Ostara is a modern pagan holiday, one of the 8 Sabbats, that essentially celebrates the Spring Equinox, also known as the Vernal Equinox, which occurs around March 20th-21st in the Northern Hemisphere.
This holiday is named after the Germanic goddess Ostara or Eostre, who was associated with the arrival of spring, new beginnings, and fertility. She is often depicted as a young woman with long hair and holding a basket of eggs or flowers. Although there is limited historical evidence for Eostre's existence as a goddess, the majority of what is known about her comes from ancient texts, particularly Venerable Bede, an 8th-century English monk, and historian. Bede wrote that April was known as "Eostremonath" in Old English, and associated this with a goddess named Eostre or Ostara, whom he said was worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons. While scholars debate the extent to which Eostre was worshipped in pre-Christian times, her association with the arrival of spring and the renewal of nature has made her an essential figure for those that celebrate Ostara.
The origins, symbolism, and rituals of this holiday can be traced back to ancient pagan traditions, particularly those of the Germanic and Anglo-Saxon peoples. These cultures celebrated the arrival of spring with various festivals and rituals, including the lighting of bonfires, the decorating of eggs, and the giving of gifts. Most would decorate their homes with pastel colors and indulge in spring cleaning as it would serve as a symbol of renewal and ridding your home of energies that no longer serve you. Ostara would bring hope to many communities, as the coming of spring meant the growth of crops which would mean success is coming. For many people, it was very difficult to conceive and carry a pregnancy to fruition, so the symbolism of rabbits brought the hope of fertility to women.
In the 8th century, the Christian church established the feast day of Easter, which also celebrates the "resurrection" of Jesus and falls around the same time as the Spring Equinox. Over time, some of the pagan traditions associated with the arrival of spring were incorporated into the Christian holiday, including the decorating of eggs and the use of the hare or rabbit as a symbol of fertility.
In modern times, Ostara has become a very popular holiday within the neo-pagan and Wiccan communities. Some celebrate by lighting candles, planting seeds, creating altars, and casting "spells" to promote growth, fertility, and abundance, volunteering in their communities and helping pick up trash to honor the earth and many many other types of rituals.
Although this is a controversial topic, this is a holiday I have come to love and adore. I'm not religious in any sense of the word, although I do love our planet and how much this holiday focus on honoring it. So I hope you found this slightly interesting and now know a little background to an old interesting pagan holiday! Resources: https://www.learnreligions.com/search?q=ostara
Comments