Notes
Actions and words to be performed by Aingeal Faire are in
red
, Madadh Allaidh de Doineann in
blue
. Actions and words that are preformed together are in
purple
.
The Altar is setup in the northeast and decorated torches mark the Quarters.
Opening
Casting The Circle:
Aingeal Faire starting at the East Quarter and progressing clockwise with the Athame casts the Circle. The words �This Circle round, I do conjure and cast, that nothing bane, shall enter or nor pass.� are recited while casting the Circle. A door is cut after the casting of the Circle.
The Challenge:
Aingeal Faire issues the Challenge �Who shall enter this Circle?�
Madadh Allaidh de Doineann answers �I shall.� and steps forward through the door.
Facing each other, they place their Athames at each other�s heart.
Aingeal Faire says, �It is better that you rush upon this blade then enter with fear in your heart, for this is a sacred place, full of many mysteries. How do you enter?�
Madadh Allaidh de Doineann answers, �With perfect Love and perfect Trust.�
Aingeal Faire lowers his Athame.
Madadh Allaidh de Doineann issues the Challenge �Who has cast this Circle that I now enter?� Aingeal Faire answers, �I have.� Madadh Allaidh de Doineann says, �It is better that you rush upon this blade, then invite me in with fear in your heart, as this is a sacred place, full of many mysteries, How do you invite me in?� Aingeal Faire answers, �In perfect Love and perfect Trust.� Madadh Allaidh de Doineann lowers her Athame. Aingeal Faire closes the door. Both walk to the Altar.
Blessing the Elements:
Both kneel at the Altar for a moment of prayer. Both rise. Aingeal Faire picks up the salt and blesses it with his Athame, saying �I bless this creature of the earth, casting out all that is bane, in the name of the God and Goddess, so mote it be.� Madadh Allaidh de Doineann picks up the water and blesses it with her Athame, saying �I bless this creature of the waters, casting out all that is bane, in the name of the God and Goddess, so mote it be.� Aingeal Faire pours the salt into the water, and Madadh Allaidh de Doineann places it on the Altar. Aingeal Faire picks up the incense and blesses it with his Athame, saying �I bless this creature of the air, casting out all that is bane, in the name of the God and Goddess, so mote it be.� Madadh Allaidh de Doineann picks up the cauldron of hot coals and blesses it with her Athame, saying �I bless this creature of fire, casting out all that is bane, in the name of the God and Goddess, so mote it be.� Aingeal Faire pours some of the incense into the cauldron, and Madadh Allaidh de Doineann gives him the cauldron. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann picks up the salt water from the Altar and moves to the North Quarter, Aingeal Faire moves to the East Quarter.
Consecrating the Circle:
Both move clockwise to consecrate the Circle. Aingeal Faire says �I consecrate this Circle with the powers of fire and air, that nothing bane shall enter nor pass.� as he traces the outline of the circle with the smoking cauldron. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann says �I consecrate this Circle with the powers of water and earth, that nothing bane shall enter nor pass.� As she sprinkles salt water to trace the outline of the Circle. Both walk to the Altar and place the salt water and cauldron on it after going completely around the Circle.
Opening - continued
Calling the Quarters:
Both move to the East Quarter. Aingeal Faire calls the East Quarter by saluting with his Athame and saying, �Hail to the Watchtowers of the East, Spirits of the Sky, we ask that you bear witness to our marriage. Hail and welcome.� Madadh Allaidh de Doineann lights the East torch. Both move to the South Quarter. Aingeal Faire calls the South Quarter by saluting with his Athame and saying, �Hail to the Watchtowers of the South, Spirits of Fire, ask that you bear witness to our marriage. Hail and welcome.� Madadh Allaidh de Doineann lights the South torch, and gives the lighter to Aingeal Faire. Both move to the West Quarter. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann calls the West Quarter by saluting with her Athame and saying, �Hail to the Watchtowers of the West, Spirits of the Waters, we ask that you bear witness to our marriage. Hail and welcome.� Aingeal Faire lights the South torch. Both move to the North Quarter. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann calls the North Quarter by saluting with her Athame and saying, �Hail to the Watchtowers of the North, Spirits of the Land, we ask that you bear witness to our marriage. Hail and welcome.� Aingeal Faire lights the North torch. Both move to the Altar.
