The Winter Solstice in the Celtic Religion
The druids and Celtic tribes celebrated the winter solstice as the waning of the dark half of the year because it was the shortest day and longest night of the year. The longer hours of sunlight after the winter solstice heralded the beginning of the light half of the year. The winter solstice was also a magical time when Belenus, the Celtic god of the sun, died and was reborn as a powerful sky god. The moon goddess was also venerated as an enchanted deity who brought light into the darkness.
The Irish goddess, Caer Ibormeith, was one of the many moon goddesses who helped guide the two-day celebration of the winter solstice because the moon was present in the sky for the longest night of the year.
The Yew, Elder, Holly and Silver Fir played were used as symbols of death and rebirth in the ceremonies and rituals performed by the druids.
The winter solstice took place during the shortest day and longest night of the year. The celebration marked the end of the dark half of the year and the beginning of the light half of the year.
The spiritual meaning of the shortest day of the year was the death of the old sun god, Belenus. The rebirth of Belenus was welcomed and celebrated by the Celts when the hours of sunlight began to grow longer.
The festival began with rituals taking place on the eve of the winter solstice. The druids performed sacrifices to honour Belenus, as the old sun god as he sadly passed away. The death of Belenus took place at the end of the winter solstice.
The death of the old sun god was mourned by lighting a fire with the branches of Elder trees, the tree most associated with death in the Celtic religion. The holly tree and the Lynx were considered sacred to the old sun god, Belenus, during the dark half of the year.
The rebirth of Belenus was celebrated as a feast day as it marked the first day of the light half of the year. Belenus was born-again as the new sun god. The new sun god began his life-cycle with longer hours of sunlight during the day. The Celts and druids regarded this time as a new spiritual beginning filled with hope and joy. Feasts were prepared to celebrate the rebirth of Belenus.
Veneration of the moon goddess was important as the goddess brought light into the darkness of night. Aine was the young, beautiful goddess of the moon in Ireland as well as a deity of light, cattle, love and growth. Cerridwen was associated with the waning of the moon in Wales and normally portrayed as an old crone.
Epona was a goddess of horses in many Celtic nations. The goddess, Epona, was connected to the moon and night as a divine prophetess of dreams and magic.
The start of the light half of the year was a happy, magical time. The Celtic tribes gathered branches of red and white berries from plants such as mistletoe, yew, ivy and holly to decorate their homes.
Mistletoe was important because it was a magical healing plant associated with fertility, love and good fortune. The druids ritually gathered mistletoe which grew around Oak trees. They believed mistletoe harvested during the winter solstice contained the soul of the Oak tree until the spring.
Some tribes as, for example, the Treveri in the Rhineland collected boughs of Silver Fir to honour Artio, the goddess of fertility. Artio was venerated during the winter solstice in the hope goddess would help with births.
The Celts chanted and danced, sometimes into a frenzy, around campfires on the eve of the light half of the year. They awaited the rebirth of the sun god, Belenus, in a joyful and festive mood. The bull and the Oak tree were considered sacred to Belenus as a sun god of the light half of the year.
The feasts began when the rays of a born-again Belenus finally appeared in the sky. The Celtic tribes celebrated with an excess of food and wine. Presents were exchanged such as charms and amulets to ensure good fortune and abundance for the coming year.
Dianos was venerated as a Celtic god of the light half of the year among the Celts of Britain, Ireland, the Rhineland, Gaul and Iberia (or modern-day Spain and Portugal) during the Iron Age. The god, Dianos, means “Bright One” and “Light Half”.
He was portrayed as a two-headed god who guarded the entrance to the Land of the Dead in the Otherworld. The attributes of Dianos in the mortal realm included the winter solstice, reincarnation, portals and lightning. The Oak tree was considered sacred to Dianos possibly because he was an enchanted god of portals to the Otherworld.
A famous sculpture of Dianos was found in a cemetery on Boa Island in Northern Ireland. Dianos was depicted as two male figures who faced in opposite directions and were connected by their hair ( Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JanusFigureBoaIsland.jpg)
The strength of the traditions of the druids and the Celtic tribes of Britain, Ireland and Europe are still present today. The rituals and practices of the Celtic religion were popular because they offered followers a deep, spiritual experience. The celebration of the winter solstice represented a celebration of the mysticism and rebirth of nature. The winter solstice attracts a worldwide audience because the sheer beauty of nature still resembles a miracle of the gods.
