Seasons & Holy Nights

The Déa Noctist calendar is broken up into two primary seasons: the Light half of the year (Coventide), and the Dark half of the year (Somnicall). The dark half of the year goes from after Feast of Avalon to Lupercalia (late September-mid March), and the Light half goes from Lupercalia to Feast of Avalon (mid March-early September).

Somnicall

With a name meaning “a call to rest”, Somnicall encompasses the months of the Dark half of the year and the time of introspection and a focus on one’s personal relationship with Night. In keeping with the focus on interpersonal development and repose, only two of the six annual Déa Noctist holy days fall within the Somnicall season: Samhain and Longest Night. While these holy days are still celebrated communally, their traditions are more focused on communion with Goddess, spirits, and ancestors and are more solemn in nature.

Somnicall starts the night after the Feast of Avalon in September and goes until Lupercalia is celebrated on the spring equinox.

Coventide

Meaning “the time of coming together”, Coventide encompasses the months of the Light half of the year and the time of community and bardic celebration. Four of the six Dea Noctist holy days fall within the bright and warming months of Coventide: Lupercalia, Beltane, Shortest Night, and the Feast of Avalon. These are holidays focused on community coming together to share stories, laughter, and jovial worship.

Coventide starts on the spring equinox and lasts until the harvest is celebrated in September with the Feast of Avalon, which serves as the final social holiday of the year.

The Holy Days

  • Longest Night- the winter solstice, December 21st

  • Lupercalia- the spring equinox, March 20th

  • Beltane- the start of summer, May 1st

  • Shortest Night- the summer solstice, June 21st

  • Feast of Avalon- the harvest festival, mid-September after the harvest has been brought in

  • Samhain- the death of the year, new year, October 31st

Times of Worship

  • Full Moon gatherings- Monthly prayer rituals held on the full moon. Light is the Goddess’ divine gift to Her children and a call for us to gather together. When the moon is full and the Night is illuminated with its glow we come together to adore the Goddess and to replenish our spirits from the well of Her ever-flowing Awen.

  • New Moon rituals- When the darkness is deep and the moon does not appear in the night sky, the children of the Goddess may experience Her deeply and participate in prayers, rituals, and meditations to acclimate themselves to the Darkness that we are so often denied access to in this age of artificial light. New Moon observances are usually solitary affairs, or kept within small groups. This is a time to be in darkness, to seek and find it within yourself, and to know the Great Mother in it.