Winter solstice day. Winter Solstice Day Cleansing Ritual
The word Yule comes from the Norwegian Iul, which means "wheel". The winter solstice marks the rebirth of the sun - the "great wheel of heaven." From the summer solstice to the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, the days visibly and constantly shorten. On the day of the winter solstice, the duration of daylight hours is minimal. Imagine how frightening this was to the tribes of ancient Europe. As the days grew shorter, there was less grain left in the fields. This ebb of energy was marked by the reign of the darkness of the night with its myriads of spirits and goblins. The ceremonies of our ancient ancestors were aimed at coaxing the sun: “Come back, oh, come back ...” - to restore light and life to the world.
There are two dominant themes in mythology that reflect the interplay of the energies of birth and death during the winter solstice. The first is the battle between the Holly King and the Oak King. Holly is an evergreen tree that can survive the cold of winter, representing the onset of winter. The Holly King is the Winter King, Lord of the Underworld of the dying year. He personifies the principle of death. At the other extreme is the oak tree, which has a dense crown and leaves that fall during the winter and comes into full force during the summer months. The Oak King is the King of the resurgent year, a time when the length of daylight increases. He personifies the principle of life. The Oak King wins; the principle of life triumphs over death during the winter solstice. The celebrations and symbols of the winter solstice reaffirm the principle of life.
The second mythological theme of the winter solstice is the sun-child, born to the “white lady,” the “snow witch” of winter. The myth tells us about the rebirth of the sun on the darkest night of the winter solstice. In traditional British covens, the high priest calls on the goddess to "bring forth a child" on the darkest night.
But what is the surge of energy of the winter solstice without the traditional figure of Santa Claus or, in our opinion, Father Frost? The Jolly Red Elf takes his name from the Christian Saint Nicholas. However, the Christian figure dates back to a pagan past. The name Nicholas (Nicholas) is not a mistake, it comes from the name Old Nick, or Nick (or Wodan), who was the old Scandinavian King of the Holly. The myths say that Nick flies on horseback; fans of German-Scandinavian mythology, I think, recognized the god Odin from the night sky, and does not at all ride on a sleigh drawn by deer (animals that, by pure chance, are one of the symbols of the pagan horned god).
The evergreens with which we decorate our homes at Christmas: pine, mistletoe and holly, are pagan symbols of eternal life. These plants embody the principle of eternal life, as they all grow luxuriantly in the seeming epicenter of death. Mistletoe was deservedly a revered magical plant among the Druids; they collected it only on the sacred days of the summer and winter solstices. Druid priests had to use a golden sickle to cut mistletoe from the branches of oak trees, which they considered teachers and sacred beings. Ancient manuscripts tell how the Druids made special tools to avoid touching the mistletoe with their hands during the cutting process. The cut mistletoe fell onto a white cloth, and a special priest had to sacrifice a bull or other sacred animal to the tree that donated the mistletoe.
Prayers
Dates are for 2016
The winter solstice is the time of the darkest and longest night of the year, when we reflect on the meaning of a variety of things. Why not do this in the form of Yule prayers and meditations? Use one a day as food for thought this holiday season.
Yule Prayer to the Sunrise
The sun is back!
The light is returning!
The earth is turning back to warmth!
The time of darkness has passed
And the path of light begins a new day.
Welcome, welcome, hot sun,
Bless us all with your rays.
Yule prayer to the earth
Just because the ground is cold doesn't mean there's nothing going on beneath the surface. Think about what's currently dormant in your life and imagine what it could blossom into in a couple of months.
This time of year is cold and dark,
The earth sleeps, waiting to return
The sun, and with it, life.
Deep below the frozen surface
Her heart beats, waiting
The right moment
To blossom.
Prayer to the Goddess of Winter
Despite the fact that some people hate cold weather, it does have its benefits. After all, a very cold day gives you a reason to wrap yourself up in a blanket at home with the people you love.
O Great Goddess, in a silvery icy robe,
You watch over us while we sleep
Covering the ground every night
A sparkling white blanket
Bringing frost to the world and souls.
