February 23 pagan holy day calendar

fixed holy days (same date every year)
Kemetic calendar
Zoroastrian calendar
Celtic Ogham tree calendar
Roman calendar
numerology
tarot
2010 lunar days
2010 astrological
2009 lunar days
2009 astrological
2008 lunar days
2008 astrological
2007 lunar days

fixed holy days

These holy days are on the same day every year on the solar calendar.

Great Ones introduced to whole eye of Heru:

Great Ones introduced to whole eye of Heru: Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) holy day. The Great Ones are introduced to the whole eye of Heru [Horus].

War between Ireland and Britain:

War between Ireland and Britain: Celtic holy day. War between Ireland and Britain. Branwen (matron of all who are constrained in unhappy marriage for the sake of their children) sends news with a trained starling to her brother, King Bran, telling him how poorly her husband, King Matholwch of Ireland treats her. The war is so devastating, she dies of a broken heart. — Celtic information provided by Shelley M. Greer ©1997.

Terminalia:

Festival of Terminalia: Roman holy day. Terminalia, a day of setting land boundaries, dedicated to Janus or Terminus, God of Endings.

Changing Woman:

Festival in honor of Estsanatlehi: Navajo (Native American) holy day. Estsanatlehi is Changing Woman. Festival lasts for eight days starting February 16.

Burning Times:

Burning Times: Schuler (first name not known) burned for witchcraft at Lindheim, Germany, on February 23, 1663. For more information on the Burning Times see Witch Hunt

calendar

This day on different world calendars.

Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) information

Season of Proyet (Sowing)
Month of Parmuti or Pharmuthi (Renenutet or Rennutet)
Day 10

Zoroastrian information
(Fasli calendar)

Month of Spandarmad (twelfth month)
Day of Aban
Day 10

The day of Aban celebrates the Av. Aban, Waters. Special prayers from the Khorda Avesta are recited in honor of the day’s spiritual being.

Activity for the day from the Counsels of Adhurbadh, Son of Mahraspand: “(128) On the day of Aban (the Waters) abstain from water and do not vex the waters.” Adarbad Mahraspandan was a famous saint, high priest, and prime minister of Shapur II (309-379 C.E.).

The second seven days (second week) of each Zoroastrian month celebrates light and nature.

The Fasli, or seasonal, calendar is one of three Zoroastrian calendars still in use.

Celtic (ancient Druid) information

Ogham tree calendar

Nion (N)

Ash Moon
Day 6

The Celtic calendar started out as a moon calendar, but was aligned with the solar year during antiquity. Robert Graves proposed the Celtic tree calendar described here. While widely used by Neo-Pagans, many critics dispute the authenticity. The Beth-Luis-Nion calendar (the one used here) starts with New Year on the Winter Solstice. The Beth-Luis-Faern calendar starts with New Year on Samhain.

Each Celtic tree month (or moon) is named for a Celtic Ogham letter (first line above) and a tree (second line above). All of the Celtic months also had additional folk names (folk names for this month listed below).

Polarity: Feminine
Planet: Neptune
Archetype: Lir (Celtic God of the Sea)
Symbol: trident
Folk Names:
Moon of Waters

Asatru (ancient Norse) information

Month: Horning

Roman information

a.d. VII Kal. Mart.
7 days before the Kalends of March
Month: Februa or Febrvarivs or Februarius

The a.d. VII Kal. designation means ante diem or seven “days before” the Kalends (first day or New Moon) of the next month. When counting days, the Romans included both the start and end day (in modern Western culture, we skip the start day). When the Romans switched to a solar calendar, they continued to use the lunar day names.

The Roman month of February is named for a feast of purification. Romans called February the “Month of Purification”. During the festival of Lupercalia, priests would beat barren women with a goatskin thong called a februa (“means of purification”) in the belief it would make them fertile. February was originally given over the the infernal deities, making the purification feast essential as a counterbalance to all the evil that could occur in the world. February had 28 days (an even number) because of a Roman superstitious dread of even numbers. February eventually became sacred to Juno Februra, the Roman Queen Goddess.

    The earliest Roman months were lunar. According to Roman mythology, the ten month solar calendar aligned to the vernal equinox was introduced by Romulus, the founder of Rome, around 753 BCE. In Romulus’ calendar, Ferbuary did not exist.
    Numa Pompilius, the second of the seven traditional kings of Rome, added two more months, for a 12 month year. In Numa’s calendar, February was added to the end of the year (after December) and had 28 days (or 23 days with an extra five intercalary days in some years). The extra five days at the end of February were viewed as unlucky and not considered to be part of the normal year.
    In some years, an intercalary month (Mensis Intercalaris) called Mercedinus or Mercedonius or Intercalaris, was placed into February in order to bring the year into alignment. The intercalary month followed February 23rd and then after the intercalary month, February resumed with February 24th. Plutarch wrote “Numa … added an intercalary month, to follow February, consisting of twentty-two days, and called by the Romans the month Mercedinus. This amendment, however, itself, in course of time, came to need other amendments.” Some scholars claim that Intercalaris was added to the Roman calendar in 452 BCE.
    Gaius Julius Caesar, as Pontifex Maximus (supreme bridge-builder, a religious title), reorganized the calendar on the first day of 45 BCE. In Caesar’s calendar (the Julian Calendar), February was moved to after January and had 28 days, except in leap years, when it had 29 days. The extra leap day was added after February 23, rather than at the end of the month. Caesar’s calendar was calculated by Sosigenes, an Egyptian astrologer/astronomer. In 8 BCE, Augustus Caesar fixed errors by pontiffs after Julius’ death and made other minor modifications, resulting in the modern Western calendar. The modern Gregorian Calendar, named for Roman Catholic Pope Gregory the Thirteenth, was a realignment in 1582.

