Lammas Day (Lugnasad) (01/08)

Lammas Day, celebrated on August 1, has many names, but the most common among them is — Lughnasadh, which translates as «gathering Meadow» or «wedding Meadow». Meadow — is one of the gods of the Celtic pantheon, the patron saint of agriculture and many crafts. The Celts called it «long-armed» and «multi-art».

An ancient legend about the origin of this holiday has been preserved: it was supposedly established by Lug in honor of his adoptive mother, the goddess Tailtine, after her death. The image of this goddess is associated with earth, fertility, because her name «Tailtin» comes from the word «talam» — earth.

The festival of Lughnasadh was not only pastoral, but also agricultural: it celebrated the transition of one season to another. In ancient Celtic sources, when listing all holidays, the day of Lughnasadh was interpreted as the «time of the beginning of the harvest», the period when the « earth suffers under the weight of its fruits».

The main features of the holiday — are the solemn beginning of the harvest or other type of harvesting work, the ritual eating of the fruits of the first harvest, in which all members of the community were to take part; meeting and feast on the top of a high mountain; sacrifices of the first fruits of the harvest to some deity on the top of the mountain.

On August 1, the whole family went out into the field in festive outfits, and the head of the family cut off the first ears of bread with appropriate ceremonies.

The day of August 1 was important for pastoralists. In the Highlands, women usually gave out specially made small cheeses made from — cottage cheese to everyone who was in the summer pastures for good luck. On the eve of August 1, magical actions were performed on livestock to protect them from all misfortunes, especially caring for cows: they smeared tar on their tails and ears, tied red and blue threads to their tails, and cast magical spells over the udder. According to a very old custom, on this day they tried to bathe livestock in the sea or river.

The most characteristic feature of the August 1 holiday among Scots is the — gatherings on the mountain tops of all or even several rural communities. High in the mountains sacrifices were made, and then games, various competitions, and dances were organized. As an offering to some deity, a tenth of the grain collected that day and part of the food prepared for the general meal were buried in the ground with solemn ceremonies. The harvested ears of corn were buried not near plots of land with a ripe harvest, but on the top of a mountain, which sometimes had to be climbed for several hours. Perhaps this custom of the ancient Celts was associated with the legend that Lug's adoptive mother, the goddess Tailtine, was buried on a high hill, and Lug ordered an annual holiday to be held at its top.

On the day of the first of August, as on other holidays, it was the custom in Scotland to light fires in the hills and dance around them.

The most important dish on Lammas is bread in all its variations. Fruits, nuts, bread — here is the main food of Lammas. On this day, global changes occur in the life of the magician — change of job, place of residence, renewal in thoughts and actions. This — is one of the turning points of the Wheel of the Year. There are many rituals, and this day is best spent in nature, if, of course, there is such an opportunity.

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