Spring Equinox
The Spring Equinox takes place on the 21st of March, and for modern Pagans has come to signify the first day of Spring1. Many Pagans, especially Germanic or Norse inspired Pagans, refer to the festival as 'Eostre', or Ostara.
Eostre is attested to by Bede as the name of the month during which a goddess of the same name would be honoured2. It is unclear however, if there was one big festival, many festivals, or indeed if any of them took place during the Equinox. There is the possibility that Eostre herself is a dawn goddess, as her name has cognates in various other IE languages that refer to the dawn and goddesses of the dawn3.
Modern Pagans celebrate the Spring Equinox in a number of ways, as the beginning of spring, celebrations usually centre on ideas of growth, planting, renewal and new life4. Many Pagans also engage in egg decorating, which, although an ancient practice, is not necessarily one that can be attributed to any forms of IE Paganism (but has been practiced by Christians since very early on)5.
In my protogrove at this time of year, we honour Eostre as the dawn goddess, bringing the 'dawning of the light half of the year'. For us, it's a solar festival during which we try to entice the reluctant dawn goddess to bring her light and warmth back to the world.
Words - 243
The Spring Equinox takes place on the 21st of March, and for modern Pagans has come to signify the first day of Spring1. Many Pagans, especially Germanic or Norse inspired Pagans, refer to the festival as 'Eostre', or Ostara.
Eostre is attested to by Bede as the name of the month during which a goddess of the same name would be honoured2. It is unclear however, if there was one big festival, many festivals, or indeed if any of them took place during the Equinox. There is the possibility that Eostre herself is a dawn goddess, as her name has cognates in various other IE languages that refer to the dawn and goddesses of the dawn3.
Modern Pagans celebrate the Spring Equinox in a number of ways, as the beginning of spring, celebrations usually centre on ideas of growth, planting, renewal and new life4. Many Pagans also engage in egg decorating, which, although an ancient practice, is not necessarily one that can be attributed to any forms of IE Paganism (but has been practiced by Christians since very early on)5.
In my protogrove at this time of year, we honour Eostre as the dawn goddess, bringing the 'dawning of the light half of the year'. For us, it's a solar festival during which we try to entice the reluctant dawn goddess to bring her light and warmth back to the world.
Words - 243
1McColman,
C. (2002). Chapter 13 - The Wheel of the Year. In The complete
idiot's guide to paganism. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha.
2Hutton,
R. (1996). The stations of the sun: A history of the ritual year
in Britain (p. 180). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
3Ibid.
4McColman,
C. (2002). Chapter 13 - The Wheel of the Year. In The complete
idiot's guide to paganism. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha.
5Black,
V. (2004). Welcome to the church year: An introduction to the
seasons of the Episcopal Church (pp. 99-100). Harrisburg, Pa.:
Morehouse Pub.
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