Craft of the Wise
Witchcraft is probably the most misunderstood religion of all because for thousands of years mainstream religions, especially, unfortunately, Christianity, have been rewriting history to make Witchcraft into the evil they wish people to believe it is. In the early days of the Christianity, Paganism was a competetor. People were very attached to this ancient way of life they had always known and were reluctant to change. However, Christian leaders at the time were greedy and intolerant. They tried to force everyone to change to their system either because of the added revenue it would bring churches or because they believed these ancient religions were evil and must be expunged. In order to ease the Pagans into the Christian way of life, Christian leaders changed the names and dates of their holy days to match those of Wiccan holidays in hopes they would be able to adjust to these smaller changes. Among the holidays changed in this way were Christmas, Easter, and All Saints Day. For more info on how these holidays were changed, see below. Those who still refused to change were hunted down and killed by torture, hanging, and/or burning in what is known as the Burning Times. Women, who were once sacred because of their power to create life, were now considered demons and devil-worshippers and murdered by the hundreds of thousands. Men were also killed as witches but for the most part it was women who suffered. Cats, believed to be witches and demons in animal form, were also killed. This backfired horribly when the uncontrolled rat population gave rise to the Black Plague. This persecution by paranoid Christians continued all the way until the end of the 16th century with a few sparse incidents occuring even later. It wasn't until the mid-20th century that England finally repealed the last of its Anti-Witchcraft Laws. Since then, persecution has dropped off somewhat as the public rediscovers this religion and truthful information about it becomes more accessible. Eyes are beginning to open, but we still have a long way to go.
Wiccan Holy Days
Samhain (prounced SO-when or so-WIN)/All Hallows Day
Celebrated on November 1st or the nearest Full Moon, this is the holiest of all Wiccan holidays. It is the New Year as well as the last harvest before the onset of winter. According to legend, the night before this day is when the veil between the world of the living and world of the dead is thinnest and the dead can return to this world to visit their living relatives. It bears some similiarity to the Mexican holiday El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead). It is from this legend that Samhain acquired its name All Hallows. The night before it being called All Hallows Eve. This name evolved and changed over the years to become Halloween. It is a time to reflect on the past year, make peace with the decisions you have made and those who have passed, and make plans for the next year. Along with Beltain in May, Samhain is the oldest of the Fire Festivals. These are holidays traditionally celebrated with bonfires. To honor the god and/or goddess of harvest, dolls would be made out of corn stalks and tossed in the fire as an offering and symbol of thanks. This is also the day of mourning for the Goddess' consort, the God, who dies on this day and is reborn on the Winter Solstice as the Sun Child.
Yule/Winter Solstice
Celebrated on December 21st or the nearest Full Moon, this holiday is the origin of much of the myth surrounding the Christian holiday Christmas. In Wiccan legend, this is the day the Goddess' son and future consort, the God, is born/reborn as an infant. This legend was based on natural reality. The Wiccans saw the Sun as the God. From the Winter Solstice to the Summer Solstice, the amount of daylight increases and the sun's light and heat grow stronger. From the Summer Solstice to the Winter Solstice, the daylight decreases and light and heat grow weaker. To Pagans, the Winter Solstice represented the Sun God's death. So when light began to increase once again on the Winter Solstice, they saw it as the Sun begin reborn as a child which "grows up" as the Sun's light and heat grow stronger. In actuality, the Sun's light stops decreasing on the 21st but doesn't begin to increase again until the 25th. This is why in Roman tradition, the god Saturn died on the Solstice, spent the 3 days in the Underworld and was reborn on the 25th which was celebrated as Saturnalia. Christians found that their story of the birth of Jesus and the Pagan story of the birth of their God were so similar they changed the date of Jesus' birth to December 25th match this holiday to convince Pagans to convert. Wiccan traditions of the Winter Solstice are still with us in Christmas tradition. Yule logs, decorated Christmas trees, Holly branches, Santa Claus, mistletoe, and gift-giving are all remnants of the Wiccan tradition.
More to Come!
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