![]() ![]() Some fires were made with fuel gathered from every household. John's Eve fire traditions varied from community to community. Sacred fires live on in an almost lost but reviving tradition. The paschal fire in the Catholic tradition has the same pattern: all fires coming from a central sacred fire consecrated by prayer and ceremony. The people sang and danced and watched for the sun to dance in the sky as it rose at dawn. Cattle were led through two rows of fire to purify and protect them with the power of the sun. From this one fire all the hearths were re-lit.Ĭeremonial practices extended the power of the fire to the people and land. Then, the tribal chieftain lit the sacred fire, said to be by the power of the sun. For Beltane, all the fires were extinguished across the land. The observance of Beltane, in early May, marked the opening of the pasture for grazing and honored Belenus, the Celtic god associated with the sun. The fire in the beginning of November, Samhain, evolved into Halloween and the Catholic holy days All Saints Day and All Souls Day. They were lit quarterly, between the solstices and equinoxes. By looking at the tradition of John's Fire through the lens of her work, the importance of fire in Celtic, particularly Irish, traditions comes into new focus.įrom time immemorial, four sacred fires marked the year in Ireland. While Kimmerer teaches the wisdom of North American Indigenous peoples, her work has helped me to think about remnants of similar traditions among non-Indigenous peoples. She quotes her father: fire carries our prayers, represents life and healing and is an important part of many ceremonies. In the New York Times bestseller Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants, Potawatomi botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer extols the importance of fire for Indigenous peoples. ![]() John the Baptist, connect to an ancient tradition, Oíche Tine Seáin ("The Night of John's Fire") and rediscover fire not only as a survival tool or scorching threat, but also as a sacred presence. On June 23, the eve of the Nativity of St. Fire has always linked the Celtic peoples to the Spirit World. ![]()
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