2017 Neo-Pagan Calendar
2017 Neo-Pagan Holidays
& Holidays of the Old Religions of Europe
(Greek, Roman, Slavic,
Celtic, Anglo-Teutonic & Norse)
12/25 to 1/5: Yule–Old Anglo-Teutonic festival honoring God Freyr, Goddess Freyja, and God Balder.
1/1: World Peace Day–Day to meditate for peace throughout the world. [Universal Hour of Peace: 7:00-8:00 a.m. EST.]
1/1 to 1/31: January dedicated to Old Roman God-Goddess Janus-Jana, who knows both past and future.
1/4: Day ethnic discrimination was outlawed world-wide (1969); day to mourn all manifestations of racism. [Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination: signed/adopted 3/7/1966; entered into force 1/4/1969.]
1/5 eve: Feast of Old Roman Goddess Befana, the old woman who flies on a broom, bringing gifts to all good children. [Roman calendar]
1/5 eve to 1/6 eve: Feast of God Poseidon, Goddess Amphritrite, and all Old Greek Gods and Goddesses of the seas. [a/k/a Poseidea] [Poseideon II 8]
1/12 (6:34 a.m. EST): Full Moon (Black/Death-Crone Moon). [a/k/a Capricorn Full Moon]
1/12: Day genocide was outlawed world-wide (1951); day to mourn all victims of genocide. [Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide: signed/adopted 12/9/1948; entered into force 1/12/1951.] [All should condemn all past genocides and, to prevent future genocides, should demand an end to persecution on account of any nationality, ethnicity, “race” or religion.]
1/12 eve to 1/16 eve: Rustic Dionysia–Old Greek festival honoring God Dionysos as patron of drama, poetry, music, and inspiration. Actors performed sacred drama, poets recited hymns, musicians played instruments, singers sang songs, and dancers danced. [Poseideon II 15-18]
1/13 to 1/25 (Icelandic 1/20; Old Icelandic 1/13): Old Norse Mid-Winter Feast–Offerings were made to the Deities (particularly Jord, Thor, and Freyr) for growth of crops. Toasts of mead and ale were made in honor of the Deities. [a/k/a Mid-Winter Blot, Midvetr, Midvetrarblot, Jordblot, Thorrablot, Freyrblot]
1/15: World Religions Day–Day to contemplate all religions as different paths to the one universal Deity of many names and aspects.
1/16 eve to 1/17 eve: Old Greek festival in which offerings were made to the Wind Gods of the eight directions. [Poseideon II 19]
1/24 to 2/1: Sementivae–Old Roman festival of sowing, honoring Earth Goddess Terra (Greek Gaia), Grain Goddess Ceres (Greek Demeter), and Seed Goddess Proserpina (Greek Persephone). [Roman calendar]
1/26 eve to 1/29 eve: Old Lunar New Year–Celebration of the Triple Goddess (Goddess of the Moon and the Seasons) being transformed from the Crone into the Virgin; celebrated with ritual bathing of divine images.
1/27 (7:07 p.m. EST) New Moon.
1/27 eve to 1/28 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Hekate, who guides all through transitions and crisis. [Poseideon II last day]
1/28 eve to 1/29 eve: Gamelion Noumenia–Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made. [Gamelion 1]
1/30 eve to 1/31 eve: Feast of the Charites–Day to honor the Old Greek Goddesses of beneficence. [Gamelion 3]
1/31 eve to 2/1 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Aphrodite–Day to honor peace and compassion. [Gamelion 4]
1/31 eve to 2/2 eve: Imbolc/St. Brigid’s Day–Old Celtic/Irish feast of Goddess Brigid; merged with the Christian feast of St. Brigid. Fires were lit to welcome Her as She traveled about blessing fields, animals, and people.
1/31 eve to 2/3 eve: Mid-Winter/Groundhog’s Day/Candlemas–Festival marking the transformation from death to life – the beginning of the agricultural year, awakening of hibernating animals, and return of migrating birds and fish. Observed with a candlelight procession to bless fields and seeds, recognition of newborns, and contemplation of life. [a/k/a Old European cross-quarter day, Neo-Pagan cross-quarter day, Wiccan cross-quarter day, Mid-Winter Sabbat]
2/1 to 2/14: Old Greek festival of God Dionysos, in which vines were pruned and sprinkled with wine, accompanied by ritual singing and dancing. [Originated in ancient Thrace; still celebrated in Bulgaria.] [a/k/a Trifon Zarezan, Viticulturists’ Day] [Roman calendar]
2/1 to 2/28: February dedicated to Old Roman God-Goddess Februus-Februa – purifier and protector of the home. Homes were cleaned and blessed, offerings of reparation were given, and peace was made.
2/1 to 2/28: Ethnic Equality Month–Time to honor all peoples and their positive traditions; time to meditate on the equality of all peoples, on the respect due to them, and on God-Goddess manifesting as African, Asian, Oceanic, Middle Eastern, European, Hispanic, and Native American. [Expands idea of African-American History Month a/k/a Black History Month.]
