The Spring Equinox and Pagan Celebrations

In astronomical terms, the spring equinox (also vernalexcuse to celebrate the end of winter. This is a time
equinox or March equinox) is the precise point in thewhen the land is becoming rich, fertile and green
year when the earth's axis is tilting neither towardsagain, the days are growing longer and the lambing
nor away from the sun and it is directly above theseason starts. Getting through the hardships of
equator. This makes the time that the sun spendswinter was considerably harder than it is in our
below and above the horizon equal. In fact the wordcosseted, modern times. Their survival was
equinox is the combination of the Latin words aequusdependent on the land and the relief of a return to a
(equal) and nox (night) which means to us on earthbountiful countryside was great.
that day and night will be exactly equal. For the springSo, How Did People Celebrate the Spring Equinox?
equinox, the sun is progressing northwards - althoughThis is where the Christians and Pagans share some
bear in mind I'm writing this with a northernvery similar rituals. The primary Pagan Goddess to be
hemisphere bias as that's where I'm located. For ourworshiped during the Spring Equinox was called
friends in the southern hemisphere, this will all be theOstara, or Oestra which is where we get the word
other way round.Easter from.
So that's a basic astronomical explanation of theOstara was a powerful Goddess who represented
spring equinox. For the rest of us, it simply means -life and fertility. Her main symbols were eggs (for
spring is here at last!new beginnings) and hares which over time has been
What Date Does the Spring Equinox Fall on?replaced with rabbits due to the depletion of hares in
The date of the spring equinox is not the samethe wild. But the powerful symbolism remains - new
every year, due to the fact that a year actually haslife.
365.25 days in it, and we need a leap year every 4It was always extremely important to celebrate
years to ensure that our dates remain consistentOstara with a feast (as with most festivals!) but
with our seasons. This means that the spring equinoxanother tradition that is still maintained in some parts
will fall on either 20th or 21st March.of the world is egg painting. Eggs were either hard
Spring Equinox and Pagan Celebrationsboiled or emptied and then painted brightly for
The celebration of this time of year goes back manydecoration, carried through the streets by young
centuries and is steeped in rituals and beliefs that stillchildren and often eaten on the day. If you fancy
exist in some form or another today. Be it the Paganbringing in the atmosphere and feel of ancient Spring
festival of Ostara or the Christian's Easter a fewEquinox celebrations into your home, light some
weeks later, there are plenty of traditions thatincense associated with Ostara such as cinnamon,
remain virtually unchanged.nutmeg or frankincense. Sacred gemstones at this
You may be thinking that Easter is the honouring oftime were amethyst, aquamarine, red jasper and
the death and resurrection of Christ and has nothingbloodstone, preferably egg shaped if possible.
to do with the Spring Equinox. But while Easter is notAnd lastly, if you imagined that you were now safe
celebrated on the actual Spring Equinox, it is alwaysto forget all about those New Year's Resolutions
the Sunday after the following full moon so in factthink again. The Spring Equinox was the time for
has retained a close association. It could reasonablyputting the plans and preparations you'd made over
be described as a lunar festival.winter into action so now is the time to dig them out
Before Christianity, the Pagans thought this anagain and get started!
exciting and important time of year, and a goodBlessed be!