Almanac - Resources - The White Goddess

Almanac

Almanac

The Almanac is a resource of significant pagan events and the birthdays of important people connected to paganism/wicca.

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Almanac for January

01/01 - Sir James Frazer

On 1st January 1854 the birth of Sir James Frazer, author of The Golden Bough.

03/01 - Edgar Cayce

On 3rd January 1945, the death of Edgar Cayce, psychic. He is often regarded as the most gifted Seer of our time and the father of modern holistic medicine.

Website: Edgar Cayce »

04/01 - Doreen Edith Dominy Valiente

On 4th January 1922 the birth of Doreen Edith Dominy Valiente (4 January, 1922, Mitcham, South London, England – 1 September 1999, Brighton, England), who used the craft name Ameth, was a highly influential figure in the neopagan religion of Wicca, being a High Priestess of Gardnerian Wicca and an initiate of both Cochrane's Craft and the Coven of Atho. She was initiated into the craft by Gerald Gardner, and was his High Priestess in the early Bricket Wood coven.

Valiente produced many important scriptural texts for Wicca, such as The Witches Rune and the Charge of the Goddess, which were incorporated into the early Gardnerian Book of Shadows. Valiente also published five books about Wicca in her lifetime. She has been referred to as the mother of modern Witchcraft.

05/01 - Feast of Befana

Feast of Befana

5th January

The Befana was originally a Roman Goddess named Strina. She symbolised the beginning of a new year. During the Epiphany, the Romans exchanged gifts called "strinae", which would bring you good luck for a whole year. From there comes the tradition of the befana bringing gifts.

Also, the name "Befana" comes from "Bastrina", which were the offerings associated to the Goddess Strina, which tended to be of the sweet sort. That is why the Befana brings sweets in addition to gifts.

The Befana puts the gifts and the sweets in stockings, but if the children were bad during the whole year, instead she fills the stockings with black coal. Everyone must always put a broomstick next to the stockings during the night of the Epiphany. If you have been good, in addition to giving you sweets and gifts, the befana will also sweep the floor for you.

However, if you have been bad, the Befana not only fills the stockings with only black coal, but will also grab the broomstick, come close to your bed, and beat your back with it.  

07/01 - Dion Fortune

On the 7th January 1946, the Death of Dion Fortune, she was a British occultist and author. Her pseudonym was inspired by her family motto "Deo, non fortuna" (Latin for "by God, not fate").

08/01 - Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers

Samuel Liddell (or Liddel) MacGregor Mathers (8 or 11 January 1854 – 5 or 20 November 1918), born Samuel Liddell Mathers, was one of the most influential figures in modern Occultism. He is primarily known as one of the founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a ceremonial magic order of which offshoots still exist today.

09/01 - First Agonalia in Honor of Janus

The first Agonalia, in honor of the god Janus, after whom the month January is named and to whom the Romans prayed for advice.

In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Janus is the god of beginnings and transitions, thence also of gates, doors, doorways, endings and time. He is usually a two-faced god since he looks to the future and the past.

11/01 - 15/01 - Feast of Carmentalia

Carmentalia was the feast day (11 January to 15 January) of the Roman goddess Carmenta, an ancient oracle who later was deified by the Romans. She had her temple atop Capitoline Hill. Carmenta was invoked in it as Postvorta and Antevorta, epithets which had reference to her power of looking back into the past and forward into the future. The festival was chiefly observed by women.

In ancient Roman religion and myth, Carmenta was a goddess of childbirth and prophecy, associated with technological innovation as well as the protection of mothers and children, and a patron of midwives. She was also said to have invented the Latin alphabet.

19/01 - Dorothy Clutterbuck

Dorothy Clutterbuck

(19 January 1880 – 12 January 1951)

Dorothy Clutterbuck was a wealthy Englishwoman who was named by Gerald Gardner as a leading member of the New Forest coven, a group of pagan Witches into which Gardner claimed to have been initiated in 1939. She has therefore become a figure of some significance in the history of Wicca.

19/01 - Gavin Bone

Born January 19, 1964 Gavin Bone is an author and lecturer in the fields of magic, witchcraft, Wicca and Neo-Paganism, and an organizer in the Neo-Pagan community.

20/01 - Festival of Thorablottar

Festival of Thorablottar.

Icelandic holy day. Dedicated to Thor. The beginning of the Asatru and Old Norse month of Snorri, still celebrated in Iceland with parties and mid-winter feasts. The Norse considered this day sacred to Thor. The Icelandic people considered this day sacred to Thor and Thorri. Thorri is an ancient Icelandic winter Spirit or Goddess.

24/01 - 26/01 - Feriae Sementivae

Sementivae, also known as Feriae Sementivae or Sementina dies (in the country called Paganalia), was a Roman festival of sowing.  It was held in honor of Ceres (the goddess of agriculture) and Tellus (Mother Earth).

28/01 - Agnes Sampson

On 28th January 1591 Agnes Sampson was executed for witchcraft. She was a Scottish healer and purported witch. Also known as the "Wise Wife of Keith", Sampson is most famous for her part in the North Berwick Witch trials.

30/01 - Zsuzsanna Emese Mokcsay

Zsuzsanna Emese Mokcsay (born 30 January 1940 in Budapest, Hungary) is an American author, activist, journalist, playwright and song-writer of Hungarian origin who writes about feminist spirituality and Dianic Wicca under the pen name and religious name Zsuzsanna Budapest or Z. Budapest. She is the High Priestess and the founding mother of the Susan B. Anthony Coven #1, the first feminist, women-only, witches' coven.

31/01 - North Berwick Witches

On the 31st January 1591, Dr John Fian, a schoolmaster, said to be the Head of the North Berwick Witches, found guilty and executed for witchcraft in Scotland by personal order of King James VI. Fian was burnt at Castle Hill, Edinburgh.