2/2: Death day of Marija Gimbutas (1994), archeologist who studied Old European Goddess- God spirituality. [Birthday 1/23/1921]
2/5 to 2/6: Feast of Old Romano-Egyptian Goddess Isis, the Healer–recalls Set (God of Challenges and Chaos) poisoning child God Horus, and Isis intervening, defeating Set, and healing Horus. [Roman calendar]
2/10 (7:33 p.m. EST): Full Moon (Cold/Seed Moon). [a/k/a Aquarius Full Moon]
2/13 to 2/15: Lupercalia/St. Valentine’s Day–Old Roman festival of God-Goddess Faunus- Fauna; merged with the Christian feast of St. Valentine – celebrating love of all kinds.
2/22: Caristia–Old Roman festival for renewing family ties and patching up quarrels. [Roman calendar]
2/26 (9:58 a.m. EST) New Moon.
2/27 eve to 2/28 eve: Anthesterion Noumenia–Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made. [Anthesterion 1]
2/28: Old Slavic Velja Noc/Great Night/New Year’s Eve–Spirits of the dead visit their living relatives, overseen by Veles, Lord of the Dead. People wearing animal masks and wool cloaks wandered through the villages representing the dead, and a grain effigy of the Morana of the old year was burned. Morana and Jarilo are born of Solntse (Goddess of the Sun) and Perun (God of the Sky). Veles steals Jarilo and raises him in Virey, realm of the dead. [a/k/a Wielkanoc]
3/1: Day the production and use of landmines was outlawed world-wide (1999); day to mourn their victims. [Convention on Landmines a/k/a Mine Ban Treaty] [The U.S. has not ratified the protocol.] [Landmines maim and kill civilians, including children. Those that survive endure a lifetime of hardship.] [All should renounce the production and use of landmines, and should demand removal and destruction of all existing landmines.]
3/1 to 3/31: Gender Equality Month–Time to honor both genders; time to meditate on the equality of women and men, on the respect due to both women and men, and on Goddess-God manifesting as woman and man. [Expands idea of Women’s History Month.]
3/2 eve to 3/3 eve: Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Eros–Day to honor love and passion. [Anthesterion 4]
3/4 eve to 3/5 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana/Slavic Diwitsa) – as creatrix, midwife of birthing creatures, protector of the young, and punisher of child abusers. [Anthesterion 6]
3/5: Navigium Isidis–Old Romano-Egyptian festival honoring Goddess Isis as Lady of the Moon and Ruler of the Sea; celebrated with the launching of a boat of offerings. Also celebrated with a procession to the sea and a procession of ships. [Roman calendar]
3/8: International Women’s Day–Day to mourn victims of gender-based oppression and misogyny (past and present), make peace, and celebrate women’s empowerment.
3/9 eve to 3/12 eve: Anthesteria–Old Greek festival honoring Dionysos as Plouton, God of the Dead, and welcoming the visiting dead from Elysium. The new wine was presented to Dionysos, and libations were made. [Anthesterion 11-13]
3/12 (10:54 a.m. EDT): Full Moon (Leaf/Seedling Moon). [a/k/a Pisces Full Moon]
3/15 to 3/21: Old Anglo-Teutonic festival of Goddess Ostara, celebrating the annual rebirth. Her Hare gave gifts of eggs – signifying rebirth.
3/17: St. Patrick’s Day–Old European festival marking rebirth of Viridios/the Green Man/Green George (God as deciduous vegetation); merged with the Christian feast of St. Patrick.
3/18 eve to 3/25 eve: Lesser Eleusinian Mysteries–Old Greek festival celebrating the marriage of Goddess Kore and God Dionysos, following their return from Elysium. Devotees dedicated themselves to service of Goddess and God after being purified by water and fire. Dionysos was identified with Plouton at Eleusis. While Demeter believed Her daughter to have been abducted and raped by Dionysos-Plouton, from the perspective of Kore-Persephone and Dionysos-Plouton, it was an elopement. [Anthesterion 20-26]
3/19 to 3/23: Quinquatrus of Minerva–Old Roman festival of Goddess Minerva (Greek Athena) – as font of artistic inspiration. [Roman calendar]
3/20 (6:29 a.m. EDT): Spring Equinox–Marks the beginning of Spring and point of equal daylight and darkness; celebrates first, annual, and perpetual Creation with egg hunts and exchanges. [a/k/a Old European turning-of-the-season day, Neo-Pagan turning-of-the-season day, Wiccan turning-of-the-season day, Spring Sabbat]
3/20: Old Slavic Jare–God Jarilo/Lado returns from Virey (the realm of the dead across the sea), to reunite with Goddess Morana/Lada. Their love and happiness bring the world light, warmth, and fertility. Celebrated with a youth on a horse leading a procession of boys and girls carrying boughs of greens and flowers to bless each house in the village. [a/k/a Jurjevo]
3/21: World Forest Day–Day to celebrate the complex living community of trees, plants, birds, and mammals that live in forests world-wide; day to give thanks for forests for cleaning the air of pollution. [Forest once covered 50% of the world. Today, forest covers only 30% of the world. Since 1600, 90% of the original forests that once covered the lower 48 states of the U.S. has been cleared away. Most deforestation of North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia occurred before 2000 and has stabilized. Deforestation continues to accelerate in South America and Africa. The rate of world deforestation averaged 5.2 million hectares per year between 2000 and 2010.] [All should demand an end to deforestation, and should demand universal observance of sustainable management practices of the world’s forests.] [a/k/a World Forestry Day]
3/26: Birthday of Joseph Campbell (1904), who found Deity within all religions and myths. [Death day 10/31/1987]
3/26: Day production and use of biological weapons was outlawed world-wide (1975); day to mourn their victims. [Biological Weapons Convention] [20 countries are believed to have current or past biological weapons programs.] [All should renounce the production, acquisition, and use of biological weapons, and should demand destruction of all existing weapons.]
