Ritual: Balefire in ctner. Two black cnadles upon the altar. A red candle in each of the Quarters. A wreath of autumn flowers and the crown of the Horned one are upon the altar. All coveners are properly prepared, naked and bound. All are purified by the scourge.
High Priestess erects the circle. The High Priest says:
"O Gods, beloved of us all
bless this our Sabbat that we,
thy humble worshippers,
may meet in love, joy and bliss.
Bless our rite this night
with the presences of our departed kin."
Facing North with arms upraised, coveners hand-linked in a semicircle behind him, HP invokes the Horned One.
HPS bearing a prapus wand then leads the Coven in a meetinf dance, slowly, to the Witches Rune. HP 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 it done, the HPS 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 pary thee, on
thy High Priest and Servant, N...."
HPS goes to the HP and, with wand, draws the five-point star upon his breast and upon the crown of the Horned God. HP kneels and HPS places the crown upon his head. Fresh ncens is cast into the thurible. HPS strikes the bell and HP says:
"Hear ye my witches,
Welcome, to our Great Sabbat.
Welcome we the spirits
of our departed kin."
HPS strikes the bell. Witches walk slawly around the circle. HPS fills the chalice with wine and hands it to HP who drinks then says:
"In hunility, as the Horned One asks, I bid my witches drink."
HP takes chalice to first witches, giving it with his right hand while taking the taper with his left {kiss}, then extinguishing the taper before accepting back the chalice. Repeat with each witch present. HP then says:
"Listen, my witches, 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 foll closing circle.
Great Rite if at all possible by HPS and HP if no other. Merry meet, merry part.