Lammas

Corn Goddess from Kornets Hus in the Semine Motherland Travel Guide

Lammas is a late Summer and early Harvest celebration at the same time. It is a time to mark the hard work of the harvest season and show gratitude for the crops in the field.

Lammas, also known as Lughnasad, or Lughnassadh, is a pagan holiday and one of the eight Wiccan sabbats during the year. Each sabbat marks a seasonal turning point.

The Lammas sabbat occurs on August 1, which is about halfway between the summer solstice (Litha) and the fall equinox (Mabon). This holiday celebrates the grain harvest. Grain is a very important crop for most civilizations. If the grain was left in the fields for too long, or if the bread made from the grain was not baked in time, families might starve.

The word Lammas comes from an Old English phrase that translates to “loaf mass.” In early Christianity, the first loaves of the season were blessed by the church during mass in the Catholic tradition.

In Ireland, this day honors the Celtic Sun god, Lugh, whose mother died, when she harvested the fields. This celebration of the god, Lugh is referred to as Lughnasad (pronounced Loo-NAS-ah). Lugh is the god of craftsmanship; he is skilled in many things, including blacksmithing, wheel making, and fighting.

There is some discrepancy as to why Lugh is honored on this day. Some tales say that this is the date of Lugh’s wedding feat. Other stories say it is because he held a harvest fair in honor of his foster mother, Tailtiu, on this date.

When: August 1, Lammas/Lughnasadh

A day of baking

Modern day pagans bake breads and cakes to celebrate the historical grain harvest (and subsequent bread making). Some observers celebrate with a harvest ritual. This ritual typically involves decorating an altar with symbols of the season. Some of these symbols include scythes (because they are used to cut the grain), corn, grapes, apples, and/or any other crops that might be harvested at this time. Some of these rituals involve casting a circle, and saying some words that symbolize their thanks to the earth for the harvest. After the ritual, everyone there eats some bread together, and may also drink wine to wash it down.

To honor Lugh, people make crafts and decorations for their house, to represent his skills in those areas. And as with most sabbats, there is feasting. This feast usually is prepared with one’s harvested crops at this time (if they have their own garden).

Around Lammas, there is also a tradition for cleaning, clearing and making the home ready for the winter time.