(Note: the following lines are spoken by the people named before the quote)
Summoner: "Haste! Haste! No time to wait! We're off to the Sabbat so don't be late!"
Priestess: "To the Sabbat!"
Everyone: "To the Sabbat!"
The group moves deosil (clock-wise) around the circle, singing and dancing, stopping after a few circles.
Covener: "Now has our Lord reached the zenith of His journey."
Covener: "Now does he turn to face the Lady."
Priest: "Though apart, They are One."
Priestess: "They are both the shadow and the light."
Female covener takes the broom and ritually sweeps the area clean. The altar bell is rung seven times.
Covener: "Our Lord has now reached mid-hourney. Ahead He sees the light of our Lady. And the start of life anew after a period of rest. This was the first festival of the Celtic year. This is the time when the spring lambs are born, and the ewes come into milk. Spring itself is scented in the distance and thoughts are on the Goddess as much as on the God. Burn now the evergreens, the ivy, mistletoe and holly; the rosemary and the bay. Clear out the old that the new may enter."
Priest/ess: "Light to Dark!"
All: "Darkness to Light!"
Priest/ess: "Light to Dark!"
All: "Darkness to Light!"
Priest/ess: "Farewell Lady and welcome Lord!"
All: "Farewell Lord and welcome Lady!"
Priest/ess: "All Hail!"
All: "Farewell!"
Priest/ess: "Farewell!"
All: "All hail!"
Coven dances around the circle.
Priestess stands before the altar with arms folded across her chest. Priest kneels before her and kisses her feet. He then takes up the crown, stands and places it in her head. He then dances deosil around the cirlce three times. As he passes the cauldron on the second pass, a covener lights the candle in the cauldron. As he comes to the cauldron on the third cycle, he jumps over it. He then comes around to the priestess, and with a taper from the altar, he lights the candles on her crown. Priestess opens her arms and stands with her legs apart and arms raised high.
Priest: "All hail, our Lady of Light!"
All: "All hail, our Lady of Light!"
Covener: "Welcome, thrice welcome, triple Goddess of Life!"
Covener: "Mother of the Sun, we welcome you!"
Covener: "Goddess of fire, we invite you in!"
Priest and Priestess move around the cauldron. Covener hands the broom to the priestess, which she hands to the priest with a kiss. Priest goes deosil around the circle 'sweeping out' that which is not needed anymore. When he returns north, he hands the broom back to the priestess with a kiss. She gives it to the first covener with a kiss, and he sweeps out the circle. This is repeated by all of the coveners. When this is done, the priestess returns to the altar. The altar bell is rung 3 times. Cake and ale follows the ritual.
The circle is closed, and thanks are given to the Lord and the Lady.
