Winter Solstice Celebration
(La Festa Del Inverno)
MoonPathCUUPS
December 23, 2005

High Priest: Nereus  (OSM )
High Priestess: Saille Honor (AHEL ADOM)
Goddess Dancer: Amber  (TEEN CUUPS)
God Dancer: Max? (CUUPS)
Maiden: Deep Sea Star (CUUPS)
Guardian: Silvanus  (OSM)
Bard: Fionn  (OSM)
North: MacMage  (OSM)
East: Melanie (CUUPS/ AHEL ADOM)
South: Ash the Silent (CUUPS/AHEL ADOM)
West: Eli  (OSM)
Firetender: Ken  (OSM)
Minions:

Altar Setup (Nereus)  
Quarter Torches and gate torches (Ken)  
Extra torches (CUUPS)
Sword for Guardian (Nereus)  
Sword for HPS (Macmage) 
Quarter Altars  (The Callers)
Cremora     Cakes and Ale

Spelcastor at Patio:
Hear ye hear ye assemble on the porch, the ritual is about to 
begin.... 

(When all assembled say:)

Please turn off ALL cell phones, Beepers, and NO Smoking or answer to the God and Goddess

THE BARD REMEMBERS  (Fionn)

PROCESS TO CIRCLE (Drumming to circle)

Guardian leads, followed by HP and HPS, Maiden, Quarter Callers and then minions. Guardian, HP, HPS, and Maiden enter and go to main altar. Quarter Callers go to their CROSS 
Quarters. ALL DONE  DEOSIL!

Minions hold participants at the gate and light the smudge.

CLEANSING OF CIRCLE 

Guardian:

(north to east) I drive out all mental misgivings and the blockages to our 
communication with each other
and with the spirits with whom we seek conclave.

(east to south) I drive out all spiritual doubt and the lust for that which 
destroys, for the spirit lusters but lusts not

(south to west) I drive out all emotional negativity and the tendency to get 
lost in the slippery current of feelings.

(west to north) I drive out all physical ailments and any heaviness which 
waits to descend upon the material plane.

(at the altar) By the power of spirit, I do hereby declare this sacred 
space.

HPS: Oh, Gods, Bless this Sabbat that we your humble worshippers may meet 
in love, joy and bliss.

ANOINTING OF PARTICIPANTS
Minions smudge Participants. (Dragons Blood Incense) (Drumming while people 
are entering circle)

CONSECRATION OF TOOLS

HP:  “Hear me old ones, We come before you on this sacred eve to give 
observance and remembrance, for
this is the night of the birth of the great sun god, who dwelled for a time 
in the great darkness, and who
brought forth light out of the darkness on this day. He who was Dianus is 
born again, He who is the light
has returned to us that we may also live.

HP: “In the names of Diana and Dianus and by this sacred sign, be thou 
essence of magic.”

(Firestarter lights fire)

HP: “I call now upon the highest of all and pray thee impart thy essence 
into this most sacred flame.”

CASTING CIRCLE  (HPS holds sword/staff above head)

HPS:  I come before thee now, for this is the appointed time which the Holy 
One bid us observe. Thou who hast dwelt before the beginning, Thou who 
caused all things to appear, adoration to thee. May your hands be on this 
sword as the circle is cast.

(HPS circles, If needed accompanied by maiden with a lighted script)

HPS:       I conjure thee O circle of power, that thou beist a sanctuary and 
boundary between the worlds of man and the mighty ones, a guardian and 
protector that shall preserve and contain the magickal powers which we shall 
raise within thee. Wherefore do I bless and consecrate thee in the Ancient 
names of Diana and Dianus.

CONSECRATION OF THE ELEMENTS  (HPS places Athame into each element while 
reciting)

NORTH:     Blessed be ye Salt of Earth, sacred for to keep her way, 
sprinkled round about the hearth, keep the spirits at their bay.

EAST:      Blessed be ye fragrant Air, mind of Gods and sacred thought, 
repel all spirits which dare invade that which the Gods have wrought.

SOUTH:     Blessed be ye fire bright, light of Gods and light of life, 
Quick, ye flame, dance in the night, Blessed be ye sacred knife.

WEST:      Blessed be ye water cool, life to birth and life to tomb, gather 
round the sacred pool, blessed be ye Goddess’s fruitful womb.
(HP passes Athame over the elements while reciting)

HP:      I conjure ye, spirits of the four elements, by the powers of this 
sacred blade and by the names of Diana and Dianus. Hear me now and attend.
(Callers on completion of call, will walk to fire, and with hand raised cast 
Cremora/Brimstone into fire, saying: hear me old ones and attend.)