numerology

Today totals 5 in modern Western numerology. See the article on five for more information.

tarot

Today’s tarot card is The Hierophant.

date:	Tuesday	February 23, 2010
Moon:	waxing gibbous	2nd Quarter	enters Cancer
Mercury:	Direct until April 18
Mars:	Retrograde until March 10
Saturn:	Retrograde until May 30

lunar information 2010

Moon:	waning gibbous	3rd Quarter	enters Cancer
Next Full Moon February 28	Next Waning Quarter March 7	Next New Moon March 15	Next Waxing Quarter March 23

Second Quarter in Gemini:

Second Quarter: The moon is in the second (2nd) quarter (waxing gibbous) in Gemini.

Void of Course:

Moon Void of Course: The moon is Void of Course (V/C) starting at 12:29 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) or 9:29 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). The Moon is void of course from the last traditional aspect in a sign to the ingress into the next sign. Moon void of course is a time of distractions and miscommunications. Things started during Moon void of course tend to sputter and fail.

Moon enters Cancer:

Moon Enters Cancer: Lunar Ingress. The Moon enters the sign Cancer at 6:29 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) or 3:29 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST).

Second Quarter in Cancer:

Second Quarter: The moon is in the second (2nd) quarter (waxing gibbous) in Cancer.

Gemini Rewarding: This day in 2010 is rewarding for those who are Sun sign Gemini because the Moon is in your Sun sign.

Sagittarius Challenging: This day in 2010 is challenging for those who are Sun sign Sagittarius because the Moon is in the sign opposite your Sun sign.

astrological information 2010

Moon Trine Mercury: The Moon is trine Mercury at 12:18 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) today or 9:18 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) yesterday (Feb 22). Come to decisions. Influence and persuade others.

Moon Square Uranus: The Moon is square Uranus at 10:32 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) or 7:32 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). Time of erratic or eccentric behavior. Quick thinking. Chaos spells.

Sun Sextile Pluto: The Sun is sextile Pluto at 11:31 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) or 8:31 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). Time for creative change. Perform group magick or ritual. Work with community groups.

Moon Trine Neptune: The Moon is trine Neptune at 12:29 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) or 9:29 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). Moon Void of Course (V/C). Time for idealism, friendship, and romance. Romance and friendship spells (before the Moon is void of course).

Moon Square Saturn: The Moon is square Saturn at 11:54 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) or 8:54 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). Time for serious thinking. Ritual to Ptah.

Moon Opposite Pluto: The Moon is in opposition with Pluto at 2:53 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) tomorrow (Feb 24) or 11:53 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) today. Problems with plans. Time of daydreams.

Magick Color:

Gray: The magick color for this day, based on planetary influences and the day of the week, is gray. You may want to burn a gray candle or wear some gray this day.

Magick Incense:

Geranium: The magick incense for this day, based on planetary influences and the day of the week, is geranium. You may want to burn geranium incense this day. You may substitute a similar incense if you don’t have or don’t like geranium.

See also the article on incense. An American source for high quality incense is Mountain Rose Herbs. A British source for incense is Pagan Magic.

date:	Monday	February 23, 2009
Moon:	waning crescent	4th Quarter	in Aquarius
Mercury:	Direct until May 7
Saturn:	Retrograde until May 16

lunar information 2009

Moon:	waning crescent	4th Quarter	in Aquarius
Next New Moon February 24	Next Waxing Quarter March 4	Next Full Moon March 10	Next Waning Quarter March 18

Fourth Quarter in Aquarius:

Fourth (Last) Quarter: The moon is in the fourth (4th) quarter (waning crescent) in Aquarius.

Hecate Moon:

Hecate Moon: Lunar Greek holy day. On the last day of the lunar month (the day before the New Moon), the Greeks honored Hecate, the Goddess of Witches, by leaving a small meal on altars at crossroads. These meals were eaten by the poor or animals (note use a paper plate, because any plate must be permanently donated to Hecate). Occurs today in 2009. Many modern Witches and Wiccans volunteer to help distribute food the poor on this day. Other modern Witches and Wiccans organize food drives or donate food for the poor on this day. See also Hecate black candle love spell.