We thank you for your visit.
Because you help us
Understand the value of warmth and comfort
Our homes and hearts.
Count Your Blessings - Thanksgiving Prayer
Yule is supposed to be a time of joy and happiness, but for many it is a very stressful time. During this season, take a moment and be grateful for the good things you have, and send your mental well wishes to all those less fortunate.
I'm grateful for what I have.
What I don't have, I don't regret.
I have more than some, less than others,
But still, I'm blessed with what I have.
You can use a knotted string, a witch's ladder, or a pagan rosary, for example, to count your blessings. Go through the beads or knots and say for each one what you are grateful for. For example:
First of all, I am grateful that I have health.
Secondly, I am grateful that I have a family.
Thirdly, I am grateful that I have a warm home.
Fourth, I am grateful that I have a thriving life.
Etc.
Prayer for the beginning of winter
At the beginning of winter, we see how the cloud completely covers the sky with a gray veil, and the smell of the first snow tickles our nose. Spend a few minutes thinking that even if the sky is cold and gloomy, it is only temporary.
You see, the gray sky above is preparing the way
The coming darkness.
Cold and lifeless
You see, the gray sky above is preparing the way
The longest night of the year
You see, the gray sky above is preparing the way
To the sun that will return one day
Bringing light with you!
Sunset Prayer – Yule Prayer for Sunset
The longest night is with us again,
The sun has set and darkness has fallen.
The trees are bare, the earth is already asleep,
And the sky is cold and black.
But we will rejoice in this long night,
Let's open our arms to the darkness that consumes us.
We welcome the night and all that will come
Together with the stars that shine for us.
Nordic Yule blessing
Yule is a time to leave behind enmity with those who annoy you. The northern peoples have a tradition that enemies who meet under a mistletoe branch are obliged to make peace. Set aside your differences as you reflect on this dedication.
Under the tree of light and life,
Blessings for the Yule season!
Everyone who sits by my hearth,
Today we are brothers, we are family,
I drink to your health!
Today is the day when I welcome
Everyone who crossed my threshold
In the name of the holiday.
Snow prayer - Yule prayer for snow
Depending on where you live, you may see snow long before Yule. But today meditate on his beauty, both when he falls and when he lies on the ground.
From the far north
Places of cold, blue beauty,
The first snowfall is coming to us.
The wind swirls the patching flakes,
Snow falls on the ground.
He makes us stay close to each other
Keeping warm.
He wraps everything that sleeps
A white blanket.
Prayer to all ancient gods for Yule
Yule, the time when we remember the ancient gods,
King Holly and King Oak
Remember Baldur! And Saturn! And Odin!
And Amaterasu! And Demeter!
And Ra! And the Mountain!
It's their season, and up there in heaven,
May they bless us on this winter day.
Celtic Yule Blessing
The Celts understood the importance of the solstices. Although Yule marked the middle of winter, the cold weather was just setting in. It was important to save some food for the coming months because it would be a while before we saw anything fresh and green. As you reflect on this dedication, think about what your family has put aside—whether it be material things or spiritual things.
Food stored for the winter
Grain set aside to feed
The cattle were taken from the fields,
And sheep from the pastures.
The land is cold, the sea is stormy, the sky is gloomy.
The nights are dark but we have a family
Relatives and friends around the hearth,
Basking in the heart of darkness.
Our spirit and love are a flame,
A ray of light that burns brightly in the night.
Blessing of the Elements for Yule
In the middle of winter, it can sometimes be difficult to remember that light is returning to the earth. However, despite the gray dreary days, we know that the sun will return and soon. Remember this on the nastiest days, when it seems winter will never end, and call on the four classic elements.
While the earth gets colder
The winds blow stronger
The fire is getting smaller
And there is more water
Let the light of the sun
Will find his way home.
Yule Prayer to the Sun
Great Sun, chariot of fire,
Hear as I honor You
On this shortest day,
When is the longest shadow?
