Lughnasadh/Lammas
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Lughnasadh/Lammas |
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Boudica's Lammas
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Although in the heat of a midwestern summer it might be
difficult to discern, the festival of Lammas (August 1) marks the end of summer
and the beginning of fall. The days now grow visibly shorter and by the time
we’ve reached autumn’s end (October 31), we will have run the gamut of
temperature from the heat of August to the cold and (sometimes) snow of November.
And in the midst of it, a perfect midwestern autumn. The history of Lammas is as convoluted as all the rest of
the old folk holidays. It is, of course, a cross-quarter day, one of the four
High Holidays or Greater Sabbats of Witchcraft, occurring one quarter of a year
after Beltane. Its true astrological point is fifteen degrees Leo, but
tradition has set August 1 as the day Lammas is typically celebrated. The
celebration proper would begin on sundown of the previous evening, our July 31,
since the Celts reckon their days from sundown to sundown. However, British Witches often refer to the astrological
date of August 6 as Old Lammas, and folklorists call it Lammas O.S. (Old
Style). This date has long been considered a “power point” of the zodiac, and
is symbolized by the Lion, one of the tetramorph figures found on the tarot
cards, the World and the Wheel of Fortune (the other three figures being the
Bull, the Eagle, and the Spirit). Astrologers know these four figures as the
symbols of the four “fixed” signs of the zodiac, and these naturally align with
the four Great Sabbats of Witchcraft. Christians have adopted the same
iconography to represent the four Gospel writers. “Lammas” was the medieval Christian name for the holiday,
and it means “loaf-mass”, for this was the day on which loaves of bread were
baked from the first grain harvest and laid on the church altars as offerings.
It was a day representative of In Irish Gaelic, the feast was referred to as “Lughnasadh”,
a feast to commemorate the funeral games of the Irish Sun God Lugh. However,
there is some confusion on this point. Although at first glance, it may seem
that we are celebrating the death of Lugh, the God of Light does not really die
(mythically) until the autumnal equinox. And indeed, if we read the Irish myths
closer, we discover that it is not Lugh’s death that is being celebrated, but
the funeral games that Lugh hosted to commemorate the death of his foster
mother, Taillte. That is why the Lughnasadh celebrations in The time went by
with careless heed Between the late
and early, With small
persuasion she agreed To see me through
the barley.... One common feature of the games was the “Tailltean
marriages”, a rather informal marriage that lasted for only a year and- a-day or
until next Lammas. At that time, the couple could decide to continue the
arrangement if it pleased them, or to stand back to back and walk away from one
another, thus bringing the Tailltean marriage to a formal close. Such trial
marriages (obviously related to the Wiccan handfasting) were quite common even
into the 1500s, although it was something one “ Lammastide was also the traditional time of year for craft
festivals. The medieval guilds would create elaborate displays of their wares,
decorating their shops and themselves in bright colors and ribbons, marching in
parades, and performing strange, ceremonial plays and dances for the entranced
onlookers. The atmosphere must have been quite similar to our modern-day
Renaissance festivals. A ceremonial highlight of such festivals was the Catherine
wheel. Although the Roman Church moved St. Catherine’s feast day all around the
calendar with bewildering frequency, its most popular date was Lammas. (They
also kept trying to expel this much-loved saint from the ranks of the blessed
because she was mythical rather than historical, and because her worship gave
rise to the heretical sect known as the Cathari.) At any rate, a large wagon
wheel was taken to the top of a nearby hill, covered with tar, set aflame, and
ceremoniously rolled down the hill. Some mythologists see in this ritual the
remnants of a Pagan rite symbolizing the end of summer, the flaming disk
representing the Sun God in his decline. And just as the Sun King has now
reached the autumn of his years, his rival or dark self has just reached
puberty. Many commentators have bewailed the fact that traditional
Gardnerian and Alexandrian Books of Shadows say very little about the holiday
of Lammas, stating only that poles should be ridden and a circle dance
performed. This seems strange, for Lammas is a holiday of rich mythic and
cultural associations, providing endless resources for liturgical celebration. Corn rigs and
barley rigs, Corn rigs are
bonny! I'll not forget
that happy night Among the rigs
with Annie! [Verse quotations by Robert Burns, as handed down through several Books of Shadows.] Document Copyright © 1986, 1995, 2005 by Mike Nichols. This document can be re-published only as long as no information is lost or changed, credit is given to the author, and it is provided or used without cost to others. Other uses of this document must be approved in writing by Mike Nichols. Revised: Tuesday, May 3, 2005 c.e. Please click here to go to Mike Nichols home page.
Other References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lughnasadh |