NORTH:  Oh Mighty Dianus, great and courageous God of the Strega, Consort of 
our Lady Diana, and Father to all Creatures, upon Thy Sacred Horns do we 
place our most grievous afflictions. Toss them to the Four Winds of the Four 
Watchtowers that they may become as dust beneath thy Cloven Hooves. Ride Thy 
Mighty North Wind to Luna, where Thou art Guardian of the Souls who await 
rebirth among us.

Hail to Thee North, and you, Powers of Earth! Deep unseen mystery made 
manifest in all that surrounds us, dark mirror that reflects no image yet 
gazes back at us with our own eyes; come and give us the blessing of your 
Wisdom! (invoking pentagram)  So mote it be.
(at fire):  Hear me old ones, and attend.

EAST:    Oh Great Lupercus, Source of Eternal Light and Wisdom, may Thy 
Life-giving Rays shine forth to enlighten Thy Creatures and nourish that 
which is reborn, and that by the Call of the Wolves of night we may rejoice 
at Thy return at Dawn.
Hail o thee, East, and you Powers of Air! Morning Star of our lives, come; 
blow through us and cleanse us. Awaken that which has slept too long. Let us 
begin our journey with the blessing of Your Light! (invoking pentagram)  So 
mote it be.
(at fire): Hear me old ones and attend.

SOUTH:  Oh Crimson Lights of the Flaming One, Glowing Eyes of a Thousand 
Serpents, Lightbringer, quicken that which is reborn that strength may 
banish weakness.
Hail to Thee, South, And you Powers of Fire! Golden glow of noon day Sun, 
come; temper our spirits with your  heat and stoke the flame of our will 
‘til it grows iron hard and ember hot. Give us the blessing of Your 
Strength!  (invoking pentagram)  So mote it be.
(at fire): Hear me old ones and attend.

WEST:    Oh Sacred Luna, fertilize the Blest Earth with Thy Silvery Rays, 
that the new life that has been born of our Mother may wax abundant and 
sustain the life of all living things. May the Queen of the Heavens, Our 
Lady Diana, ride forth to meet us upon Her Crescent Chariot.
Hail to Thee West, and to you, Powers of Water! Bottomless, Fathomless, 
Ancient Abyss, come; wash us, flow through us, permeate our being; and carry 
us swiftly through our days – the ebb and flow of our daily existence. Give 
us the blessing of Life! (invoking pentagram)   So mote it be.
(at fire):  Hear me, old ones, and attend.

(after Watchtowers are called, HP raps three times on the Altar and recites)

HP:      In the Names of Diana and Dianus and by the Old Ones I declare this 
circle cast.

INVOCATION OF THE GOD AND GODDESS

HPS:  Out of the depths of fathomless time we call to you Lord Dianus. Out 
of the darkness of ages long past, from beyond the veils of time and space 
we beckon to you to come to us on this most blessed Sabbat of Yule.
(HPS lights God Candle and recites)

“Dianus, dio del sole e del di la, pensa per un momento a noi reunite qui 
nel tuo nome.”

“Dianus, God of the Sun and beyond, think thou yet even for a moment upon we 
who gather in thy name.”

“Let Dianus bear the blessings of our great mother, Diana as she guards and 
guides us through the dark days ahead, and renews our hope and vision of the 
light. May all our powers and determination be symbolized by this light, as 
it burns with steady flame, aiding and strengthening that which is already 
there.”  AS IT WAS IN THE TIME OF OUR BEGINNING, SO IT IS NOW AND SO SHALL 
IT BE.

(HP lights Goddess candle and recites):

“Bella Diana, dea ella luna e del di la, pensa per un momento a noi reunite 
que nel tuo nome.”

“Beautiful Diana, Goddess of the Moon and beyond, think thou yet even for a 
moment upon we who gather in thy name.”

“Let these lights burn in our hearts until Imbolg. Then we shall know that 
the worst of winter is behind us. Diana and her consort Dianus will watch 
over us until the dark months have left us. Their vigil shall be as our 
heartfires, giving us renewed hope with each spark that ignites each new 
log.

AS IT WAS IN THE TIME OF OUR BEGINNING, SO IT IS NOW AND SO SHALL IT BE.
(HP elevates the Athame and recites)  

HP:      Here is the First Desire; 
here is the emanation of Dianus.
(HPS elevates the Chalice and recites)  

HPS:     Before me is the Origin, 
the Source of all things. Before me is the Emanation of Diana.
(HP inserts the Athame into the Chalice whilst reciting)
HP:      And the Goddess moved in the Darkness and her scent aroused the 
Passion of the God, So that he reached out and drew Her to Himself.  They 
loved and were One.