3/27 (10:57 p.m. EDT) New Moon.
3/28: Death day of Scott Cunningham (1993), who taught a reverent, ethical, egalitarian, and ecological form of Wicca. Wiccans create sacred space by calling on the powers of the four directions, invoke the Lord and Lady in their various guises, and raise power (through drumming, dance, and chant) to realize a positive purpose. [Birthday 6/27/1956]
3/28 eve to 3/29 eve: Elaphebolion Noumenia–Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made. [Elaphebolion 1]
3/30 eve to 3/31 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Athena – as protector and defender. [Elaphebolion 3]
3/31 eve to 4/1 eve: Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Hermes–Day to honor the divine feminine and divine masculine in harmony. [Elaphebolion 4]
4/1: Veneralia–Old Roman festival celebrating Venus (Goddess of Peace) vanquishing Mars (God of War) with love. She nurtures peace, friendship, and love; and punishes war-mongers, hate-mongers, and false friends and lovers. [Roman calendar]
4/2 eve to 4/3 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana/Slavic Diwitsa) – as protector of wild animals, vegetation, and places. [Elaphebolion 6]
4/4 eve to 4/5 eve: Asklepieia–Old Greek festival honoring Asklepios, God of healing, and Hygieia, Goddess of health. [Elaphebolion 8]
4/5 eve to 4/10 eve: City Dionysia–Old Greek festival honoring God Dionysos as patron of drama, poetry, music, and inspiration. Actors performed sacred drama, poets recited hymns, musicians played instruments, singers sang songs, and dancers danced. [Elaphebolion 9-13]
4/7: World Health Day–Day to pray for healing of all those chronically and seriously ill; day to advocate for adequate health care for all. [Day the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) was founded in 1948.]
4/11 (2:08 a.m. EDT): Full Moon (White/Virgin Moon). [a/k/a Aries Full Moon]
4/14 to 4/25 (Icelandic 4/20, Old Icelandic 4/13): Old Norse Summer Days Feast–Offerings were made to the Deities (particularly Odin, Thor, and Freyr) for success, peace, and plenty. Toasts of mead and ale were made in honor of the Deities. [a/k/a Summer’s Day, Sumardag, Sommerdag, Summer Blot, Sumarblot, Sigrblot, Odinblot, Freyjablot, Thorrablot, Sifblot, Freyrblot]
4/22: Earth Day–Day to honor the Earth and to meditate on Deity manifesting as Mother Earth. [a/k/a International Earth Day, National Earth Day]
4/22: Day the world’s nations guaranteed asylum to those persecuted in their homelands on account of their ethnicity, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group (1954). [Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees: signed 7/28/1951; entered into force 4/22/1954.]
4/25 eve to 4/26 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Hekate, who guides all through transitions and crisis. [Elaphebolion last day]
4/26 (8:16 a.m. EDT) New Moon.
4/26 eve to 4/27 eve: Mounikhion Noumenia–Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made. [Mounikhion 1]
4/28 eve to 4/29 eve: Feast of the Charites–Day to honor the Old Greek Goddesses of beneficence. [Mounikhion 3]
4/28 eve to 5/3 eve: Floralia–Old Roman festival devoted to Flora, Goddess of Flowers. [Roman calendar]
4/29: Day production and use of chemical weapons was outlawed world-wide (1997); day to mourn their victims. [Chemical Weapons Convention] [26 countries are believed to have current or past chemical weapons programs.] [All should renounce the production, acquisition, and use of chemical weapons, and should demand destruction of all existing weapons.] [a/k/a Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare]
4/29 eve to 4/30 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Aphrodite–Day to honor peace and compassion. [Mounikhion 4]
4/30 eve to 5/2 eve: Beltaine–Old Celtic/Welsh feast of Blodeuwedd (Goddess of Flowers) and Llew (the Oak King – God of the waxing Sun).
4/30 eve to 5/5 eve: Mid-Spring/May Day/Walpurgis–Celebrates sacred love and the flowering vegetation by gathering flowers and dancing around a Maypole. [a/k/a Old European cross-quarter day, Neo-Pagan cross-quarter day, Wiccan cross-quarter day, Mid-Spring Sabbat]
5/1 to 5/31: May originally dedicated to Old Roman Goddess Maia; later dedicated to Christian Lady Mary – Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate.
