IMPORTANT DATES IN HISTORY FOR WITCHES ~FD~ JANUARY January is the month of the Wolf Moon when wolves were hungry and roamed in packs searching for sparse pickings in mid-winter. January brings the snow, makes the nose and fingers glow. Traditional Herbs too she knew, and well of each could speak that in her garden slipped the silvery dew. William Shenstone January Dates: 3rd - Death of psychic Edgar Cayce, 1945. 4th - Aquarian Tabernacle Church registered in Australia, 1994. 6th - Circle Sanctuary wins zoning battle and receives legal church status, 1988. Patricia Crowthers radio show, A Spell of Witchcraft, airs in Britain, 1971. 8th - Birth of MacGregor Mathers, one of the original founders of the Golden Dawn, 1854. Dion Fortune, member of the Golden Dawn, dies, 1946. 9th - Jamie Dodge wins lawsuit against the Salvation Army, which fired her for being Wiccan, 1988. 13th - Final witchcraft laws repealed in Austria, 1787. 14th - Official Confession of Error by jurors of Salem Witch trials issued, 1696. Human Be-In, a Pagan-style festival, attended by Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsburg, 1967. 16th - Astrologer Zolar dies, 1976. 29th - Birthday of Emanuel Swedenborg, scientist and theologian, 1688. 31st - Dr. Fian, alleged leader of the North Berwick Witches, refused to confess and was executed in Scotland, 1591. All information was taken from Llewllyns Witches Calendar January 1998 & 1999. FEBRUARY Month of the Snow Moon when the worst storms and blizzards were liable to strike. If Candlemas Day be fair and bright, winter will take another flight. If Candlemas Day be cloud and rain, winter is gone and will not come again. The snowdrop in pure white array first rears her head on Candlemas Day. In the month of the Snow Moon, start to check for the first snowdrops peeping through. If February brings no rain Tis neither good for grass nor grain. February Dates: 5th - Great Conjunction of Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in Aquarius, 1962. 7th - Death of Thomas Aquinas, Catholic scholar who wrote that heresy was a product of ignorance and therefore criminal, and refuted the Canon Episcopi, 1274. 10th - Zsusanna Budapest arrested and later convicted for fortune telling, 1975. 12th - Birthday of Cotton Mather, minister during the Salem Witch trials, 1688. Gerald Gardner, founder of the Gardnerian Tradition, dies of heart failure, 1964. 13th - Death of Cotton Mather, minister at Salem Witch trials, 1728. 15th - Pope Leo X issued bull to ensure that secular courts would carry out exectuions of witches condemned by the Inquisition, 1521. 20th - Society for Psychical Research, devoted to paranormal studies, founded in London, 1882. 21st - Stewart Farrar is initiated into Alexandrian Wicca, 1970. All information was taken from Llewllyns Witches Calendar February 1998 & 1999. MARCH Month of the Worm Moon, when the thaw starts and the soils precious earthworms can once again come to the surface Alternative month of the Sap Moon, when the sap rises in the trees. Wear artemisia in honor of the Moon Goddess. Drink nettles in March and eat mugwort in May Then so many young maidens wouldnt go to the clay. Traditional Too many mists in March, too many frosts in May. March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers. Traditional March Dates: 1st - Preliminary hearings in the Salem Witch trials, 1692 Birthday of the Golden Dawn, founded 1888 Covenant of the Goddess (COG) is formed, 1975 4th - Church of All Worlds (CAW) incorporates in Missouri, becoming the first Wiccan church to do so in the U.S., 1968 7th - William Butler Yeats is initiated into the Isis-Urania temple of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, 1890 12th - Birthday of Stewart Edward White, psychic researcher, 1873; he later became president of the American Society for Psychical Research in San Francisco 13th - Discovery of Uranus, 1781 15th - Pete Pathfinder Davis becomes the first Wiccan priest elected president of the