcome the Sun's return.

The next sabbat is Candlemas, which is celebrated on February second. The God is now seen as a young man. After recovering from giving birth to the God, the Goddess causes seeds to sprout to show the first signs of Spring. This is the sabbat of purification and the festival of light and fertility. In ancient Rome, this would be the Festival of Pan. The Priests of Pan would run through the streets, wearing goatskin cloth, and whip men and women to make them fertile. An old Scandinavian custom would be for young maidens to wear crowns of lit candles.

Ostara is the next sabbat of the Wiccan year. It is usually celebrated on March twenty-first. On this first day of true Spring, the God grows to maturity while the Goddess blankets the Earth with fertility. This is a time of beginnings, of action, of tending gardens, and of throwing out the old and taking on the new.

The next sabbat on the Wheel of the Year is Beltane, celebrated on May first. Upon reaching manhood, the God's struggle of trying to win the Goddess' affection finally pays off. It is the day that the Goddess and God wed, and the Goddess becomes pregnant. Beltane is a common time for handfastings, or Wiccan weddings. On this day, it is believed that the veil between the worlds of the living and dead is thin. Mischievous spirits are at play, making it a bad day for any form of divination.

Midsummer is celebrated on June twenty-first. Being the longest day of the year, Midsummer celebrates the God at the peak of His power. All powers of nature are also at their highest points. Bonfires were once leapt to encourage fertility, purification, health, and love on this day.

Lammas is the next sabbat, celebrated on August first. The God is losing strength as the nights grow longer. The Goddess is saddened as She realizes that the God is dying, but She is happy as She remembers that She is pregnant. We are reminded that nothing in the Universe is constant, including death.

The next sabbat is Mabon which is usually celebrated on September twenty-first. The God is preparing to leave His physical form. As the God is dying, the Goddess can feel Him burning within Her womb. This is a time for throwing out the old and taking on the new. It is different from Ostara in that during Mabon we are putting our mistakes behind us so that we may move on without guilt or regret.

Samhain is viewed by some Wiccans as the most important sabbat. It is celebrated on October thirty-first. It marks both the ending and the beginning of the Wiccan Year. It is the day that the God passes away. It is a time of reflection, and of coming to the terms of the phenomenon of life known as death. It is the day when the veil between the worlds of the living and dead is at its thinnest. Wiccans leave a place at the dinner table for any loved ones who have died and would like to visit. Contrary to belief, Wiccans do not summon the dead. We believe in reincarnation so there is always the chance that they have already begun their next incarnation. It is a custom to leave a candle in the window to welcome the spirits of loved ones and to drive away unwelcomed spirits. This custom is what eventually led to Jack-o-lanterns. Unlike Beltane, Samhain is the perfect time for all forms of divination.

Aside from these eight sabbats, Wiccans also celebrate esbats, or smaller holidays. An esbat occurs every month on the night of the full moon to honor the Goddess at the peak of Her power. Thirteen full moons occur each year. The sabbats and esbats together make twenty-one holidays per year. There are other important days throughout the year that some consider holidays or special days, but others may not even recognize them. These holidays together create the Wheel of the Year; a wheel that is always spinning and never breaks.