5/1 eve to 5/2 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana/Slavic Diwitsa), who represents the feminine in Nature and protects women throughout their lives. Women recognized the transitions in their lives and honored female fertility. [Mounikhion 6]
5/3 eve to 5/4 eve: Feast of God Poseidon, Goddess Amphritrite, and all Old Greek Gods and Goddesses of the seas. [Mounikhion 8]
5/4: National Day of Prayer–Day to pray for freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and separation of religion and government throughout the world.
5/9: Day the world’s nations committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which are causing climate change (1992); day to mourn the failure to reduce these emissions. [Due to these emissions, the planet has already started to experience the impacts of climate change: increased extremes of summer dryness (heat waves, droughts, and wildfires) and winter wetness (flooding); an increase in extreme weather (hurricanes and tornados); an increase of sea level (loss of coastline and loss of fresh water); a decrease in glaciers and polar ice caps; an increase in volcanic eruptions and earthquakes; loss of human habitat; loss of food availability (increase in food costs); and loss of plant and animal species (on land, in the oceans, and on the ice caps).] [Framework Convention on Climate Change: adopted 5/9/1992; signed 6/4/1992; entered into force 3/21/1994.] [The Kyoto Protocol, which includes mandatory reduction goals, was adopted by 180 nations 12/11/1997, signed 3/16/1998, and entered into force 2/16/2005.] [The U.S. has refused to ratify the Protocol. Total U.S. emissions have increased by 11% from 1990 to 2010. They have been increasing at an average annual rate of .5%. The U.S. is the biggest polluter on the planet. 25% of the planet’s carbon dioxide emissions is emitted by the U.S.] [All should demand universal observance of practices that effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions.]
5/10 (5:43 p.m. EDT): Full Moon (Flower/Corn-Planting Moon). [a/k/a Taurus Full Moon]
5/11 eve to 5/12 eve: Mounikhia–Festival of Old Greek Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana/Slavic Diwitsa), honoring Her as the Moon. [Mounikhion 16]
5/18: Feast of Old Greek God Pan, who represents the masculine in Nature and protects men throughout their lives. Men recognized the transitions in their lives and honored male fertility. [Roman calendar]
5/19: Old Celtic/Irish feast in which sacred healing wells and springs were adorned with flowers in honor of Goddess Brigid, daughter of Mother Goddess Danu and Father God Dagda. The Celts also threw offerings into the wells and springs.
5/22: Biological Diversity Day–Day to recognize that the survival of humanity is dependent on the survival of the many diverse species on the Earth: The extinction of other species will bring about our own extinction. [There has been a 40% loss of species between 1970 and 2000 due to habitat destruction, over-harvesting, and pollution. Our unsustainable consumption exceeds the biological capacity of the Earth by about 20%.] [And see the Convention on Biological Diversity: signed 6/5/1992; entered into force 12/29/1993.] [The Convention on Biological Diversity was contracted to ensure conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of biodiversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.] [All should demand universal observance of practices that effectively preserve all species of life, and should demand an end to habitat destruction, over-harvesting, and pollution of all kinds.] [a/k/a International Day for Biological Diversity, World Biological Diversity Day, Biodiversity Day]
5/25 (3:44 p.m. EDT) New Moon.
5/25 eve: Old European feast of the Triple Goddess (Goddess of the Moon and the Seasons), marking the transformation of the Virgin into the Mother.
5/26 eve to 5/27 eve: Thargelion Noumenia–Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made. [Thargelion 1]
5/29 eve to 5/30 eve: Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Eros–Day to honor love and passion. [Thargelion 4]
5/31 eve to 6/2 eve: Thargelia–Festival honoring Old Greek Goddess Artemis and God Apollo in which the community was purified. [Thargelion 6-7]
6/1 to 6/30: June dedicated to Old Roman Goddess Juno – partner of Jove (God of Happiness), protector of marriage and family, and punisher of abusive and adulterous spouses.
6/7 to 6/15: Vestalia–Old Roman festival honoring Goddess Vesta (Greek Hestia). Women made food offerings at the sacred hearths of home and temple. [Roman calendar]
6/8: World Oceans Day–Day to recognize the world’s dependence on the oceans for food and medicine; day to advocate for the sustainable management of all ocean resources and for an end to the pollution of the oceans with toxins and trash. [Fish stocks have collapsed in almost one-third of all ocean fisheries. The rate of decline is accelerating and total loss of fisheries could occur by mid-century. Fishery decline is caused by overfishing the stock, the loss of marine biodiversity associated with the stock, pollution, and climate change. Establishing core protected areas for each surviving stock and preventing the stock from being fished above the maximum sustainable yield are crucial for its survival.] [All should demand an end to pollution of the oceans, and should demand universal observance of sustainable management practices of ocean fisheries.]
