Mabon
From Association of Independent Readers and Rootworkers
Mabon, also known as The Autumnal Equinox, Fall Equinox, Foghar, Alban Elfed, Harvest Home, Second Harvest, Fruit Harvest, Wine Harvest, and Gŵyl Ganol yr Hydref, is a seasonal Pagan and Neo-Pagan festival which is celebrated as one of the eight holidays on the Wheel of the Year.
In the Northern Hemisphere it is held on September 20 - September 24 (during the Autumnal Equinox) when the Sun is at 0° Libra.
In the Southern Hemisphere it is held on March 20 - March 23 (during the Autumnal Equinox) when the Sun is at 0° Aries.
Mabon draws its name from that of a youthful male hero in Welsh literature and mythology and is connected to the Autumnal Equinox as a festival of thanksgiving for the harvest. The rituals of Mabon involve gaining the blessings of the God and Goddess to sustain the faithful during the dark and cold winter nights. The physical manifestations of these blessings bestowed by deity are seen in the abundance of the harvest which helps people survive the scarcity of Winter. In rural and agricultural society, the quality of the harvest is essential for survival during the winters and the securing of the blessings of deity is then of immense importance.
Today Wiccans and Neopagans celebrate Mabon through rites of thanksgiving, offerings to the God and Goddess, and reflecting on the blessings bestowed.
Credits
This page is brought to you by the AIRR Tech Team:
- Author: catherine yronwode
- Contributor: ConjureMan
- Images: Unknown Postcard Artist, Unknown Photographer; photo-edited by catherine yronwode
