The Wheel of the Year of the Streghe turns as the Wiccan does, following the agricultural cycle of the people while also reflecting the passage of the Sun through the skies. The Moon travels in another cyclic wheel, weaving its way through the treguendas, completing the Mysteries. On a more spiritual level, the Mythos of the Wheel describes the lives and loves of the God and Goddess. Through the teachings of the Mythos, we find ourselves as the characters in the Myth. Everything taught and demonstrated within the Mythos is symbolic to events that transpire as our Souls pass from life to life. It is written, "Aradia teaches us that Nature is the Great Teacher, and that by participating in the seasonal festivals, we come to know the higher ways of the Spirit."

In some respects, the celebrations are similar to the Wiccan festivals. But they differ in some very significant ways. What follows is a list of the traditional festivals of La Vecchia, and their place within the Mythos. The timing of the rituals has been given to us through the "Word of Aradia" and is listed beside each festival as its "appointed time of celebration." Those celebrations which fall upon the Equinox and Solstice have listed the most common dates of their occurrence.

The Streghe do not call their seasonal rites Sabbats. They are instead referred to as Treguendas. There are eight Treguendas which make up the cyclic dance of the Year. The four major rites occur in October, February, May and August. These are the Spiritual Festivals. The minor festivals occur on the Spring and Autumnal Equinoxes, and the Summer and Winter Solstices. These are more in tune with nature and are more agricultural in nature.

ShadowFest -- La Festa Dell' Ombra -- October 31
ShadowFest marks both the beginning and ending of our year, as it does in most craft cycles. On November Eve, we mark the time when our Lady descends into the Underworld seeking to understand the Mystery of Death. Here She meets Dis, the Lord of the Underworld. She is angry with Him, for He has taken away those things that She loved. He tells Her it is not He who does this, but age and fate which robs Her of these things. He simply tries to make the time until they are reborn more pleasant. Eventually, He wins Her heart. They come together in Holy Union, and share their mysteries with each other.

Winter Solstice -- La Festa dell' Inverno -- December 21/22
The Goddess gives birth to the new Sun God, the child of the Holy Union of ShadowFest. The Watchers, known to the Streghe as the Grigori, come to see this new child, but are suprised to see Janus there presenting His new-born child. It is here that we see Dis and Janus are the two faces of the Great God. The Grigori then proceed to the world of man, bearing the new Lord of the Sun. Lupercus, the Sun, once again begins His growth.

Lupercus -- Festa di Lupercus -- February 2
The Festival of Lupercus marks the puberty of our Lord, Lupercus. The Grigori have set 12 Labours before the Young Wolf God that he must master to prove his worth as the new Sun God. And he has done so. Lupercus is invoked at this time of year to scatter the wolves of the dark winter night. He assists us in releasing the atavistic power within us all. Through Him, we are freed of the constraints of our bodies, and of this harsh winter season.

Spring Equinox -- Equinozio della Primavera -- March 21/22
The Vernal Equinox celebrates the beginning of the Goddess' Ascent from the Realm of Shadows. Longing for Her Children and the light of the Sun, She emerges. As She returns, the Earth awakens, and Her children rejoice. This is also a time of great fertility.

It is also the time that the God Lupercus is seemingly slain in a hunting accident. Yet He rises the next day as the new Sun God, taking on the persona of Janus. His brother, Cern, takes rule of the Waxing Year on Earth and will, with the regenerative growth of his antlers, become the Horned God of summer.

Tana's Day -- La Giornata di Tana -- May Eve/May 1
On this day we celebrate the full return of the Goddess from the Realm of Shadows. She has returned to her Hidden Children, bringing with Her the Mysteries She has learned. At this time, we also celebrate the God and Goddess, and Their delight in each other. They court, and the world is made merry. The Goddess becomes the dominant force, and the Goddess moths begin.

Summer Solstice -- La Festa dell' Estate -- June 21/22
The Summer Solstice marks the marriage of the God and Goddess. From Their Union comes the bounty of the Harvest Tide. This is a time of growth and life. At this time we do works to heal the Earth.

Here we also find the story of the Benandanti, who battle with the Malandanti over the outcome of the Four Harvests. When the Benandanti are victorious, over that harvest there is time of great abundance.

This is also a time when the Elemental forces are abound in great number. We honour the fata, the elementals, and other spirits of Nature. For the witch and the fata are of a similar nature...

Cornucopia -- La Festa Di Cornucopia -- August Eve
Cornucopia is the celebration of anticipation of plenty. This is the time of the First Harvest. The God is preparing to sacrifice Himself so that the world can continue. Even as we begin our harvest, we plant the seeds of rebirth. For those seeds which are planted now and nurtured over the cold Winter will become the strong plants of Spring.

Autumn Equinox -- Equinozo di Autunno -- September 21/22
This is the time of the full harvest. The bounty of the harvest is due to the God's sacrifice of Himself. Janus now dies and departs to the Underworld. The Lord of Light has now become the Lord of Shadows. He now becomes the Hooded One, and after this Treguenda, we too become hooded in our rites until the Goddess begins Her Ascent again at Primavera. Our God Cern is killed in another hunting accident, and Lupercus again takes rule of the Waning Year. Grieving for Her lost lover, the Goddess descends into the Realm of Shadows, seeking Him. We take this time to celebrate, feasting upon the bounty of the harvest. We count our blessings and prepare for the approaching Winter.

And thus, are circle begins again. Over and over we spin through the cycle, with each complete wheel growing more and more in touch with Nature, and with the Spirit with us and outside of ourselves. By attuning ourselves this way, we open ourselves to the forces all around us, strengthening our knowledge and understanding of the Mythos. Each pass through the Mythos brings new understandings and reveals deeper mysteries. The words take flight, transforming before our eyes into something entirely new and spectacular.

I have yet to experience a whole year of celebrations, having only recently dedicated. However, I can see some of the Mythos in the world around me. As the seasons turn, I see how the flowers bloom, produce seeds, then fade with winter's touch, only to blossom once more in the spring. This is not the only cycle I have noticed. I notice that I, too, move within the spiral of the Mythos. Perhaps I am in the Sprintime of my cycle, still learning and growing in the Old Religion, eager to bloom and embrace all there is to know. Always close is the knowledge that, through my experiences, I shall move closer to the Spirit to be reborn and learn anew. I find I discover more and more, and am humbled by the depth of knowledge that is shown to me in fleeting glimpses, until such time I am ready.

*Return to SeaxWicca's Stregheria Page*

The knowledge shared upon this page was given by various sources. Those items in italics were taken directly from Raven Grimassi's "The Way of the Strega,"which is possily one of the most amazing works I have ever read. Other sections were taken from the descriptions of the treguenda festivals, as well as from Amberlyn, who supervises and advises the on-line study group I belong to which is dedicated to exploring the path of Stregheria. I thank Amberlyn for her tiredless patience and her honesty.