The days are again beginning to grow shorter as the sun, having passed its longest point at the Summer Solstice, marches steadily towards a time of equal light and dark again at the Fall Equinox . This celebration of harvest begins what the "chase of Lugh". Lugh is the name of the Celtic Sun God and He rains down upon the crops, living within the golden fields. This is the time of the first harvests. At this celebration we give thanks to the Earth for its bounty and beauty. It is from these harvests that we eat through the upcoming winter. Honoring the God Lugh, games and sports are played to celebrate strength and good health. The grain Goddesses Demeter and Ceres are also honored. This is a time to harvest the dreams planted earlier in the year.
Like all the Old Religion sabbats, Lughnasadh was appropriated by the Christian Church, where it got its more common name of Lammas, which means "loaf mass". "Loaf Mass" was a reference to the first loaves of bread baked from the harvest, which were placed on the altar. In its original form, the first loaves were baked and cut with great ceremony into Bannock and given to the God/dess and/or eaten with reverence (shades of the body of christ?).
A ceremonial highlight of such festivals was the 'Catherine wheel'. A large wagon wheel was taken to the top of a near-by hill, covered with tar, set aflame, and ceremoniously rolled down the hill. The flaming disk representing the sun-god in his decline. And just as the sun king has now reached the autumn of his years, his rival or dark self has just reached puberty.
Readings:
Mike Nichols' Essay
Scott Cunningham's
Perspective
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