| The Lesser Sabbats are festivals observed by | | | | and celebrated on June 21st; and The Autumn |
| Wiccan and Neopagan groups throughout the world. | | | | Equinox, also known as Harvest Festival or Mabon, |
| There is a wide diversity as to which groups or | | | | celebrated on September 21st. |
| individuals celebrate any given Sabbat and many do | | | | The Lesser Sabbats are more closely linked to |
| not observe them all. The Sabbats in general are | | | | Germanic pre-Christian feasts than any other and |
| linked to Wicca Witchcraft and the Wheel of the | | | | have a larger following in Europe than elsewhere in |
| Year which was founded and established by its | | | | the world. Like the Greater Sabbats the dates and |
| founder Gerald Gardner in the 1950's. The actual | | | | practices have been adopted by other religious |
| festivals themselves have been around for centuries | | | | groups, most notably the Catholic Church. This may |
| but it was not until Wicca Witchcraft formalized them | | | | have been done to try and subvert followers to |
| into the Wheel of the Year that they gained more | | | | what was the newer religion of the Middle Ages at |
| prominence in today's society. | | | | the expense of older more established traditional |
| The Lesser Sabbats are also referred to as quarter | | | | beliefs such as the worship of Nature and the |
| days, minor Sabbats or Sun Sabbats. Quarter days | | | | seasons. |
| are based on the position of the sun and are held at | | | | Yule and Litha are held at the time of the |
| the equinoxes and solstices each year. Like the | | | | corresponding solstice when the shortest and longest |
| greater Sabbats they are celebrated by most of the | | | | days occur respectively. Ostara and Mabon are |
| western world on specific dates, but Pagan and | | | | celebrated with the equinoxes where day and night |
| Neopagan followers will often perform their rituals on | | | | are of equal length and nature is in balance. |
| the correct calender day which varies each year. All | | | | Some of the Lesser Sabbats are very well known |
| of the Sabbats are also linked to Astrology as they | | | | and widely celebrated. Christmas is probably the most |
| are astrological events. | | | | widely followed Sabbat but it is not as important to |
| There are four Lesser Sabbats: | | | | Pagan and Neopagan groups as Samhain. The giving |
| The Winter Solstice, also known as Yule or | | | | and receiving of presents during Christmas is an old |
| Christmas, observed on December 25th; The Vernal | | | | custom and the trees and mistletoe associated with |
| Equinox, also referred to as Ostara, Lady Day or the | | | | it are of pre-Christian origins. The Harvest Festival is |
| Spring Equinox, celebrated on March 21st; The | | | | also popular in Europe where it is traditional to share |
| Summer Solstice, also known as Midsummer or Litha, | | | | the fruits of the earth with friends and neighbors. |