Interfaith Council of Washington State, 1995 19th - Criminal witchcraft statute enacted under Queen Elizabeth I, 1563; this statute was replaced in 1604 by a stricter one from King James I 21st - Mandate of Henry VIII against witchcraft enacted in 1542; repealed in 1547 Inauguration of Isis-Urania temple of the Golden Dawn and initiation of Monina Mathers, 1888 Green Egg Magazine founded, 1968 22nd - Pope Clement persuaded by Philip IV to suppress the Templar order, 1311 24th - Florence Newton accused of witchcraft in Ireland, 1661 25th - Pope Innocent III issues the bull to establish the Inquisition, 1199 28th - Scott Cunningham dies, 1993 31st - Last Witch trial in Ireland held at Magee Island, 1711 All information was taken from Llewllyns Witches Calendar March 1998 & 1999. APRIL Month of the Pink Moon, when (mostly pink) flowers covered the land. April is also known as the month of the Sprouting Grass Moon, referring to the new growth of spring. The cukoo comes in April, He sings his song in May, In the middle of June, He changes his tune, And then he flies away. April Dates: 1st - Death of Elias Ashmole, healer and philosopher, 1634 7th - Church of All Worlds founded, 1962 First Wiccan tract published by Pete Pathfinder, 1996 8th - William Alexander Aynton initiated into the Isis-Urania temple of the Golden Dawn, 1896 10th - Birthday of Montague Summers, 1880; 400 years after the publication of the infamous Malleus Maleficarum, Summers supported the gruesome work of its authors. 11th - Burning of Major Weir, alleged Scottish sorcerer who confessed of his own accord, 1670 12th - Handfasting of Oberon and Morning Glory Zell, 1974 13th - First confession of witchcraft by Isobel Gowdie, who was believed insane because no torture was used to coerce her, Scotland, 1662 14th - Adoption of the Principles of Wiccan Belief at the Witch Meet in St. Paul, Minnesota, 1974 17th - Aleister Crowley breaks into the Golden Dawn temple, providing the catalyst for the demise of the original Golden Dawn, 1900 19th - Conviction of Witches at Chelmsford, England, 1579; this was the second of four major Witch trials at Chelmsford 23rd - Edward III of England begins the Order of the Garter, which Margaret Murray later links to witchcraft, 1350 25th - USA Today reports that Patricia Hutchins is the first military Wiccan granted religious leave for the sabbats, 1989 30th - Alex Sanders dies of lung Cancer, 1988 All information was taken from Llewellyns Witches Calendar April 1998 & 1999. MAY A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay. Traditional Shear your sheep in May and shear them all away. Traditional May was probably named after Maia, the Roman goddess of growth and increase. May is the month of the Flower Moon, and a fitting time to think of the pretty scented herbs such as clove pinks (Dianthus); be sure to get scented varieties when acquiring this lovely plant. May Dates: 1st - Order of the Illuminati (ceremonial magic order) formed in Bavaria by Adam Weishaupt, 1776 Death of Arnold Crowther, stage magician and Gardnerian Witch, 1974 6th - Long Island Church of Aphrodite founded by Rev. Gleb Botkin, 1938 9th - Joan of Arc canonized, 1920 11th - Massachusetts Bay Colony Puritans ban Christmas celebrations because they are too Pagan, 1659 14th - Widow Robinson of Kidderminster, England, and her two daughters arrested for using magic to try to prevent the return of Charles II from exile, 1660 22nd - Adoption of the Earth Religion Anti-Abuse Act, 1988 25th - Date that Dr. John Dee first began crystal-gazing, 1581 Scott Cunningham initiated into the Traditional Gwyddonic Order of the Wicca, 1981 27th - Final confession of witchcraft by Isobel Gowdie, Scotland, 1662 30th - Death of Joan of Arc, 1431 All information taken from Llewellyns Witches Calendar May 1998 & 1999. JUNE June damp and warm does the farmer no harm. Traditional Add chopped young leaves of angelica to fruit salads to give them fresh flavor with a hint of sweetness. Incorporate