For more information on the Celtic gods and goddesses of Britain, Ireland and Europe, please visit http://celtsandmyths.mzzhost.com/index.html
The druids and Celtic tribes celebrated the winter solstice as the waning of the dark half of the year because it was the shortest day and longest night of the year. The longer hours of sunlight after the winter solstice heralded the beginning of the light half of the year. The winter solstice was also a magical time when Belenus, the Celtic god of the sun, died and was reborn as a powerful sky god. The moon goddess was also venerated as an enchanted deity who brought light into the darkness.
The Irish goddess, Caer Ibormeith, was one of the many moon goddesses who helped guide the two-day celebration of the winter solstice because the moon was present in the sky for the longest night of the year.
The Yew, Elder, Holly and Silver Fir played were used as symbols of death and rebirth in the ceremonies and rituals performed by the druids.
The winter solstice took place during the shortest day and longest night of the year. The celebration marked the end of the dark half of the year and the beginning of the light half of the year.
The spiritual meaning of the shortest day of the year was the death of the old sun god, Belenus. The rebirth of Belenus was welcomed and celebrated by the Celts when the hours of sunlight began to grow longer.
The festival began with rituals taking place on the eve of the winter solstice. The druids performed sacrifices to honour Belenus, as the old sun god as he sadly passed away. The death of Belenus took place at the end of the winter solstice.
The death of the old sun god was mourned by lighting a fire with the branches of Elder trees, the tree most associated with death in the Celtic religion. The holly tree and the Lynx were considered sacred to the old sun god, Belenus, during the dark half of the year.
The rebirth of Belenus was celebrated as a feast day as it marked the first day of the light half of the year. Belenus was born-again as the new sun god. The new sun god began his life-cycle with longer hours of sunlight during the day. The Celts and druids regarded this time as a new spiritual beginning filled with hope and joy. Feasts were prepared to celebrate the rebirth of Belenus.
Veneration of the moon goddess was important as the goddess brought light into the darkness of night. Aine was the young, beautiful goddess of the moon in Ireland as well as a deity of light, cattle, love and growth. Cerridwen was associated with the waning of the moon in Wales and normally portrayed as an old crone.
Epona was a goddess of horses in many Celtic nations. The goddess, Epona, was connected to the moon and night as a divine prophetess of dreams and magic.
The start of the light half of the year was a happy, magical time. The Celtic tribes gathered branches of red and white berries from plants such as mistletoe, yew, ivy and holly to decorate their homes.
Mistletoe was important because it was a magical healing plant associated with fertility, love and good fortune. The druids ritually gathered mistletoe which grew around Oak trees. They believed mistletoe harvested during the winter solstice contained the soul of the Oak tree until the spring.
Some tribes as, for example, the Treveri in the Rhineland collected boughs of Silver Fir to honour Artio, the goddess of fertility. Artio was venerated during the winter solstice in the hope goddess would help with births.
The Celts chanted and danced, sometimes into a frenzy, around campfires on the eve of the light half of the year. They awaited the rebirth of the sun god, Belenus, in a joyful and festive mood. The bull and the Oak tree were considered sacred to Belenus as a sun god of the light half of the year.
The feasts began when the rays of a born-again Belenus finally appeared in the sky. The Celtic tribes celebrated with an excess of food and wine. Presents were exchanged such as charms and amulets to ensure good fortune and abundance for the coming year.
Dianos was venerated as a Celtic god of the light half of the year among the Celts of Britain, Ireland, the Rhineland, Gaul and Iberia (or modern-day Spain and Portugal) during the Iron Age. The god, Dianos, means “Bright One” and “Light Half”.
He was portrayed as a two-headed god who guarded the entrance to the Land of the Dead in the Otherworld. The attributes of Dianos in the mortal realm included the winter solstice, reincarnation, portals and lightning. The Oak tree was considered sacred to Dianos possibly because he was an enchanted god of portals to the Otherworld.
A famous sculpture of Dianos was found in a cemetery on Boa Island in Northern Ireland. Dianos was depicted as two male figures who faced in opposite directions and were connected by their hair ( Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JanusFigureBoaIsland.jpg)
The strength of the traditions of the druids and the Celtic tribes of Britain, Ireland and Europe are still present today. The rituals and practices of the Celtic religion were popular because they offered followers a deep, spiritual experience. The celebration of the winter solstice represented a celebration of the mysticism and rebirth of nature. The winter solstice attracts a worldwide audience because the sheer beauty of nature still resembles a miracle of the gods.
For more information on the Celtic gods and goddesses of Britain, Ireland and Europe, please visit http://celtsandmyths.mzzhost.com/index.html
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