6/9 (9:10 a.m. EDT): Full Moon (Rose/Berry Moon). [a/k/a Gemini Full Moon]
6/17: Day to celebrate Starhawk’s work in reclaiming the Goddess and raising Goddess-consciousness. She teaches an eco-egalitarian form of Wicca. Wiccans advocate for environmental protection and gender equality out of reverence for Goddess, who controls, and is manifested in, Nature. [The Wiccan rede is: Do what you will, but harm none.]
6/21 (12:24 a.m. EDT): Summer Solstice–Marks the beginning of Summer and the longest day and shortest night of the year; celebration of the light with dancing around a bonfire. [a/k/a Old European turning-of-the-season day, Neo-Pagan turning-of-the-season day, Wiccan turning-of-the-season day, Summer Sabbat]
6/21: Old Slavic Kupala–Goddess Morana/Lada and God Jarilo/Lado marry, bringing peace and ensuring a good harvest. Celebrated with ritual bathing, feasting, dancing around bonfires, and coupling. [a/k/a Noc Kupaly, Sobotka]
6/23 (10:31 p.m. EDT) New Moon.
6/24 eve to 6/25 eve: Skirophorion Noumenia–Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made. [Skirophorion 1]
6/26: Day torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment were outlawed world-wide (1987); day to mourn their continued existence. [Torture is an illegal, immoral, and ineffective means of interrogation and punishment. All officials have a legal duty and a moral obligation to refuse an order to commit torture and to prevent it from occurring. Anyone who attempts, conspires, or commits torture is legally culpable. All acts of torture should be investigated, prosecuted, and punished. Neither war nor civil strife nor emergency justifies torture.] [Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment: adopted 12/10/1984; signed 2/4/1985; entered into force 6/26/1987.] [All should condemn torture, and should demand an end to the use of torture – of anyone for any purpose.] [a/k/a International Day in Support of Victims of Torture]
6/26 eve to 6/27 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Athena – as protector and defender. [Skirophorion 3]
6/27 eve to 6/28 eve: Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Hermes–Day to honor the divine feminine and divine masculine in harmony. [Skirophorion 4]
7/1: Day the world’s nations committed to stop proliferation of nuclear weapons (1968); vigil to protest the production and use of all nuclear weapons world-wide. [Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons] [The U.S. used 2 atomic bombs on Japan in 8/1945: over 270,000 civilians died from the bombs and radiation. The original nuclear powers (including the U.S.) have failed to destroy their nuclear weapons in spite of the Treaty’s requirement that they work towards disarmament. 9 countries are known to currently possess nuclear weapons, and other countries are attempting to develop or acquire them, in spite of the Treaty’s prohibition.] [All should renounce the production, acquisition, and use of nuclear weapons, and should demand destruction of all existing weapons.]
7/1: Day endangered species became internationally protected (1975); day to celebrate all the world’s creatures. [Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora a/k/a C.I.T.E.S.: signed/adopted 3/3/1973; entered into force 7/1/1975.]
7/2: Day discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, gender, and religion was prohibited in public accommodations, employment, and education (1964). [The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson.] [Pub. L. 88-352, 78 Stat. 241, 42 U.S.C. 2000a et seq.]
7/9 (12:07 a.m. EDT): Full Moon (Red/Mother Moon). [a/k/a Cancer Full Moon]
7/14 to 7/25 (Icelandic 7/20, Old Icelandic 7/13): Old Norse/Icelandic Mid-Summer Althingi– Community gathering for democratic decision making. Forseti and Tyr, Gods of Justice and Self- Sacrifice, were honored. Toasts of mead and ale were made in honor of the Deities. [a/k/a Mid-Summer Blot, Midsumar, Midsumardag, Midsommerdag, Forsetiblot, Tyrblot, Almannathing, Althing]
7/20: Old Slavic festival of God Perun (the Thunderer). He fought God Veles (the Dragon) over the affections of Goddess Solntse (the Sun), by throwing lightning bolts from the top of the World Tree.
7/22 eve to 7/23 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Hekate, who guides all through transitions and crisis. [Skirophorion last day]
7/23 (5:46 a.m. EDT) New Moon.
7/23 eve to 7/24 eve: Hekatombaion Noumenia/Old Athenian New Year–Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made. [Hekatombaion 1]
7/25 eve to 7/26 eve: Feast of the Charites–Day to honor the Old Greek Goddesses of beneficence. [Hekatombaion 3]
7/26: Birthday of Dr. Carl Gustav Jung (1875), founder of archetypal psychology, which explores universal concepts of Deity and their relation to the individual psyche. [Death day 6/6/1961]
7/26 eve to 7/27 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Aphrodite–Day to honor peace and compassion. [a/k/a Aphrodesia] [Hekatombaion 4]
7/31 eve to 8/2 eve: Lughnasadh–Old Celtic/Irish Feast of Goddess Tailtiu and God Lugh (Deities of Sustenance and Light). The Celts would throw seven sacred woods into a fire in honor of the Gods and Goddesses.
