Welcoming Spring

Celebrates the Awakening of the Earth and the first emergence of life at Spring (thus beginning the Overworld Era of the Sabbat Cycle) --- especially the reawakening of The Great Queen wherein she is ritually stirred from her slumber and then drawn out of the Temple Beneath the Earth with song and bells- then plied with lush gifts of welcome for her return as Our Lady of the Green (and in order to curry favor for the yearly renewal of the Contract of Faith and Land- hereby represented within the faith by the two Many-Eyed Serpents; first the Contract of Land as Agkistrodon Laticinctus, second the Contract of Faith as Agkistrodon Piscivorus).

During this time a ceremonial procession is made from the Temple with lanterns and bells, to Cemetery where the statue of the Great Queen was entombed during the Winter procession- during which songs associated with joy and welcome are sung. Once arrived at the Cemetery offerings of sweet incense, perfume, flowers, cloth, coins, bread, and wine are made again at the Tomb, and songs meant to "draw out" the Great Queen are sung. At this point a statue of The Great Queen is exhumed, symbolically bathed, clothed, and then crowned with Lavender, before being carried back to the temple and reenthroned in her proper place as Our Lady of the Green to preside over the Spring Court.

Inspirations

The Catholic Lá Fhéile Muire na gCoinneal & May Crowning of Mary Mother of God"; Greek Plynteria and Protomagia; images of the Bathing of Venus and Melusine Bathing; potential folding in of New Year celebrations as "the beginning of the ritual year".

Associations