In your absence the earth fell asleep,
Its dead and cold fields,
And summer is long gone -
Somehow it passed by.
But even in the darkest times
You give seeds of hope,
That shine brightly on our way,
Not allowing him to leave.
Winter is here, and it will still be cold.
The fields are empty and the thread of life is thin.
We will light candles in Your honor,
May you gather all the strength that you have.
You would give us life back then,
Come, we are always waiting for You!
O mighty Sun, I conjure You
Come back! Bring back the light and warmth of your fire!
Come back with life!
Come back with the light!
Glory to you, O Great Sun!
Happy Holidays, Be Blessed!
Original by Patti Wigington
Translation and adaptation of Modern Witch
Solstice is one of two days a year when the height of the sun above the horizon at noon is minimum or maximum. There are two solstices in the year - winter and summer.
On the day of the winter solstice, the sun rises to its lowest height above the horizon.
In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22, when the shortest day and longest night occur. The moment of the solstice shifts annually, since the length of the solar year does not coincide with calendar time.
In 2017, the winter solstice will occur on December 21 at 19.28 Moscow time.
The Sun, moving along the ecliptic, at this moment will reach its most distant position from the celestial equator towards the South Pole of the world. Astronomical winter will begin in the Northern Hemisphere of the planet, and summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
On this day, at the latitude of Moscow, the Sun rises above the horizon to a height of less than 11 degrees.
During these December days, the polar night begins above the Arctic Circle (66.5 degrees north latitude), which does not necessarily mean complete darkness for the entire day. Its main feature is that the Sun does not rise above the horizon.
At the North Pole of the Earth, not only the Sun is not visible, but also twilight, and the location of the star can only be determined by the constellations. A completely different picture in the area of the Earth's South Pole - in Antarctica at this time the day lasts around the clock.
On December 21, the Sun crosses the 18 o'clock meridian and begins to rise up the ecliptic, beginning its journey towards the spring equinox, when it crosses the celestial equator.
For thousands of years, the winter solstice has been of great importance for all the peoples of our planet, who lived in harmony with natural cycles and organized their lives in accordance with them. Since ancient times, people have revered the Sun, realizing that their life on earth depends on its light and warmth. For them, the winter solstice symbolized the victory of light over darkness.
Thus, in Russian folklore there is a proverb dedicated to this day: the sun is for summer, winter is for frost. Now the day will gradually increase, and the night will decrease. The winter solstice was used to judge the future harvest. In the old days, on this day they noticed: frost on the trees - to a rich grain harvest.
In the 16th century in Rus', an interesting ritual was associated with the winter solstice. The bell ringer of the Moscow Cathedral, who was responsible for striking the clock, came to bow to the Tsar. He reported that from now on the sun has turned to summer, the day is increasing, and the night is shortening. For this good news, the king rewarded the headman with money.
The ancient Slavs celebrated the pagan New Year on the day of the winter solstice; it was associated with the deity Kolyada. The main attribute of the festival was a bonfire, depicting and invoking the light of the sun, which, after the longest night of the year, was supposed to rise higher and higher. The ritual New Year's pie - loaf - was also shaped like the sun.
In Europe, these days began a 12-day cycle of pagan festivals dedicated to the winter solstice, which marked the beginning of a new life and renewal of nature.
On the day of the winter solstice in Scotland there was a custom to launch the sun wheel - “solstice”. The barrel was coated with burning resin and sent down the street. The wheel is a symbol of the sun, the spokes of the wheel resembled rays, the rotation of the spokes during movement made the wheel alive and similar to a luminary.
The winter solstice was determined earlier than all other seasons in China (there are 24 seasons in the Chinese calendar). In ancient China it was believed that from this time the male force of nature rises and a new cycle begins. The winter solstice was considered a happy day worthy of celebration. On this day, everyone - from the emperor to the commoner - went on vacation. The army was put into a state of waiting for orders, border fortresses and trading shops were closed, people visited each other and gave gifts. The Chinese made sacrifices to the God of Heaven and their ancestors, and also ate porridge of beans and glutinous rice to protect themselves from evil spirits and diseases. To this day, the winter solstice is considered one of the traditional Chinese holidays.