7/31 eve to 8/7 eve: Mid-Summer/First Harvest/Lammas–Festival of thanksgiving for the first of the grain harvest; celebrated by offering the first fruits of the grain harvest and prayers for sustenance for all. [a/k/a Old European cross-quarter day, Neo-Pagan cross-quarter day, Wiccan cross-quarter day, Mid-Summer Sabbat]
8/1: Day the production and use of cluster munitions was outlawed world-wide (2010); day to mourn their victims. [The Convention on Cluster Munitions a/k/a C.C.M.: Treaty adopted 5/30/2008, signed 12/3/2008; entered into force 8/1/2010.] [The treaty was opposed by countries that produce or stockpile significant quantities of cluster munitions, including the U.S.] [Cluster bombs disperse smaller bomblets over a wide area. They are inherently inaccurate, making civilian casualties more likely. Unexploded cluster bombs remain a life-threatening hazard for civilians long after conflict ends.] [All should renounce the production and use of cluster munitions, and should demand removal and destruction of all existing cluster munitions.]
8/7 (2:11 p.m. EDT): Full Moon (Grain-Harvest/Thunder Moon). [a/k/a Leo Full Moon]
8/7: Gaia Consciousness Day–Day to meditate on Mother Earth as a living planet.
8/7 eve to 8/8 eve: Synoikia–Old Greek festival celebrating the peaceful cooperation of states. Offerings were made to Aphrodite and Eirene, Goddesses of friendship and peace. [Hekatombaion 16]
8/14 eve to 8/20 eve: Panathenaea–Old Greek festival of Goddess Athena – as daughter of Wisdom (Goddess Metis) and font of reason. [Hekatombaion 23-28]
8/19: Vinalia–Old Roman festival of thanksgiving for the first of the grape harvest; celebrated by offering the first fruits of the grape harvest and prayers for sustenance for all. [Roman calendar]
8/21 (2:30 p.m. EDT) New Moon.
8/22 eve to 8/23 eve: Metageitnion Noumenia–Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made. [Metageitnion 1]
8/23: Feast of the Furies–honoring Nemesis and the Erinyes, Old Greek Goddesses who punish murderers, abusers, and exploiters of others. [Roman calendar]
8/25: Old Roman festival of Goddess Ops, Lady of the Cornucopia, Bounty of the Harvest, and Sustainer of Life. [Roman calendar]
8/25 eve to 8/26 eve: Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Eros–Day to honor love and passion. [Metageitnion 4]
8/27 eve to 8/28 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana/Slavic Diwitsa) – as defender of rights and liberties, and punisher of rapists and oppressors. [Metageitnion 6]
8/28: Opening of the Second World Parliament of Religions (1993), attended by members of all the world’s religions. A Global Ethic was adopted that condemns hatred, aggression, oppression, and environmental abuses committed in the name of religion.
9/2 eve to 9/3 eve: Old Greek festival honoring Athena Polias and Zeus Polios as protectors of city and state. [Metageitnion 12]
9/3: Day gender discrimination was outlawed world-wide (1981); day to mourn all manifestations of sexism. [Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women: adopted by U.N. General Assembly 12/18/1979; signed 3/1/1980; entered into force 9/3/1981.]
9/6 (3:03 a.m. EDT): Full Moon (Harvest Moon). [a/k/a Virgo Full Moon]
9/15: International Day of Democracy–Day to celebrate democratic systems of government throughout the world, bound by rule of law, principles of human rights, and civilian control. Day to affirm democracy’s compatibility with all peoples, all cultures, and all religions. [In a democracy, both military and police are subject to rule of law and subordinate to civilian government. The military exists to protect the lawful civilian government and civilians; the police exists to enforce the law and protect people from criminals.] [a/k/a Democracy Day]
9/20 (1:30 a.m. EDT) New Moon.
9/20 eve to 9/21 eve: Boedromion Noumenia–Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made. [Boedromion 1]
9/21: International Day of Peace–Day to demonstrate for peace with justice throughout the world. [Peace can be realized where there is recognition of sovereignty/autonomy, compliance with just law, respectful behavior, responsible sharing of resources, cooperation to attain common goals, and reasonable compromise to enable all to meet lawful goals.]