(HP kisses HPS)

HP:  And so, here be the love of the God for the goddess.
(All follow suit)

DRAWING DOWN THE SUN  (HP elevates the Moon Crown, and recites)

HP:      In the Name of Diana, be this Moon Crown the vital essence of She 
who gives life to all things, and be it the vital substance of She who gives 
form to all things. May Her essence and form be granted to our Priestess 
Saille.

(HP places the Moon Crown upon the Priestess’ head)

HPS:
Oh, Horned Lord of summer night,  I call thee now by ancient rite.  Lord of 
Forests, Lord of Fires,
Master of Passions and Desires,  This night thy praises do I sing,   Oh, 
Great and Noble summer King.

By the Flame that burneth bright  We call thy name into the Night.  Thee we 
invoke by Moon-led Sea,
By Standing Stone and Twisted Tree.  Thee we invoke, where gather thine own,
By the nameless Shrine forgotten and lone.  Come where the round of dance is 
trod,
Horn and Hoof of the Goat-foot God.  By moonlit meadow, on dusky hill,
When the haunted wood is hushed and still,  Come to the charm of the chanted 
prayer,
As the Moon bewitches the midnight air.  Evoke thy Powers that potent bide
In shining stream and secret tide,  In fiery flame by starlight pale,
In shadowy host that rides the gale,  And by the fern-breaks faerie-haunted
Of forest wild and woods enchanted.  Come, Lord Dianus. Stag God come
To the rhythmic pound of the heartbeat’s drum.  Come to us who gather below,
When the broad white moon is climbing slow  Through the Stars to the Heavens 
height.

We hear thy Hooves on the wind of night.  As black tree branches shake and 
sigh,
By joy and terror we know thee nigh.  We speak the power thy spell unlocks
At Solstice, Sabbat, and Equinox.  Word of virtue, the veil to rend
From primal dawn to wide worlds end  I speak thy Names: Wotan, Cernunnos,
Dark Lord Dis, Osirus, Dionysus.  Blessed Be all in Hearth and Hold,
Blessed in all, worth more than Gold.  Blessed Be in Strength and Love;
Blessed Be where ere we Rove.  Visions fade not from our eyes
Of the Pagan Paradise.  Past the gates of Death and Birth,
Our inheritance of earth.  From our souls, Thou song of Spring,
Fade not in our Wandering.  Our life with all life is one,  By the blackest 
night or noonday Sun.

Eldest of Gods on thee we call    Blessings on thy creatures all.
I call thy name that thou descend,  Father, Lover, Brother, Friend.
(HPS elevates the Wand)

HPS:     I call upon thee, Oh, Ancient Stellar One, who art the comforter 
and consoler of men. I call upon thee, Oh Great God of the Witches, Ruler of 
the Sabbat, Lord of the Blue Flame. I call upon thee, for I am thy Lady. 
Come out of the North on the Back of the Winds and join thy Lady Diana at 
this Holy Sabbat.

(HPS touches HP’s head with the Wand)

HPS:   I call thee by thy most ancient name, Dianus. Descend upon this thy 
Priest Nereus Now.
(pause to allow for a word from Dianus)

(God Dancer enters from South and meanders deosil around circle)

HP:  It is the time of the long night and I have laid my thick mantel upon 
the ground. The branches are bare, the water hardens and life slows to a 
crawl. I walk the earth that lays submissive beneath my feet. My breath runs 
hot and my eyes are cold. Death is in the air, and the moon reflects red off 
my spreading antlers. Glistening like diamonds, the stars fill the night sky 
and the wind howls like a lonesome wolf. I feel the pulse that is HER fill 
my veins like heady wine. I lift my muzzle to the sky and bugle my challenge 
loud and far. Who will meet my challenge, who will dance the dance of life 
with the lord of death?

        My hooves ring like steel against the stone beneath the snow, sparks 
lit up the night. The sound of my movement shakes the slumbering trees, from 
the forest a soft glow appears,

(Maiden enters from N quarter and starts to dance DEOSIL)

an old woman approaches, wrapped warmly against the wind, she appears frail, 
but there is fire in her eyes.

HPS: “I will dance the dance.”

(GOD Dancer joins her slowly at first and faster to go with the narrative)

Her feet begin to shuffle and her body sway and while I watched, intrigued 
by the woman, I began to answer her motion with movement of my own, the 
dance unfolded! (pause) Around the forest we whirled and the wrinkles 
slipped away from her as the veils dropped one by one taking the years with 
them. The stars danced in silent awe while the moon flooded us with cold 
blue light. Faster and faster the dance went on, our eyes grew wild with the 
thunder of the pulse of the dance, and our feet drummed the dance. Hooves 
and horns and the slapping of feet pounded out the beat and the steam rose 
from our bodies. The earth herself split open from the dance, and I led her 
down into the depths of that which was herself.