What is the Winter Solstice or Solstice??
The winter solstice is an astronomical event that consists of the Sun crossing the point of the ecliptic (the plane of rotation of the Earth around the Sun) most distant from the equator of the celestial sphere. For ordinary people, this will result in the fact that they will experience the shortest daylight hours and the longest night.
Every year this planetary event occurs on December 21 or 22. The time shift occurs due to the fact that the Earth revolves around the Sun not exactly in 365 days, but a little more. To compensate for the difference, every fourth year is a leap year and has 1 more day, not 365, but 366 days.WHEN WILL BE THE WINTER SOLSTICE DAY IN 2012:
In 2012, the Sun will pass through the corresponding point of the ecliptic on December 21, 2012 at 11:12 universal time. According to Moscow time, this is + 4 hours, or 15 hours 12 minutes.
HOW LONG WILL THE SHORTEST DAY LAST:
The shortest daylight hours will last about seven hours (depending on the location); to be precise, for Moscow the duration will be 6 hours 56 minutes. The Sun will rise at 10 hours 2 minutes and disappear below the horizon at 16 hours 58 minutes.
The Winter Solstice Day occupied an important place in the culture of many peoples. Aboriginal peoples still celebrate this day.
Winter Solstice Day is the most important and energetically powerful day of the year. This influence is felt several days before and after the Solstice.
These days it is very favorable to make plans for the whole year, dream and imagine what you want to bring to life next year. All this will have a special power, thanks to the natural rhythms.
The first 12 days after the Solstice are symbolically connected with the 12 months of the year. It is believed that these days you can change your destiny, because nature itself helps a person in this, reborn and starting a new cycle. It is important to spend the day of the Solstice in an energetic upsurge, joyfully and consciously. Everything that we want to invest in the New Year of our lives must be invested on this day.
Practice: What to do in Solstice? Making plans for the year and making wishes.
The Winter Solstice holiday is, in fact, a natural New Year. December 21 and 22 are the shortest days of the year. From 21 to 22 December is the longest night.
The days around the winter solstice are the best days of the year when you can really change your destiny. That is, to be reborn in the same way as the Sun. Three days before and three after are energetically charged times. Strong streams of energy descend on the Earth, which activate the matrix of creation.
Our ancient ancestors, I mean very ancient roots, reaching even to our pagan roots, attached special significance to this time.
Three days before the winter solstice is the time when you need to get rid of everything old, unnecessary, not useful in your life, character, home, soul. To restore order and make room for those new achievements that will happen in the New Year.
It is very important to meet the sunrise on Winter Solstice Day and congratulate it on its Birthday. Also, we can thank him for all the gifts that it brings us. This is important because by witnessing the sunrise on this day, we become witnesses and participants in the deepest rhythms of our lives, and do not wake up when everything has already happened with a lack of understanding of what is happening here.
The three days after the solstice are the most favorable for making plans for the year, making wishes and dreams about the future. All this will have a special power, thanks to the natural rhythms of nature.
These are very important seven days. Look deep into yourself, step away from the bustle of the world for a while, understand what you so dearly desire. After all, the sun, having been born on the day of the winter solstice, will begin to grow and give your embryos (dreams, desires) its Light and warmth and will fill them with growth in the same way as it fills everything in nature. They say that many wishes made in this way come true by the Summer Solstice (KUPALA June 21-22), when nature is at its peak.
Rituals for the Winter Solstice
Days around the winter solstice.
These are the best days of the year when you can really change your destiny. That is, to be reborn in the same way as the Sun. Three days before and three days after are energetically charged times. Strong streams of energy descend on the Earth, which activate the matrix of creation. Before the solstice, you need to mentally or in meditation get rid of everything unnecessary, outdated, both in your home and in your soul. You can write on paper everything you want to get rid of and burn it. After the Solstice, it is very favorable to make plans for the whole year (preferably written down in a notebook), make wishes, use intentions, and conduct meditations for yourself and for the whole Earth. All this will have special power thanks to the natural rhythms.
