Sabbats

The Sabbats

There are eight Sabbats in the witches' year, four Greater Sabbats and four Lesser Sabbats.
   The four Greater Sabbats are Candlemas, May eve, Lammas, and Halloween. These occasions correspond to the four great yearly feasts celebrated by the Druids, and Celtic ancestors. The Druidic names for them were:

Imbolc or Oimelc ~ Candlemas
Beltane ~ May eve
Lughnassadh ~ Lammas
Samhain ~ Halloween

The Lesser Sabbats are the two solstices (midsummer, midwinter) and the two equinoxes (spring, autumn)

Origin of the word Sabbat (to help those who wish to understand)

     "The word "Sabbat" has caused much specualtion as to it's origin. Some think it's the witches' 'Sabbath night', as opposed to the Christian day of rest. However, the latter is more properly Sunday. The Jewish Sabbath is Saturday, the seventh day that was kept holy. It takes its name from Shabbathai, Saturn, the planet which rules the seventh day. Sunday is the first day of the week; so to call it the Sabbath, though often done, is not really correct.
     However the word, 'Sabbat" has associations which are older than Christianity; and there is no reason to connect the festival of witches with the other Sabbaths.
     Sabadius or Sabazius was a title of the orgiastic god Dionysus, the god of ecstasy, who was worshipped with wild dances and revelry. The celebrants raised the cry of Sabai or Evoi Sabai!
     This seems the most likely derivation of the word 'Sabbat'. We find centuries later, accounts of the witches' dancing, in which this word is used as a cry: "Har, Har, Hou, Hou, danse ici, danse la, joue ici, jou la, Sabbat, Sabbat!" (Har, Har, Hou, Hou, dance here, dance there, play here, play there, Sabbat, Sabbat!)"
                                                                                               ~Doreen Valiente

Greater Sabbats:

Candlemas (Imbolc) - February 2nd:
Celebrates the early days of Spring and the awakening of the Mother. This Sabbat is often celebrated by huge bonfires. Cleansing and Purifications are a common rituals. Some believe that this is the festival of the Goddess Brigid, patron of poetry, and healing.

May eve (Beltane) - April 30th:
May eve, or May-day as some may know it as, celebrates the time in the Circle of Creation where the Mother and Father breathe new life into the World. It was believed that a child conceived onthis day was blessed by the Gods and destined for greatness.

Lammas (Lungnasadh) - August 1st or 2nd:
Lammas is the celebration of the harvest. Where we say good bye to summer with the recognition that the wheel of the Seasons is turning, and that winter will soon be approching. This is the time of year to give thanks to the Earth for it's beauty and all that it provides us.

Halloween (Samhain) - October 31st:
Halloween is the first Sabbat of the year. The veil between the worlds is very thin on this night, and we can reach out to our lost ones. Also known as The Feast of the Dead. It was a feast where people would place food outside their doors so that the spirits would not enter the house. It was also believed that if you placed a candle in your window it would guide the dead on their journey. The jack-o-lantern, the scary face on the outside was to scare away spirits who wish to harm, and the candle inside was to welcome the spirits of those you love.

Lesser Sabbats:

Yule (Winter Solstice, midwiner) - Around December 21st-23rd:
It is viewed as a tiem of rebirth. Often this day is celebrated by lighting candles or burning the Yule log. Some say this is the start of the new year in the Wiccan's wheel, but opinions will always differ. This is a time to look back on past achievements, and celebrate them.

Litha (Summer Solstice, midsummer) - June 21st:
This is a time when the powers and energies of the Earth are at their peak. During this Sabbat, magick of all kinds are practiced, but most especially spells concerning love, health, and family. Some believe that on the night of midsummer, faeries are able to visit our world.

Ostara (Spring Equinox) - Around or on March 21st:
This Sabbat focuses on long term creation. It is a time of love and birth. Spells that will take time to reach fruition are often cast at this time.

Mabon (Autumn Equinox) - Around or on September 21st:
This is the last harvest before the winter arrives. The God's energy wanes with the retreating Sun. This is the last holiday before Halloween ushers in a new year. This is a time to look back on past actions and reflect on past mistakes.

Everyone has different beliefs and rituals to honor these days, no way is the wrong way! Some call the Sabbats by different names or celebrate them differently. Accepting that a person's beliefs, are THEIR beliefs, is the key to understanding different people.

In order beginning from the start of the wiccan new year:
Samhein, Yule, Candlemas, Ostara, May eve, Litha, Lammas, & Mabon.