         At last I stood in the place of my power, and the throne of death. 
I stood silently waiting.

(god leads Maiden to altar and stand facing each other, North to South.)

HP:  “My lady, will you stay here at the throne of death with me and dance 
the eternal dance, for I am struck by your beauty and would have you for my 
companion.”

HPS:  “Only for a time my lord, for my love is for that which is above and 
is waiting for release from within me.”

HP:  “My lady, you have danced the dance of life with me as none has danced 
before, what boon may I grant thee?”

HPS:  “I want the spirit of my son returned to life. I want to know the 
secrets of death.”

HP:  “None has asked such a boon, how dare you ask so much.”

HPS:  “The earth needs my son to live; they must have the light and joy of 
spring, the heat of summer, the harvest of the fall to survive. They need my 
son, the dance must go on.”

HP:  “Then kneel and learn the secrets of death”.

(Maiden Kneels, God LIGHTLY whips her)

      With pain and scourge, with laughter and love, sadness and youth and 
age and darkness and light. I taught her, the peace of the slumber of the 
dead. Laying my lady down in the earth, she would sleep and the seed in her 
belly would swell and bring life to a new world. And she and the child would 
dance and sing and grow old and the child, lover and king will die. Once 
again the wheel turns, and she shall come to me in the woods and dance the 
dance of life once more.

(Maiden remains on the ground and follows the narrative to simulate child 
birth, God dancer exits North)

HPS:  The boon has been granted. The night, longest of all, I shall give 
birth to the promised child at dawn. I feel the stirrings in my womb as my 
body anticipates the return of my lover and my son. I lay myself upon the 
earth in preparation. I feel the union of Goddess and nature, earth and 
mother. The waters of life pour forth from the cauldron of rebirth 
nourishing the very earth from whence we all came. The final push, the final 
contraction and the Lord of Light is born and in my arms.

(Maiden leave through North)       

You ARE reborn, all that was of no use 
to you is left behind. You ARE a new creature, the old things have passed 
away, ALL things become new. Walk in the newness of life. You are given the 
opportunity to change your destination. Carry with you the lessons learned, 
do NOT repeat your mistakes. CREATE THE FUTURE YOU DESIRE!!!!!!!  
THE SUN GOD IS HERE! HAIL AND WELCOME.

CAKES AND ALE

(HP inscribes Pagra over cakes while HPS recites:)

HPS: Behold the harvest, the fruit of the Mothers womb, that which the seed 
of the God has helped produce. These cakes mark the presence of fall, of new 
beginnings and endings. As we partake of these gifts Diana WILL touch you 
within.

(all share cakes and ale, Libate into fire)

BIDDING FARWELL TO THE GOD AND GODDESS

HP:      Diana and Dianus, We thank you for your presence and your circle. 
We ask for your Blessings as you depart. Hail and Farewell.

CLOSING OF THE WATCHTOWERS

NORTH: Guardians of the North and you Powers of Earth, We thank you for 
having shown us your deep and unseen mysteries and for giving us the 
Blessing of your Wisdom. As you depart into your shadowy realms, may we 
depart in Peace, Love, and Happiness until we meet again. (banishing 
pentagram) So mote it be

EAST: Guardians of the East and you Powers of Air, we thank you for being 
the Morning Star of our lives. As you have cleansed and awakened us, we bid 
you farewell. May we depart in Peace, Love, and Happiness until we meet 
again. (banishing pentagram). So Mote it Be.

SOUTH: Guardians of the South and you Powers of Fire, we thank you for the 
golden glow of our noonday Sun. As you have given us the Blessing of your 
Strength, we bid you farewell. May we depart in Peace, Love, and Happiness 
until we meet again. (Banishing Pentagram). So Mote It Be.

WEST: Guardians of the West and you Powers of Water, we thank you for 
permeating our being and carrying us swiftly through our days. As you have 
given us the Blessing of our daily existence, we bid you farewell. May we 
depart in Peace, Love, and Happiness until we meet again. (banishing 
Pentagram). So Mote it Be.

BANISHING OF THE CIRCLE

(HPS walks deosil around the circle and recites)

HPS: By this Holy Sword/Staff/Flame this Circle disappears and can be found 
no more. The Physical Plane is restored, and all things are as they were 
from the time of our beginning. (At altar)

AS IT WAS IN THE TIME OF OUR BEGINNING, SO IT IS NOW AND SO SHALL IT BE.  
SO MOTE IT BE!!!!