Meeting the Sun.
On the morning of December 22, try to meet the sunrise and congratulate it on its birth, thank it for everything it gives us.
Feeling of turning.
The turning, which occurs in the very center of the night of the year, has a special power, by joining which, all living things will begin their ascent to manifestation. In the darkest time of the year it is easier to sleep, leaving this moment to the will of vague dreams, far from external reality. However, by witnessing this event, we give ourselves the opportunity to participate in the deepest rhythms of our lives, to keep up with the times from the very beginning, and not to wake up in the middle of the second act of life's drama, asking “What is going on here?” The main thing on the day of the Winter Solstice is to feel this turn, to reproduce it as some kind of internal movement. If you set yourself such a goal, options will come, let your creativity, your sunny side manifest itself here, this is important. The day should not go “as usual”, put a little more of your strength into it, show up in it a little brighter than yesterday. Do something in it that you never got around to doing before. But this task should not be cumbersome and take a lot of energy out of you. Only to feel that there are a little more of them and be sure to get joy from it.
Plans and desires.
The solstice opens the zodiac sign of Capricorn, the sign of goal formation. On this day, you definitely need to find time to touch the depths of your life. Step back from the superficial hustle and bustle of everyday life and pay attention to what is happening inside you, in your life. And starting from this foundation, find what ideas of yours are waiting to be born, brought to life, what is ready to become a plan for the future. This way you will fill them with the power of the growing Sun.
First, you need to sit down and think carefully about which of your true desires and dreams have you given up on and are firmly convinced that they will never come true? Write them down on paper and re-read them again. It turns out that all the desires and dreams voiced on this longest night of the year have a real chance of coming true, since along with the regenerating power of the Sun, the power of your dreams also grows. Speak your dreams out loud, taste them, feel them on your skin. Do you really want THIS? Then go for it! Send a mental message to the Higher Powers, the forces of the Sun and expect your dreams to come true. A little more, and your desires will begin to “warm up”, then “take root”, and then “bloom”, most likely by the summer solstice. But keep in mind that to make your dreams come true, it’s not enough to just want it very much on the night of December 22, you also need to make real efforts to achieve them.
Replay those areas of life and tasks in which you have approached a radical transformation, the need to change, something that has burdened your life for a long time, since Pluto, moving from sign to sign, reveals such problems, takes them to a new qualitative level, and provides opportunities to concentrate on them, show clarity and asceticism in their resolutions. This should not be a difficult, protracted introspection - you are just getting involved in this process, you just need to touch, note, and time will help you understand this in detail, perhaps even in the coming days, when what you started will respond with sudden insights. Do not look in your inner world for something that is not there, that is not yet ready to be formed. You must conduct this meditation in such a way that you come out of it not tired and satisfied. The unusual nature of the cosmic situation at the solstice suggests that the fulfillment of these ideas in any case will go through deep work on the place of these projects in your life.
12 magical days.
And one more interesting point. Everyone knows: “Whatever you name the yacht, that’s how it will sail.” Once you start a business, it will continue to go. As you celebrate the New Year or birthday, so will the next year. The beginning of any cycle paints its future with subtle but firm strokes. At any beginning, like in a clock, there is a coiled spiral that will unwind the entire course of development and release the energy of this beginning.
The rhythm of the annual circle is associated with the number 12: 12 signs of the Zodiac, 12 months, 12 stages of the unfolding of this cycle. And the first 12 days are symbolically connected with the 12 months of the year. There is an opportunity to talk with twelve brothers-months gathered at the same time around the New Year's bonfire. To see their small circle, when in the middle of winter February passes the staff to March, that to April, etc. But there are many options for what to consider as a beginning. Let's try to figure it out.
