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Sabbat Ritual for

Autumnal Equinox

The altar is decorated with the symbols of autumn: pine-cones, oak sprigs, acorns, ears of grain, etc.

After the Circle has been cast, the coven stands in a ring facing inwards, men and women alternately.

The High Priest stands to the west of the altar and the High Priestess to the east, facing each other. The

High Priestess recites:

HPS:

Farewell, O Sun, ever-returning Light,

The hidden God, who ever yet remains,

Who now departs into the Land of Youth

Through the Gates of Death

To dwell enthroned, the Judge of Gods and men,

The horned leader of the hosts of air -

Yet even as he stands unseen about the Circle,

So dwelleth he within the secret seed -

The seed of newly-ripened grain, the seed of flesh;

Hidden in earth, the marvellous seed of the stars.

In him is Life, and Life is the Light of man.

That which never was born, and never dies.

Therefore the wise weep not, but rejoice.

HPS hands HP the wand, and picks up a sistrum; they lead the dance three times round the altar.

The Candle Game is played, followed by cakes and wine and any other games the High Priestess decides on

Samhain Ritual

Preparation:

Balefire in centre.

Two black candles upon the altar.

A red candle in each of the Quarters.l A wreath of autumn flowers and the crown of the Horned One are upon the altar.

All Coveners are properly prepared,

HPS erects the Circle. The HP says:

HP:

O Gods, beloved of us all,

bless this our Sabbat that we,

thy humble worshippers,

may meet in love, joy and bliss.

Bless our rites this night

with the presence of our departed kin.

Facing north with arms upraised, coveners hand-linked in a semicircle behind him, the HP invokes the

Horned One.

HPS bearing a priapus wand then leads the Coven in a meeting dance, slowly, to the Witches' Rune. HP

gives each an unlit candle and brings up the rear of the dance. The candles are each lit from the balefire

before the outward spiral.

When it is done the HPS assumes the Goddess position saying:

HPS:

Dread Lord of the Shadows, God of Life and Bringer of Death!

Yet as the knowledge ofthee is Death, open wide, I pray thee, the

gates through which all must pass. Let our dear ones, who have

gone before, return this night to make merry with us. And when

our time comes, as it must, O thou the Comforter, the Consoler,

the Giver of Peace and rest, we will enter thy realms gladly and

unafraid; for we know that when rested and refreshed among our

dear ones, we will be reborn again by thy grace, and the grace of

the Lady Cerridwen. Let it be in the same place and the same time

as our beloved ones, and may we meet, and know, and remember,

and love them again ! Descend, we pray thee, on thy High Priest

and Servant, N....

HPS goes to the HP and, with wand, draws the five-point star upon his breast and upon the crown of the

Horned God. HP kneels and HPS places the crown upon his head. Fresh incense is cast into the

thurible. HPS strikes the bell and HP says:

HP:

Hear ye my witches,

Welcome to our Great Sabbat.

Welcome we the spirits

Of our departed kin.

HPS strikes bell. Witches walk slowly around the Circle.

HPS fills chalice with wine and hands it to HP who drinks and then says:

HP:

In humility, as the Horned One asks,

I bid my witches drink.

HP takes chalice to first witch, giving it with his right hand whilst taking the taper with his left

(kiss), then extinguishing the taper before accepting back the chalice. Repeat with each witch

present. HP then says:

Listen, my witches, to the words of the Horned One, Drink, dance

and be merry in the presence of the Old Gods and the spirits of

our departed kin.

Coveners partake of cakes and wine.

Dances and games follow closing of Circle.

Great Rite if at all possible by High Priestess and High Priest if no other.

Merry Meet, Merry Part ,Merry Meet Again