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Showing posts with label Bel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bel. Show all posts

Tuesday 20 April 2010

Beltane

Beltane is the second most important Sabbat in the Wiccan calendar and the last of the three spring fertility festivals. It is a time for loving and finding a mate. In honour of the fire God, Bel, pagan fire festivals have been held since ancient times. Usually celebrated on May 1st, it is an excellent time to hold a wedding.

'The ancient Sumerian goddess Belili was a goddess of trees and willows in particular. She also ruled over the moon, love and the Underworld. As a willow-goddess, she resided over springs and wells. Belili was dramatically superseded by her willow-god consort Bel, who became the supreme lord of the universe through a solar (patriarchal) revolt against Belili's lunar (matriarchal) order. In Europe the Celts honoured Bel as Belin the sun-god, and his worship as 'lord of life and death' slowly entered Britain during tribal migrations and eventually ousted the indigenous lunar worship. Belin's feast days were 30th April and 1st May. So these celebrations became known as Beltaine and during them great fires were lit in Belin's honour.'

from 'Tree Wisdom' by Jacqueline Memory Paterson.

Next you will see an excerpt from the Beltane fire festival held in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2009.
Some nudity in this video.