sprigs of myrtle in the bouquet of a June bride to ensure a long and happy marriage. Add alpine strawberries to whipped cream and yogurt, sweeten to taste, and serve in pretty glasses with fresh herbs and flowers; a lovely pudding to end the month of the Strawberry Moon. June Dates: 1st - Witchcraft Act of 1563 takes effect 2nd - Birthday of Alessandro di Cagliostro, magician, 1743 10th - Hanging of Bridget Bishop, first to die in the Salem Witch Trials, 1692 11th - James I Witchcraft Act repeals Elizabeth Is 1563 mandate and replaces it with stricter laws, 1604 12th - Anniversary of the day settlers landed at Salem in 1630 and ate fragrant wild strawberries 18th - Third convene of the Council of Trent for Church Reform, 1561 Church of All Worlds chartered with IRS, 1970 19th - Marriage of Margot Adler in first Wiccan handfasting to be carried in the New York Times society pages, 1988 24th - Enactment of 1763 mandate against pretending to perform witchcraft, England 25th - Law introduced in Germany by Archbishop Siegfried II to encourage conversion, rather than burning, of heretics and Witches, 1233 26th - Richard of Gloucester assumes the British throne after accusing the widowed Queen of witchcraft, 1483 All information was taken from Llewellyns Witches Calendar June 1998 & 1999. JULY A swarm for bees in July is not worth a fly. St. Swithins day (July 15), If thou dost rain, For forty days it will remain, St. Swithins day, If thou be fair, For forty days Twill rain no more. Babies can benefit from a little dill water to aid digestion and as a light sedative during the oppressive weather of the month of the Thunder Moon. July Dates: 1st - Death of Nostradamus, 1566 5th - Conviction of Witches at third of four famous trials at Chelmsford, England, 1589 6th - Scott Cunningham initiated into the Ancient Pictish Gaelic Way, 1981 14th - First recorded appearance of crop circles on Silbury Hill, England, 1988 17th - First airing of The Witching Hour, a Pagan radio show hosted by Winter Wren and Don Lewis, on WONX in Evanston, Illinois, 1992 19th - Rebecca Nurse hanged in Salem, Massachusetts, 1692 20th - Pope Adrian VI issues bull calling for purging of Sorcerers by fire and sword, 1523 22nd - Northamptonshire, England witches condemned, 1612 25th - Death of Pope Innocent III, who issued famous anti-witchcraft bull Summis Desiderantes Affectibus, 1492 26th - Confession of Witches at first of four major Witch trials in Chelmsford, England, 1566 27th - Jennet Preston becomes the first of the Malkin Tower Witches to be hanged; she was convicted of hiring the Witches to help her murder Thomas Lister, 1612 30th - Trial of Marion la Droituriere accused of hiring Margot de la Barre to make her ex-lover impotent, 1390; first trial of lower-class women accused of ceremonial magic in paris All information was taken from Llewellyns Witches Calender July 1998 & 1999. AUGUST The old gardeners laid Virgos herb, southernwood, between rows of vegetables to ward off pests. The month of the Corn Moon Signifies ripening crops. August Dates: 1st - Discovery of Lindow Man, who has been dated to the second century BCE and is believed to be a Druid, 1984 13th - Aradia de Toscano said to be born in Volterra, Italy, 1313 Church of Wicca founded in Australia by Lady Tamara Von Forslun, 1989 15th - Birthday of Charles Godfrey Leland, author of Aradia, Gospel of Witches, 1824 17th - Anniversary of Scott Cunninghams first Wiccan initiation, 1973 19th - John Wilard and Reverend George Burroughs put to death in the Salem Witch trials, 1692 20th - Execution of the Lancahire, England, Witches, 1612 22nd - Pope John XXII orders Inquisition at Carcassone to seize the property of Witches, sorcerers, and those who make waxen images, 1320 Order of the Rosy Cross established in Paris, 1623 All information was taken from Llewellyns Witches Calendar August 1998 & 1999. SEPTEMBER September dries up wells or blows down bridges. Traditional Whoever eats goose on Michaelmas day (September 29) Shall never lack money for his debts to pay. Use lots of poppy seeds in your baking for flavor, color, texture, and to celebrate the month of the Harvest Moon. September Dates: 8th - Theosophical Society founded by H. P. Blavatsky, Henry Steele Olcott, and others, 1875 14th - Birthday of Henry Cornelius Agrippa, scholar and magician, 1486 Church of All Worlds moves headquarters from Missouri to California, 1978 16th - Death of Giles Corey in Salem, Massachusetts, 1692 17th - Bewitched debuts on ABC TV, 1964 19th - Congressman Robert S. Walker introduces bill HR-3389 to amend IRS rules to deny tax-exempt status to any organization espousing witchcraft, 1985 25th - U.S. Senate passes the Helms Amendment denying tax exempt status to organizations espousing witchcraft, 1985 All information was taken from Llewellyns Witches Calendar September 1998 & 1999. OKTOBER In October muck your fields And your land its wealth shall yield. Traditional To celebrate the Hunters Moon, add aniseed to flavor apple pie; this herb has long been used to put hunting dogs off the scent. October Dates: 4th - President Reagan signs law proclaiming 1983 Year of the Bible and that the Bible is the word of God 7th - Birthday of Arnold Crowther (b. 1909), a stage magician who was initiated into the Gardnerian Tradition in 1960 13th - Jacques de Molay and other French Templars arrested by order of King Philip, 1306 26th - De Molay and 31 other Templars confess to heresy in front of clergy; all later recant their confessions, 1306 Sibyl Leek dies of cancer, 1982 27th - Circle Sanctuary founded, 1974 29th - MacGregor Mathers issues manifest naming himself supreme leader of the Golden Dawn, 1896 30th - House Senate conferees drop the Helms amendment, which would have barred the IRS from granting tax-exempt status to groups that promote witchcraft, 1985 31st - New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Golden Dawn first formed, 1967 All information was taken from Llewellyns Witches Calendar October 1998 & 1999. NOVEMBER Massage joints stiffened by winter dampness with olive oil into which generous-sized rosemary sprigs were placed to steep a couple of weeks before. Special spiced cakes with currants were given to the poor on All Souls Day (November 2) in old England. November Dates: 1st - Aquarian Tabernacle Church established in the United States, 1979 2nd - Circle Election Day Circle Sanctuary buys land for nature preserve, 1983 3rd - Petronella de Meath, servant of Lady Alice Kyteler, is executed in the first recorded Witch burning in Ireland, 1324 15th - Aquarian Tabernacle Church established in Canada, 1993 17th - Birthday of Israel Regardie, occultist and member of the OTO, 1907 18th - Aleister Crowley initiated in to the Golden Dawn as Frater Perdurabo, 1898 20th - Church of All Worlds incorporates in Australia, 1992 22nd - Birth of Roger Bacon, 1561 25th - Edward Kellys death is noted in the diary of Dr. John Dee, 1595 30th - Henge of Keltria, the largest Celtic-Neopagan Druid organization in the U.S., is incorporated as a non-profit organization, 1995 All information was taken from Llewellyns Witches Calendar November 1998 & 1999. DECEMBER In the month of the Cold Moon light bayberry candles; use the berries in the same way as juniper to flavor boiled meats. December Dates: 5th - Papal bull Summis Desierantes Affectibus issued by Pope Innocent VIII in 1484, removing obstacles to inquistors in their prosecution of witches Death of Aleister Crowley, 1947 6th - Death of Jacob Sprenger, co-author of the Malleus Malificarum, 1495 Birthday of Dion Fortune, member of the Golden Dawn, 1890 12th - Appearance of the Virgin of Guadalupe to Juan Diego at the site of a former temple to the Aztec goddess Tonantzin, 1531 14th - Birthday of Nostradamus, 1503 29th - Death of Thomas A. Beckett, Archbishop, 1170 All information was taken from Llewelyns Witches Calendar December 1998 & 1999.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 01:06:35 +0000