As the newly reborn sun races across the sky, the days become longer, the air warmer and, once again, life begins to return to the land. Twice a year, day and night become equal in length.To the elders of the Olde Way, these times, equinoxes, were markers in which seeds would be planted and then harvested. The first of these, the Spring or Vernal Equinox occurs on or about March 21st.The ancient goddess, Eostre, a Saxon deity who marked not only the passage of time but also symbolized new life and fertility, was the key symbol of the celebration of the Vernal Equinox, which was also known as Ostara. Legend has it that the goddess was saved by a bird whose wingshad become frozen by the cold of winter.
This process turned the bird into a hare.
Yet this was no ordinary bunny; this long-eared rabbit could also lay eggs!
Ostara is a spring
celebration marking the growing vitality of the god, and his mating
with the goddess. The rejoining takes place after the god rises from a
death-like sleep, marking another connection to Easter, which honors
the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Fertility symbols are
important aspects of Ostara, including eggs and rabbits, because of the
connection to mating. Pagans who observe Ostara often decorate their
altars with early spring growth and decorated eggs. The main symbols
for Easter are the egg, for new life or beginnings, and the
rabbit/hare, for fertility. This marks another one of the connections
between the old holiday of Ostara andEaster.
Relationship to Easter
As Christianity spread
across Europe and Britain, these older symbols became incorporated into
the new faith's holiday of Easter; even the name seems to have been a
variant of the Goddess whose festival was originally celebrated with
the arrival of spring. The old rites honoring the planting of new
seeds, the fertility of the land and its people, and the hope of the
new life arising in the world were replaced by solemn displays
commemorating Christ and Christian beliefs.
Even though it is connected
to pagan holidays, the Christian Church acknowledged the significance
of the Vernal Equinox. The Council of Nice decreed in 325 A.D. that
"Easter was to fall upon the first Sunday after the first full moon on
or after the VernalEquinox."
......
To continue please sign in with your Hotsposz ID... If you are new to Hotspotsz you can
register a new ID .
Articles similar to "Celebrating the Vernal Equinox"
The Wiccan pentacle has been added to the list of emblems allowed in national cemeteries and on goverment-issued headstones of fallen soldiers, according to a settlement announced Monday. A settlement between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Wiccans adds the five-pointed star to the list of "emblems of belief" allowed on VA grave markers.Eleven families nationwide are waiting for grave markers with the pentacle, said Selena Fox, a Wiccan high priestess with Circle Sanctuary ...Pagan prisoners win right to have 'magic wands'
Prison bosses have been instructed to let pagan inmates keep twigs in their cells...to use as wands. Officers have been told to allow prisoners to collect and decorate the twigs which they need for their rituals. It is the latest in a series of rulings to protect convicts" rights and ensure equality among different faiths. Followers of other faiths are allowed items such as a prayer mat to allow them to worship.The policy regarding pagans was announced by Justice Reform Minister Maria Eagle in a...Vatican Opens Pagan Tombs Under St. Peter's
A massive altar dedicated to an eastern cult deity has emerged during excavations of a Roman fort in northern England.
Weighing 1.5 tons, the four-foot high ornately carved stone relic, was unearthed at the Roman fort of Vindolanda, which was built by order of the Emperor Hadrian between 122-30 A.D.
The Romans built the defensive wall across the north of Britain from Carlisle to Newcastle-on-Tyne, to keep out invading armies from what is now Scotland.
What should have been...Pagan Religion Grows In Popularity
For many Halloween is a time for fun and dressing up, but for others it has a greater significance - some believe it to be a time for tradition and celebration while others perceive it assomething altogether more sinister."Witches, beware. Mummies, be gone.Halloween may be a celebration of all things creepy and macabre, but a growing number of US communities are shunning traditional ghoulish festivities, seen by some as tainted...Pagan festival held in Pittsburg
What better way to show God you appreciate him than to squander his most
precious gift, life, in a miasma of ruthlessness and gore? In addition to justifying Crusades, Witch Trials and Wars, this theological
breakthrough is also the main justification for the time-honored practice of
human sacrifice.
Sacrifices are perhaps the most ancient method to honor deities, going right
back to the earliest ancestor-worship religions of Egypt and Mesopotamia. The original theory was "everyone ...
Foldersz is an internal bookmarking system where you can save and organise Hotspotsz content (including this article) into a Folder of your own for later reference.
Paranormal Category List (A-Z)
All our articles are sorted under categories and topics, making it easier to cross reference different subjects. Below are all the different categories the articles are sorted under alphabetically.
91(91/0) 
Wiccans celebrate eclipse
Basque myths and legends: Mari, Ortzi and Ilargia
VA allows Wiccan symbols on headstones
Pagan prisoners win right to have 'magic wands'
Vatican Opens Pagan Tombs Under St. Peter's
Altar to Mysterious Deity Found at Roman Fort
Pagan Religion Grows In Popularity
How do you perceive Halloween ?
Pagan festival held in Pittsburg
History of Ritual Human Sacrifice
