the encyclopedic entry of Mabon

Dictionary Thesaurus Word Dynamo Quotes Reference Translator Spanish

Mabon

This article is about the Neopagan festival Mabon.
For the Welsh mythological character, see Mabon ap Modron. For the Welsh politician, see William Abraham.

Mabon is the name used by some traditions of neopaganism for one of the eight annual sabbats central to their beliefs. It is celebrated on the Autumnal Equinox, which in the northern hemisphere occurs on or around September 23rd (occasionally the 22nd). Many celebrate on the 21st since most pre christian religious sources reference this date as Mabon. In the southern hemisphere, the Autumnal Equinox occurs usually around March 21.

Also called Harvest Home, the Feast of the Ingathering, Meán Fómhair, or as Alban Elfed by Neo-Druidic traditions, this holiday is a ritual of thanksgiving for the fruits of the earth and a recognition of the need to share them to secure the blessings of the Goddess and God during the winter months. The name may be the root of Mabon ap Modron, a character from Welsh mythology, although the connection is unclear (see below).

Among the sabbats, it is the second of the three harvest festivals, preceded by Lughnasadh/Lammas and followed by Samhain.

Antiquity of Mabon

The Autumnal equinox along with the other Equinox's were indeed celebrated in Celtic countries as part of the harvest festival, the Autumnal Equinox is an annual solar event likely commemorated by many ancient pagan cultures. Meanwhile, all that is known about Anglo-Saxon customs of that time was that September was known as haleg-monath or "holy month".

Mabon is a masculine personal name in Welsh; as well as being found as the given name of the mythological character Mabon fab Modron, it remains a popular name in Wales today.

Mythology

In modern Wicca, various mythologies associated with Mabon have grown up.

Firstly, it is seen as the time when the Oak King who has ruled for half of the year, must give up his throne to the Holly King, who shall rule for the next half of the year.

Popular culture

Mabon is a contemporary Celtic music band, from Bridgend, Wales
Mabon is an alias of the popular Welsh language MC, Gruff Meredith, who composes under the name of MC Mabon.
In many of Charles de Lint's Newford books, the character Sophie Etoile visits a city in her dreams called Mabon.
The Dutch neo-celtic band Omnia has a song called "Mabon", no. 3 on their album Crone of War

References

Hutton, Ronald The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain, 1996 - ISBN 0-19-285448-8
Kelly, Aidan (1991) Crafting the Art of Magic Llewellyn.