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This is just one of many rituals, you must understand. There are many different types of Wicca with many different types of ritual and tradition as well. For us, the Sabbat ritual begins at sundown October 31st or Samhain Eve. Many people leave milk and cakes outside on their doorsteps, just as traditional Celts did back in the days of olde for the fae. In the ritual, some Wiccans use a chant at the beginning of the feast to welcome their ancestors home.
Samhain Ritual
Altar arrangement: Balefire in centre of circle (or what is "to be" the circle). Two black candles upon the altar. A red candle in each of the Quarters. Both a wreath of autumn flowers and the crown of the God are upon the altar. All Wiccans are properly prepared and bound. Preparation can be in many ways, such as purification rituals before hand and personal sacrificial rituals as well. Some Wiccans worship "skyclad" (naked), while others prefer clothing. This is up to the individual. All are purified by the scourge.(A gentle lashing, not a beating, please. This is not a pathway to S&M.)
High Priest erects the Circle and says:
"O Creator, beloved of us all,
bless this our Sabbat that we,
thy humble worshippers,
may meet in love and perfect joy.
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 High Priest invokes the God.
High Priestess bearing a priapus wand then leads the Coven in a meeting dance,slowly, to the Wiccans' Rune. High Priest 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 High Priestess assumes the Goddess position saying:
"Dread Lord of the Shadows, God of Life and Bringer of Death !
Yet as the knowledge of thee 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...."
High Priestess goes to the High Priest and with wand draws the five-point star upon his chest and upon the crown of the God. She then kneels and places the
crown upon his head. Fresh incense is cast into the thurible. The Priestess strikes the bell and the High Priest says:
"Hear ye my wiccans,
Welcome to our Great Sabbat.
Welcome we the spirits
Of our departed kin."
High Priestess strikes the bell. Wiccans walk slowly around the Circle. High Priestess fills chalice
with wine and hands it to High Priest who drinks and then says:
"In humility,
as the Horned One asks,
I bid my wiccans drink."
High Priest takes the chalice to the first wiccan, giving it with his right hand while taking the taper with his left (kiss), then extinguishing the taper before accepting back the chalice. Repeated with each wiccan present. High Priest then says:
"Listen, my wiccans, 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 the closing of Circle.
Great Rite is done if at all possible by High Priestess and High Priest if no other. Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again.
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