Calling the God and Goddess:
Aingeal Faire calls the God by saluting with his Athame and saying, �Hail, Great Father, you who are known by many names, Lord of all that lives and therefore must die, we ask that you bear witness to our marriage, and grant us your blessing. Hail and welcome. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann lights the God candle. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann calls the Goddess by saluting with her Athame and saying, �Hail, Great Mother, you who and known by many names, Lady of all that is eternal, we ask that you bear witness to our marriage, and grant us your blessing. Hail and welcome.� Aingeal Faire lights the Goddess candle and says, �The Circle is cast and all are in attendance.�
Working
The Marriage:
Both face each other at the Altar. Aingeal Faire says to Madadh Allaidh de Doineann, �My word is my Honor, and my Honor is my Life. I give this pledge to you. That I shall be your friend and lover, through life�s trials and tribulations, that my strength shall be yours and that yours shall be mine, till the day when my heart no longer beats and my soul departs this world, if you will grant me the honor of being your husband.� Madadh Allaidh de Doineann answers �I will.� Aingeal Faire says to Madadh Allaidh de Doineann, �Then I give you this ring as a reminder of my Love when we are apart.� and places the ring on her finger. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann says to Aingeal Faire, �On this day I give to you that which is mine to give, my love. I pledge to you the first bite from my meat and the first drink from my cup. I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care. I shall be a shield for your back, and you for mine. I shall not slander you, nor you me. I shall honor and love you above all others for as long as love shall last. This is my vow to you. I give you this ring as a reminder of my pledge for when we are apart, wear it well my husband.� Aingeal Faire answers, �I will.� Madadh Allaidh de Doineann places the ring on his finger. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann picks up the Chalice and holds it out to Aingeal Faire. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann says, �As the Chalice is to the female�� Aingeal Faire says, ��The Athame is to the male.� Both say, �As it above, so it is below, that neither is higher than the other, and so conjoined, we become one.� Aingeal Faire dips the Athame into the Chalice when the word �one� is spoken. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann places the Chalice on the Altar and Aingeal Faire places his Athame on the Altar. They embrace and kiss.
Closing
Presentation and Dismissals:
Aingeal Faire presents Madadh Allaidh de Doineann to the God as his wife by saying, �Great Father, I present to you my wife and thank you for being with us at our marriage. Go if you must, but stay if you will. Hail and farewell.� Madadh Allaidh de Doineann extinguishes the God candle. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann presents Aingeal Faire to the Goddess as her husband by saying, �Great Mother, I present to you my husband and thank you for being with us at our marriage. Go if you must, but stay if you will. Hail and farewell.� Aingeal Faire extinguishes the Goddess candle. Both move to the East Quarter. Aingeal Faire presents Madadh Allaidh de Doineann to the East as his wife by saying, �Spirits of the Sky, I present to you my wife and thank you for being with us at our marriage. Go if you must, but stay if you will. Hail and farewell.� Madadh Allaidh de Doineann extinguishes the East torch. Both move to the South Quarter. Aingeal Faire presents Madadh Allaidh de Doineann to the South as his wife by saying, �Spirits of Fire, I present to you my wife and thank you for being with us at our marriage. Go if you must, but stay if you will. Hail and farewell.� Madadh Allaidh de Doineann extinguishes the South torch. Both move to the West Quarter. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann presents Aingeal Faire to the West as her husband by saying, �Spirits of the Waters, I present to you my husband and thank you for being with us at our marriage. Go if you must, but stay if you will. Hail and farewell.� Aingeal Faire extinguishes the West torch. Both move to the North Quarter. Madadh Allaidh de Doineann presents Aingeal Faire to the North as her husband by saying, �Spirits of the Land, I present to you my husband and thank you for being with us at our marriage. Go if you must, but stay if you will. Hail and farewell.� Aingeal Faire extinguishes the North torch. Both move to the center of the Circle. Aingeal Faire opens the circle by tracing it counterclockwise with his Athame. Aingeal Faire says, �The Circle is open, but unbroken.� Aingeal Faire presents both to the witnesses by saying, �I present myself and Madadh Allaidh de Doineann as husband and wife. For what the Gods have brought together, may no force rend asunder.�
We went and had a feast of steak, corn, baked potato, pecan, pumkin pie, and cheese cake. Yum!!!