9/22 (4:02 p.m. EDT): Autumn Equinox–Marks the beginning of Autumn and point of equal daylight and darkness; celebrates the bounty of Mother Earth with feasting and aiding those in need. [a/k/a Old European turning-of-the-season day, Neo-Pagan turning-of-the-season day, Wiccan turning-of-the-season day, Autumn Sabbat]
9/22: Old Slavic Dozhinki–At the end of the grain harvest, God Jarilo/Lado betrays Goddess Morana/Lada, and he returns to the realm of the dead. Morana’s anger and sadness causes the world to become dark, cold, and dead. As a God manifested in the grain, Jarilo’s “death” is recognized with the last of the harvest. [a/k/a Dozynki]
9/22 eve to 9/23 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Athena – as protector and defender. [Boedromion 3]
9/23 eve to 9/24 eve: Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Hermes–Day to honor the divine feminine and divine masculine in harmony. [Boedromion 4]
9/24 eve to 9/25 eve: Genesia–Old Greek festival in which offerings were made for the dead. [Boedromion 5]
9/25 eve to 9/26 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Artemis (Roman Diana/Slavic Diwitsa) – as the huntress, destroyer of life. [Boedromion 6]
10/1 eve to 10/2 eve: Demokratia–Old Greek festival celebrating democracy, constitutional government, and justice under law. Zeus Agoraios, Athena Agoraias, and Themis were honored. [Boedromion 12]
10/2 eve to 10/11 eve: Greater Eleusinian Mysteries–Old Greek festival recalling Goddess Demeter’s search for Her missing daughter Kore. Devotees fasted, ritually bathed in the sea, processed by torch-light to the temple, made ritual offerings, and danced. They honored Demeter (as Mother Nature), Goddess Kore (as the harvested grain), and God Dionysos (as the harvested grape) for bringing life, death, and rebirth. [Boedromion 13-21]
10/5 (2:40 p.m. EDT): Full Moon (Indigo/Wise-Crone Moon). [a/k/a Libra Full Moon]
10/14 to 10/28 (Icelandic 10/21, Old Icelandic 10/14): Old Norse Winter Nights Feast–The ancestors were remembered and offerings were made to the Deities (particularly the Norns, Freyja, and the Disir) to survive the season. Toasts of mead, ale, and cider were made in honor of the Deities. [a/k/a Veturnaetur, Winter’s Day, Winter Blot, Vetrarblot, Vinternalsblot, Freyjablot, Nornorblot, Disirblot, Disablot]
10/16 eve to 10/17 eve: Old Greek festival honoring Gaia and the Nymphs (the male and female Spirits of Nature). [Boedromion 27]
10/18: Day the Clean Water Act was enacted (1972); day to give thanks for the water we drink. [Pub. L. 92-500, 86 Stat. 896, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.]
10/19 (3:12 p.m. EDT) New Moon.
10/19 eve: Old European feast of the Triple Goddess (Goddess of the Moon and the Seasons), marking the transformation of the Mother into the Crone.
10/19 eve to 10/20 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Hekate, who guides all through transitions and crisis. [Boedromion last day]
10/20 eve to 10/21 eve: Pyanepsion Noumenia–Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made. [Pyanepsion 1]
10/21: Day military attacks on civilians were outlawed world-wide (1950); day to mourn all civilian victims of war. [All soldiers have a legal duty and a moral obligation to refuse an order to attack a noncombatant. Anyone who plans, orders, or carries out such an act is legally culpable. All attacks on noncombatants should be investigated, prosecuted, and punished.] [Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War a/k/a Fourth Geneva Convention: signed 8/12/1949; entered into force 10/21/1950.] [All should condemn all attacks on noncombatants, and should demand an end to them.]
10/22 eve to 10/23 eve: Feast of the Charites–Day to honor the Old Greek Goddesses of beneficence. [Pyanepsion 3]
10/23 eve to 10/24 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Aphrodite–Day to honor peace and compassion. [Pyanepsion 4]
10/25 eve to 10/26 eve: Proerosia–Old Greek festival in which fruits of all the harvest were offered to Goddess Demeter. [Pyanepsion 6]
10/28 to 11/3: Isia–Old Romano-Egyptian festival recalling Set (God of Destruction) killing God Osiris; Goddess Isis mourning Him, resurrecting Him, and conceiving God Horus with Him; and Osiris becoming Lord of Amenta, realm of the dead. He weighs souls against the Feather of Truth on Goddess Maat’s Scale of Justice, but defers to Isis for those who fail the test. [Roman calendar]
10/30 eve to 11/2 eve: Thesmophoria–Old Greek festival commemorating the transformation of Goddess Kore (Queen of the Living) into Persephone (Queen of the Dead), when She eloped to Elysium with Her partner, God Dionysos/Plouton, accompanied by Goddess Hekate and spirits of the dead. At Eleusis, Dionysos was considered the life aspect and Plouton the death aspect of the same Deity, just as Kore was considered the life aspect and Persephone the death aspect of the same Deity. Dionysos was wild, and subject to excess drinking, dancing, and sex. While Kore, Gaia, Zeus, and Helios considered Him to be a marital prize, Demeter thought otherwise. Consequently, She mourned their union by striking the Earth with famine. [Pyanepsion 11-13]
10/31: Day to mourn the women tortured and killed as “witches” because of their independence, wealth, wisdom, or religion.
10/31 eve to 11/2 eve: Samhain–Old Celtic/Welsh New Year and feast of Cerridwen (Goddess of Death) and Beli (the Holly King – God of the Waning Sun).
10/31 eve to 11/7 eve: Mid-Autumn/Day of the Dead/Hallowmas–Festival marking the transformation of life to death – the end of the agricultural year, departure of migrating and hibernating animals, and decay and death of vegetal and animal life. Observed by remembering departed ancestors and contemplating one’s own mortality. [a/k/a Old European cross-quarter day, Neo-Pagan cross-quarter day, Wiccan cross-quarter day, Mid-Autumn Sabbat]
11/3: World Community Day–Day for celebrating the unity behind diversity and remembering we are all one people – all children of the one universal Deity of many names and aspects.
