Parentalia is celebrated between February 13 - 21. This Ancient Roman festival resonates with modern pagans as a way to connect with our ancestors.
During Parentalia the Ancient Romans honored their ancestors and thanked them for continued protection over their homes and families.
Danu is a mother goddess in the Celtic and Irish traditions. She is the goddess of fertility, creation, water, and the land.
We celebrate the Day of Danu on January 18.
The birch tree symbolizes starting over, fertility, rebirth, and regeneration. In fact, birches are one of the first trees to grow back after a forest fire.
Birch or Beithe, is the first tree of the Ogham, the Celtic tree alphabet. Beithe (pronounced ‘bey’) is the Gaelic word for birch and means inception or existence.
In ancient times, Janus was a god of beginnings and endings. He also represented the year's transitions from one season to another. In modern times, we recognize him as the god of doors and gates. He is depicted in art with two faces looking in opposite directions - one facing forward and one facing back."
Vodokres, or Vodice, is a Rodnovery nature holiday in the midst of the cold days of January, at the very beginning of the New Year.
Rodnovery pagans go outside in the cold and snow and honor the natural waters, celebrating them and everything connected to them with very odd rituals!
In ancient times, Janus was a god of beginnings and endings. He also represented the year's transitions from one season to another. In modern times, we recognize him as the god of doors and gates. He is depicted in art with two faces looking in opposite directions - one facing forward and one facing back."
What came first? Saturnalia or Christmas?
Saturnalia is an ancient Roman pagan holiday in honor of the god Saturn. Held on the 17th of December it has evolved from a one-day holiday to a week-long festival, ending on the 23rd.
Saturnalia also has a big influence on modern-day religions such as Christianity. Many Christmas traditions come from pagan celebrations such as Saturnalia.
Morana (Mara, Marzanna, Mora, Mare) is one of the Major Rodnovery deities. The Slavic Goddess of winter and darkness is associated with seasonal rites based on the idea of death and the rebirth of nature.
As the Goddess associated with winter’s death, rebirth, and dreams her death marks the end of Winter and the birth of Lada and Vesna, the deities of Spring.
Hogmanay is a centuries-old New Year celebration originating in Scotland. It is associated with the giving of gifts, good luck, and the saining of households in the spirit of out with the old and in with the new.
Originally, Hogmanay was celebrated at Samhain to rejoice in the harvest. It was later moved to coordinate with Yule and the Nordic influences.
Disablot is a Norse/Germanic pagan holiday that honors female deities. Female spirits of ancestors, Disir, Odin’s Valkyries, or other women in your life are honored. Frig, Freya, and Ostera are often celebrated.
Disir are female deities that honored women ancestors and were felt to guard the living. We honor women who give us life and their fertility.
The Dises by Dorthy Hardy (1909)
Celebrated in Scandinavia before Christian conquerors to enhance the coming harvest season. The holiday is also referred to as the “charming of the plow” after the namesake spell.
Dísablót is celebrated each year in Uppsala Sweden at the Disting festival around January 31. Traditionally this winter holiday was held during the vernal equinox.
The name Dísablót means Thing (or assembly) of the Goddesses. Celebrated in Sweden as the first Moot Fair of the season.
The Thing was a famous gathering where law and justice were discussed. Contracts were made and grievances were expressed. Bravery was honored and it was a time to consider how your acts affected others.
This holiday holds a great feast celebrating new beginnings. Offerings were made to female ancestors. Farmers asked for blessings for the future planting season.
In preparation for the feast, small cakes were baked. These cakes were then placed in the furrows the plow made as an offering to mother earth.
A time to give thanks for the coming spring and the fertility of the soil. During the ritual, the equipment, seeds, and fields would all be charmed for an abundant growing season.
The ancient legend states that the Swedish King told the goddess Gefjon she could take ownership of as much land as she could plow in one day.
Gefjon turned her four sons into oxen and they plowed the land from coast to coast.
Bake some small cakes to honor Mother Earth. Dig four holes in your garden in the cardinal directions and place a cake in each hole. Ask that the cakes bless the soil with fertility.
Lift your arms to the sky and ask that the Gods bless your garden with fertility and abundance.
Anoint your plow (or garden tools) with olive oil and herbs such as myrrh and cinnamon.
Celebrate this holiday by recognizing and honoring those women in your life that make a difference. What women this year have had an impact on you?
You may also want to celebrate Thorroblot this season.
The Nordic religion was the primary belief system in Scandanavian and Germanic countries before the spread of Christianity. We know about this faith due to oral histories, written accounts, artwork, and archaeological excavations.
The Norse religion thrives today. As with many modern pagan religions, there are various branches that people follow such as Asatru, Vanatru, or Heathenry among others. For the most part, they all embellish the following beliefs which come from the ancient Nordic people.
Odin is a man of intrigue, danger, love, and betrayal, to name but a few of his personal traits. The Allfather seeks and gives wisdom on his journeys, as a warrior, and a poet.
According to Prose Edda, the Allfather is the “highest and oldest of all the gods” and the literal father of many of the Aesir deities. He is the Norse God of Wisdom, Death, War, and Sorcery.
We will be taking a dive into his character and his nature. Odin is a man of intrigue, danger, love, and betrayal, to name but a few of his personal traits.
The Norse religion has a rich yet complex view of death and the afterlife. A Norse priest helps us break down the most important things to know.
What is Norse Paganism? A question that many have asked, from believer to scholar, and all of them have a slightly different answer.
In short, it is modern people adopting the religious practices of ancient Scandinavia and it's European territories.
Imbolc, also referred to as Candlemas or Oimelc, occurs on February 2, 2021. This is an exciting holiday of the returning light. Spring is coming!
The Celtic holiday honors Brigid, the fire goddess of healing, inspiration, and smithcraft. The mantra is refresh, renew, rededicate!
Imbolc is a cross-quarter holiday, midway between winter and spring. It’s one of the eight Wiccan Sabbats in the Wheel of the Year and one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals.
This year Sementivae falls on January 24, 2020
This Roman festival was also called Feriae and the exact dates were made by the local priests or magistrates. During this time, we honor Tellus (Mother Earth) and the Goddess of Agriculture Ceres. Sementivae is a grain-oriented festival that celebrates the preparation of the fields for sowing.
This year we celebrate Thorrablot ( Þorrablót) from January 24, 2021 to February 20, 2021. This Nordic holiday celebrates the Vikings and the Ancient Norse Gods with a mid-winter feast.
The “main” festival is held in Iceland with smaller festivals held throughout Scandinavia and wherever Nordic residents reside. Traditional music, dancing, and games are popular.
Yule is the celebration of the winter solstice the shortest day of the year. It typically happens on or around December 21. Modern pagans consider Yule a sabot and major holy day.
On Yule, we celebrate the end of dark times both physically and metaphorically. As I write this in 2020, we certainly can use an end to dark times.
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So, you want to become a Norse pagan? That's great! In general, pagan religions don’t ask you to convert, proselytize, or profess allegiance to a single God.
Norse paganism is open to anyone who believes in their deities and practices. There is a growing interest in Nordic religions. In fact, the old Norse religion is going through a major revival.