You can count in different ways, first of all from the solstice itself - the central cosmic event from which all other dates of the winter holidays originated. You can take 12 days from the generally accepted New Year, which is often recommended - I’m sure it will also work. These are all “beginnings”, each in its own frame of reference. There is another “beginning” that the ancients celebrated during this special period of the year. This is December 25, Spiridon-Turn in the folk calendar, according to the 12 days after which the weather of each of the twelve months was judged: December 26 corresponds to January, December 27 to February, and so on. According to tradition, Kolyada is not celebrated on the very day of the Solstice. And this date has its own physical meaning. By winter, the star rises lower and lower above the horizon. And during and after the solstice, for several days, the height of the Sun above the horizon does not change - it seems to stand still, freezing. And only after December 25th the day “at the sparrow’s leap” arrives, the ascent of the Sun, which has turned for summer, becomes visible (!). Kolyada is followed by 12 days of Christmastide, 12 Holy Days, symbolizing the twelve months of the year (the day of Kolyada itself is not included in the number of Holy Days). All the cards are in hand, choose the date from which you can begin your entry into the small circle of months behind your basket of snowdrops.
On the winter solstice - the true turn of the Sun, along a path coming from the very core of this world, in which there will always be an unlimited depth hidden from the obvious.
Or after the ancient Kolyada - along with the growing day, when the process of the birth of the Sun becomes visible, embodied in more obvious, understandable, earthly forms. Well, or starting from the first day of the New Year - the beginning of the year accepted by society, the general collective rhythms in which one way or another we all live, but where there is very little room for the truly personal. So, the first day will correspond to January, the second to February, etc. You just need to be attentive, filter out what is happening “as always and with everyone” these days and what is personal and special. Even just a general condition that begins in the morning can be different for each day. What is it like: restless, tense or joyful, overflowing with energy. In what rhythm did the day pass, did it fly by instantly or was it extended in time, smooth or full of events. Any accident that attracts attention, the symbolism of everyday events can be significant. If you encounter a problem, don’t just walk away from it, pay attention to it, solve it in the best possible way, or plan how to optimally solve it in the future. Once you've solved a small problem (finally fixing the family photo frame), you'll be ready for the big decision later. Do not succumb to negative provocations, stop yourself from responding in kind, catch this process and carry it out at a high level. If you are planning something for a certain month, try reading these symbols in this meaning. This process is two-way. On the one hand, these images show what has already been invested in the coming year, and on the other hand, by our reaction, we correct them, laying down our personal involvement in them, the level of quality and readiness to solve them.
Family meeting.
In the soul of every person there is a need, dating back to ancient times, to get together with the whole family at least once a year. On the eve of the winter solstice, gather with your family and watch the sun set as it departs for the last time under the reign of the Holly King. Then invite everyone into the house and light the Yuletide wooden dummy.
Make the equivalent of a Yuletide wooden dummy by following our tutorial:
1. Take a piece of wood, preferably oak, approximately 10 centimeters in diameter and 25 centimeters long.
2. Drill 3 holes in the top of the log. Then wrap foil around the bottom of the three red candles and insert them into the holes.
3. Decorate the tree with holly, ivy or mistletoe, light these three candles, and celebrate the return of the bright King. When the holidays come to an end, save this item until the next winter solstice.
Give joy to the World.
On the 22nd, and throughout the coming days, give up arrogance and complacency, but find an opportunity for generosity, help in some common cause or other people, without asking for reciprocal gratitude. Keep under control any manifestations of individualism, greed, arrogance, sarcasm, great conceit, the desire to push everyone aside and subjugate. From now on, do your best to help release light into this world, rejoice and give joy to others.
December 21 (date indicated for 2016) is the winter solstice. Solstice is one of two days a year when the height of the sun above the horizon at noon is minimum or maximum. There are two solstices in the year - winter and summer. Solstice is one of two days a year when the height of the sun above the horizon at noon is minimum or maximum. There are two solstices in the year - winter and summer. On the day of the winter solstice, the sun rises to its lowest height above the horizon.
In the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice occurs on December 21 or 22, when the shortest day and longest night occur. The moment of the solstice shifts every year, since the length of the solar year does not coincide with calendar time.
