Witchology, the history of Wicca & Witchcraft
by Dr Leo Ruickbie

Study and learn the history of Witchcraft, Wicca, Paganism, Magic and the Occult with our courses and resources

About

August: Lammas and Hungry Ghosts

August is named after Augustus Caesar.

Pagan Festivals and Holy Days in August

Introduction

August was originally called Sextilis, or the sixth month (after March), but re-named in honour of the greatly revered Emperor Augustus Caesar.

The Anglo-Saxon name is Weodmonath, 'vegetation Month'. This is a time of fruitfulness and divination, symbolically believed by some to impart creative power and energy. The modern Asatru name for August is the month of harvest.

Roman Calendar

8 - Festival of Venus (sunset to sunset)
13 - Festival of Hecate
15 - Festival of Vesta
17 - Festival of Diana
19 - Vinalia Rustica
21 - Consualia
- Heraclia
23 - Festival of Nemesea
- Festival of Vertumnalia
- Vulcanalia
24 - Festival of Mania
25 - Opiconsivia (Festival of Ops (Rhea))
27 - Day sacred to Consus
- Volturnia
30 - Festival of Charisteria

Other Dates

1 - Lammas (Wiccan)
- Brotmesse (Norse)
- First Festival of Harvest (Traditional)
3 - Aomori Nebuta (Japanese)
6 - Day of the Earth and Sun Goddesses (Cherokee)
- The Day of the Transfiguration (Gnostic)
7 - Breaking of the Nile (Ancient Egypt)
11 - Puck Fair (Irish Traditional)
13 - Day of Hecate (Ancient Greek)
- Runic Half-month of As begins (Norse)
15 - Moon festival (Chinese)
- Odins Ordeal (Norse)
18 - Festival of Hungry Ghosts (Chinese)
25 Festival of Discovery - discovery of the runes (Norse)
27 - Festival of Devaki (Indian)
28 - Harvest Festival (Norwegian)
29 - Gelede - dancing and mask ritual (African)
- Urda/Runic Half-month of Rad begins (Norse)

Anniversaries

Witchcraft Trials

Salem 1692

The trials continue with further death sentences pronounced and executed, but testimony against some of those hung is recanted, too late.

August 5, 1692: George Jacobs Sr., Martha Carrier, George Burroughs, John Willard and John and Elizabeth Proctor are pronounced guilty and sentenced to hang.
August 19, 1692: George Jacobs Sr., Martha Carrier, George Burroughs, John Willard and John Proctor are hanged on Gallows Hill. Elizabeth Proctor escapes the noose because of her pregnancy.
August 20, 1692: Margaret Jacobs recants the testimony that led to the execution of her grandfather George Jacobs Sr. and Burroughs.

Recommended Reading

Witchcraft Out of the Shadows by Leo Ruickbie

If you knew that there was one book that would change the history of witchcraft would you want to read it? Contains new analyses, fresh insights and previously unpublished material from the author's PhD research.

Wicca in the context of historical witchcraft from Ancient Greece to the Witch Hunts.

"Witchcraft out of the Shadows is an engaging book which deserves to be the benchmark for all future analyses of the Craft." - Alan Richardson

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Witchology, the history of Wicca & Witchcraftby Dr Leo Ruickbie