Sabbats
From Solitary Witches Wiki
The belief that witches convened in sabbats, assemblies characterised by obscene behaviour is a product of the Christian witch-hunts. It appears to have emerged in Europe during the 14th and 15th centuries. The origins of the sabbat seem to be a blend of seasonal pagan rites still in existence - most notably the great Drudic festivals of Beltane and Samhain - and the well established idea that heretics held obscene rites. The sabbat also may be related to the Bacchanalian and Saturnalian rites of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The term sabbat is Old French and is derived in part from the Hebrew Shabbath, "To rest", pertaining to the seventh day of the week designated by the Ten Commandments as the day of rest and worship.
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Overview
Some historians theorise that sabbat as it was applied to heretics and witches was anti-Semetic, for Jews were among the heretics. Similarly, heretics, and sometimes witches, were said to meet in synagogues, a term that also was used synonymously with sabbats. The sabbat became much more prominent in continental Europe during the witch-hunts than it did in England, where there is no record of a witch sabbat prior to 1620, except for the innocuous feast that was termed a sabbat in the Lancaster witch trials of 1612.
Sabbats in Modern Witchcraft
The concept of a diabolical witches sabbats has become ingrained in popular witch lore. Modern Witches - and many neo-Pagan - observe eight holy days a year that once were pagan seasonal festivals. These sabbats revolve around the changing of seasons and agricultural observances and have nothing to do with the Devil or diabolical rites.
Winter Solstice
The winter solstice marks the longest night of the year. The Goddess awakens from her sleep and finds she is pregnant with the Sun God. Solstice rituals, for both winter and summer, are universal and are intended to help the sun change its course in the sky. The winter solstice has been Christianised as Yule or Christmas.
Oimelc
A winter purification and fire festival, often called the Feast of Lights, Imbolc or Imbolg, which means "in the belly" and signifies the growing of life in the womb of Mother Earth. It celebrates Brigid, Irish Celtic Goddess of fire, fertility, crops, livestock, wisdom, poetry and household arts.
Spring Equinox
A solar festival, in which day and night, and the forces of male and female, are in equal balance. The spring equinox, the first day of spring, marks the birth of the infant Sun God and paves the way for the coming lushness of summer. Dionysian rites are performed. The Christian version of this sabbat is Easter.
Beltane
One of the great Celtic solar festivals, observed in earlier times with bonfires. Beltane rites celebrate birth, fertility and the blossoming of all life, personified by the union of the Goddess and Sun God, also known in Christianised lore as King Winter and Queen May.
Summer Solstice
One of the most important and widespread solar festivals both in Europe and throughout the world. In European tradition, the night before the solstice, Midsummer's Eve, is a time of great magic, especially for love charms.
Lughnasadh
A great festival of games and dance named for lugh, the Irish Celtic solar god.
Lammas
From the Old English terms for "loaf" and "mass", is a Christinised name for an old Saxon fruit-and-grain festival applied by the early English church.
Autumn Equinox
Once again, day and night and male and female forces are equal. The autumn equinox is the time of second harvests.
Samhain
An ancient Celtic festival that celebrates the beginning of winter, marked by death, and beginning of the Celtic New Year. Samhain means "end of summer." In ancient Ireland, the Druids sacrificed to the deities by burning victims in wickerwork cages.[1]
References
- ↑ Guiley, R. (1989) The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft, Facts on File, New York, New York
