Pagan Sabbats: Litha

The time of the Summer Solstice has had significance to people from all over the world for over a thousand years.

It has had many names over the centuries: Alban Heflin, Alben Heruin, All-couples day, Feast of Epona, Feast of St. John the Baptist, Feill-Sheathain, Gathering Day, Johannistag, Litha, Midsummer, Sonnwend, Thing-Tide, Vestalia.

The ancient Celts would build bonfires to add to the power of the sun, hoping they could help it to remain strong and bright until all of their crops were grown and harvested.

Christians placed the feast of St John at the latter end of June just after the Solstice.

Pagans view the Summer Solstice as the day that the Goddess is at the height of Her power. She is obviously pregnant with the God at this time, having been impregnated by Him at Beltane. This is the God She will give birth to once more at Yule, the Winter Solstice.

Click here to buy posters!

Summer for ancient peoples was a time of celebration. The snow was gone, the crops were growing in the fields. Animals were out to pasture and thriving. Honey was being harvested from beehives as this was the time of the Honey Moon.

The month of June was a time that people could relax a bit before the first harvest at Lugnasad.

It was believed by these ancient people that the God and Goddess celebrated their Great Union, their marriage, at Beltaine at the beginning of May. It was thought that it would be bad luck to hold a wedding in May because the bride and groom would be competing with the Gods for attention.

So, weddings by tradition were held in June, and June remains a popular month for weddings today. The bride and groom would be given things to eat and drink made of honey to encourage love and fertility over the first month of the marriage. Hence, the honeymoon.