11/4 (1:23 a.m. EDT): Full Moon (Wolf/Hunting Moon). [a/k/a Scorpio Full Moon]
11/7 eve to 11/10 eve: Apaturia–Old Greek festival in which newcomers and children were welcomed into the community. [Pyanepsion 19-21]
11/11 to 11/17: Old Anglo-Teutonic fast marking Hod (God of Darkness) unintentionally killing Balder (God of Light), and his true love Nanna (Goddess of Flowers) dying of a broken heart. The dead were honored.
11/16: Tolerance Day–Day to promote harmony in diversity through mutual respect and understanding of all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, nationality, or economic status. [Despite international and domestic laws providing for equal rights, freedoms, and protections, members of minority groups are still harassed and discriminated against because of societal intolerance arising from fear and ignorance.] [Intolerance often results from projection of “collective guilt”: it is immoral to blame an entire group for the acts of a member unless the entire group empowered the member who acted or endorsed the acts.] [a/k/a International Day for Tolerance]
11/16: Fast for an Abundant World Harvest–Day to fast and commit to action to help prevent deaths from malnourishment world-wide. [a/k/a Fast for a World Harvest]
11/16 eve to 11/17 eve: Khalkeia–Old Greek festival honoring Goddess Athena and God Hephaistos for their gifts of crafts and technology. [a/k/a Hephaistia] [Pyanepsion 28]
11/18 (6:42 a.m. EST) New Moon.
11/18 eve to 11/19 eve: Maimakterion Noumenia–Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made. [Maimakterion 1]
11/21 eve to 11/22 eve: Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Eros–Day to honor love and passion. [Maimakterion 4]
11/23: Thanksgiving Day–Day to give thanks for the abundance of our land and for our food, clothes, shelter, and health.
12/1: World AIDS Day–Day to pray for healing of all those suffering with AIDS and HIV.
12/3 (10:47 a.m. EST): Full Moon (Snow/Fire Moon). [a/k/a Sagittarius Full Moon]
12/10: Day the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted, and fundamental rights were recognized world-wide (1948). [The U.N. General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (U.D.H.R.) in Resolution 217 A(III).] [All should demand universal observance of all rights enumerated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – for all people.] [a/k/a International Human Rights Day]
12/13: Feast of the Light-bringer–honoring Goddess as Juno Lucina (Old Roman) & Lucia (Old Swedish); merged with the Christian feast of St. Lucia.
12/15: Day the Bill of Rights became part of the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing fundamental rights to all (1791). [a/k/a Bill of Rights Day]
12/17: Day the Clean Air Act was enacted (1963); day to give thanks for the air we breathe. [Pub. L. 88-206, 77 Stat. 392, 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.]
12/17 to 12/23: Saturnalia/Opalia–Old Roman festival honoring God Saturn (the weak Sun) & Goddess Ops (the fallow Earth); celebrated with gift-giving, revelry, and abolishment of all class distinctions. [Roman calendar]
12/18 (1:31 a.m. EST) New Moon.
12/18 eve to 12/19 eve: Poseideon Noumenia–Old Greek festival honoring all the Gods and Goddesses. Flutes were played; prayers were said; offerings of barley, olive oil, incense, and food were burned in an offering hearth; and libations of water and wine were made. [Poseideon 1]
12/20 eve to 12/21 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Athena – as protector and defender. [Poseideon 3]
12/21 (11:28 a.m. EST): Winter Solstice/Solar New Year–Marks the beginning of Winter and the shortest day and longest night of the year; celebration of the darkness with dancing near the hearth fire. [a/k/a Old European turning-of-the-season day, Neo-Pagan turning-of-the-season day, Wiccan turning-of-the-season day, Winter Sabbat]
12/21 to 12/22: Old European Festival of Evergreen Trees; merged into International Arbor Day. Celebrated by planting trees and hanging wreaths (symbols of eternal life).
12/21 eve to 12/22 eve: Feast of Old Greek Deities Aphrodite and Hermes–Day to honor the divine feminine and divine masculine in harmony. [Poseideon 4]
12/21 to 12/25: Old Romano-Egyptian festival of Goddess Isis giving birth to God Horus. [Roman calendar]
12/25 to 1/5: Yule–Old Anglo-Teutonic festival honoring Freyr and Freyja (Deities of Fertility) and the newborn Balder (God of Light), son of Frigga and Odin. Celebrated with evergreens, fires, and feasting.
12/25 eve to 12/26 eve: Feast of God Poseidon, Goddess Amphritrite, and all Old Greek Gods and Goddesses of the seas. [a/k/a Poseidea] [Poseideon 8]
12/28: Day the Endangered Species Act was enacted (1973); day to mourn those creatures already extinct. [Pub. L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884, 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.]
12/31: Feast of Father Time (Old Roman Saturn), who ultimately overcomes us all.
Permission to use and distribute these excerpts is granted for non-commercial purposes, provided the following information is included:
Excerpted from
THE MYSTIC’S WHEEL OF THE YEAR 2017
A Multifaith Calendar Reflecting Eco-Egalitarian Spirituality
© 2016 Marija Miovski
www.WheeloftheYear.com