In 2016, the winter solstice will occur on December 21 at 13.45 Moscow time
After the longest night of the year, which will last about 17 hours, real astronomical winter will begin. The Sun will descend to its maximum in the southern hemisphere of the sky, that is, moving along the ecliptic, it will reach its lowest declination. The length of the day at the latitude of Moscow will be 7 hours. The sun crosses the 18 o'clock meridian and begins to rise up the ecliptic. This means that after crossing the celestial equator, the luminary will begin its path to the spring equinox. During the winter solstice, the sun does not rise above a latitude of 66.5 degrees at all - only twilight at these latitudes indicates that it is somewhere below the horizon. At the North Pole of the Earth, not only the Sun is not visible, but also twilight, and the location of the star can only be determined by the constellations. On December 21, the sun crosses the 18 o'clock meridian and begins to rise up the ecliptic, beginning its journey towards the spring equinox, when it crosses the celestial equator.
Winter Solstice Day among the Ancient Slavs
The winter solstice has been observed since ancient times. Thus, in Russian folklore there is a proverb dedicated to this day: the sun is for summer, winter is for frost. Now the day will gradually increase, and the night will decrease. The winter solstice was used to judge the future harvest: frost on the trees meant a rich grain harvest.In the 16th century in Rus', an interesting ritual was associated with the winter solstice. The bell ringer of the Moscow Cathedral, who was responsible for striking the clock, came to bow to the Tsar. He reported that from now on the sun has turned to summer, the day is increasing, and the night is shortening. For this good news, the king rewarded the headman with money.
The ancient Slavs celebrated the pagan New Year on the day of the winter solstice; it was associated with the deity Kolyada. The main attribute of the festival was a bonfire, depicting and invoking the light of the sun, which, after the longest night of the year, was supposed to rise higher and higher. The ritual New Year's pie - loaf - was also shaped like the sun.
The day of pagan veneration of Karachun (the second name of Chernobog) falls on the day of the winter solstice (celebrated depending on the year from December 19 to 22) - the shortest day of the year and one of the coldest days of winter. It was believed that on this day the formidable Karachun, the deity of death, an underground god who commands frost, an evil spirit, takes his power. The ancient Slavs believed that he commands winter and frost and shortens the daylight hours.
The servants of the formidable Karachun are connecting rod bears in which snowstorms turn, and blizzard wolves. It was believed that, due to the bear's will, the cold winter continues: if the bear turns on the other side in its den, it means that winter has exactly half the way to go until spring. Hence the saying: “At Solstice, the bear in its den turns from one side to the other.” The people still use the concept of “karachun” in the sense of death. They say, for example: “karachun has come for him”, “wait for karachun”, “ask karachun”, “enough karachun”. On the other hand, the word “karachit” can have the following meanings - backing away, crawling, “hunched” - writhed, cramped. Perhaps Karachun was called that precisely because he seemed to force daytime to go in the opposite direction, to back away, to crawl, giving way to the night.
Gradually, in the popular consciousness, Karachun became close to Frost, who binds the earth with cold, as if plunging it into a mortal sleep. This is a more harmless image than the stern Karachun. Frost is simply the lord of winter cold.
Winter Solstice Day among Other Nations
In Europe, these days began a 12-day cycle of pagan festivals dedicated to the winter solstice, which marked the beginning of a new life and renewal of nature.On the day of the winter solstice in Scotland there was a custom to launch the sun wheel - “solstice”. The barrel was coated with burning resin and sent down the street. The wheel is a symbol of the sun, the spokes of the wheel resembled rays, the rotation of the spokes during movement made the wheel alive and similar to a luminary.
The winter solstice was determined earlier than all other seasons in China (there are 24 seasons in the Chinese calendar). In ancient China it was believed that from this time the male force of nature rises and a new cycle begins. The winter solstice was considered a happy day worthy of celebration. On this day, everyone - from the emperor to the commoner - went on vacation.
The army was put into a state of waiting for orders, border fortresses and trading shops were closed, people went to visit each other, gave each other gifts.
The Chinese made sacrifices to the God of Heaven and their ancestors, and also ate porridge of beans and glutinous rice to protect themselves from evil spirits and diseases. To this day, the winter solstice is considered one of the traditional Chinese holidays.
In India, the day of the winter solstice - Sankranti - is celebrated in Hindu and Sikh communities, where on the night before the celebration bonfires are lit, the heat of which symbolizes the warmth of the sun, which begins to warm the earth after the winter cold.
Russian folk calendar for December 21 (December 8, old style) - Anfisa Needlewoman
On this day they commemorate Saint Anfisa of Rome, who suffered for the Christian faith in the 5th century. Anfisa was the wife of a Roman dignitary and professed Christianity (according to legend, she was baptized by Saint Ambrose of Milan, whose memory is celebrated the day before). One day, the mayor's wife invited her to accept Arian baptism (Arian teaching denied the unity of God the Father and Jesus Christ). Anfisa refused and, following the woman’s slander, was burned at the stake.After Anfisa, all girls in Rus' were supposed to do handicrafts: spinning, weaving, sewing, embroidering. It was advisable to do this alone, and if it was not possible or you did not want to be alone, special rituals against damage were performed.
A girl sews for Anfisa, but an extra eye while sewing is an evil eye, our ancestors said and advised young needlewomen to wrap a silk thread around their wrist so as not to prick their fingers with a needle. The same ritual protected against yawning and hiccups.
The embroidery itself, in which various kinds of symbols were often encrypted, also had magical powers. Thus, diamonds on towels signified fertility; round rosettes and cross-shaped figures on clothing protected its owner from misfortune. In traditional embroidery patterns there are also images of the sun, trees, and birds, personifying the vital forces of nature. Our ancestors believed in their power, believing that they would bring prosperity and prosperity to the house.
The Russian folk calendar will accept December 22 (December 9, old style) - Anna Zimnyaya. Anna Dark. Conception of Saint Anne.
The Church celebrates not only birth, but also conception. With the Feast of the Conception of Anna, winter begins: autumn ends, winter begins. The beginning of a real harsh winter. In the meantime (lace) on the trees for the Conception of Anna for the harvest. If the snow falls right up to the fence, it’s a bad summer, but if there’s a gap, it’s a fruitful one. December 22 is the shortest day of the year, the solstice day.
On the Conception of Anna, pregnant women must strictly fast (on other days, pregnant women are exempt from fasting), avoid any quarrels and troubles, and avoid being seen by the crippled and disabled; You must not light a fire, knit, embroider or take on any work, so as not to accidentally harm the unborn child. People knowledgeable in these matters claim that the fire kindled on this day can leave a red mark on the child’s body, tangled threads twist his umbilical cord, and the poor, ugly, seen by his mother, can pass on their injuries to the child. The wolves come together at Conception, and after Epiphany they scatter.
The memory of St. Anna, the parent of Mary, the future Mother of God, is celebrated twice a year: on August 7, a service is held in churches for the dormition of Anna, her death. December 22 is the day of the winter equinox, in the south of Russia it is considered the beginning of winter. A change in the weather is also noticeable: “Sun for summer, winter for frost.” On this morning, services in churches are held more solemnly than on ordinary days, for December 22 is the day “when the Most Holy Theotokos was conceived.”
Equinox and solstice days 2017
- vernal equinox - March 2010:29
- summer solstice - June 21 04:24
- autumnal equinox - September 22 20:02
- winter solstice - December 21 16:28
Equinox and solstice days 2018
- vernal equinox - March 20 16:15
- summer solstice - June 21 10:07
- autumnal equinox - September 23 01:54
- winter solstice - December 21 22:23
Equinox and solstice days 2019
- autumnal equinox - September 23 07:50
- winter solstice - December 22 04:19
- vernal equinox - March 20 21:58
- summer solstice - June 21 15:54
Equinox and solstice days 2020
- vernal equinox - March 20 03:50
- summer solstice - June 20 21:44
- autumnal equinox - September 22 13:31