OOC - Having discussed with the various "Celts" on here we've decieded that we're going to effectively all call our religions "Celtic Paganism" however each nation will venerate in a different way and respect some Gods, spirits beings etc more than others. As such expect entries from all of us (Kris, me, Maes and Ffion) if you wish to contribute we'd be delighted to work with you but please just check first. Thanks
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A Celtic Pagan Festival in Eigg
The followers of the various branches of Celtic Paganism broadly believe that there are two worlds in parallel. The first world is the one we are most aware of, the temporal world in which we live. There exists however a second world, a spirit world often called the Otherworld or Shadow-world. It is the belief of most, but not all, Celtic Pagans that it is possible to cross from one world to the next. It is easier for a spirit world dweller to enter into the temporal world than for the journey to go the other way. There is the belief that Gods of various types live in this spirit world with some having more power than others or remit over certain aspects of the temporal world. In some branches of the Celtic Pagan faith these Gods may have different names and stories but often parallels exist between them. Alongside these gods live other creatures such as sprites, elves, banshees and various other "Magical" folk who are often born in the Otherworld and cross over to live in the temporal world.
Worship commonly requires gifts to be given to the Gods, often called sacrifices and while the practice of human sacrifice has long ended there are many examples of animal sacrifice within the faith. Prayer also is usually conducted outside and involves rituals specific to certain Gods. There are times of the year usually governed by the moon and sun that require rituals.
At times throughout history there have been clashes between different branches of the faith over perceived insults, lack of respect or in a few cases damage to sacred sites however today the vast majority recognise that while they may differ in belief they have more in common than separates them. As a result of this understanding their has largely been peace between the branches for the last 150 years.
BRANCH OF THE FAITH:- Cailleach
NATION OF ORIGIN:- Arcaibh
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CAILLEACH WORSHIP
Cailleach is the name given to the "divine hag" or "great ancestor". It is believed that she created the world by walking its face and planting each tree from seeds in her basket and mountains with stones discarded from her hearth. She carries a hammer for shaping the hills and valleys, and is said to be the mother of all the goddesses and gods She is associated with winter where she ensured that mankind survived the harsh conditions through endlessly patrolling the wilds to provide for each person. She rests during each summer. As such it is the duty of each person to work hard during the year to help Cailleach as she works to see us through winter.
The worship of the Goddess carries with it many traditions connected to the harvests and various significant calendar events.
When each farmer in a district completes their harvest the first to finish the task uses the last sheaf of corn to make a corn doll representative of Cailleach. He then throws it into his neighbours field. The person in the district to finish their harvest last is left with the doll and must store it until the first day of spring the following year. That family are responsible for leading several of the rituals during the winter as they are considered to be giving the Goddess shelter for the winter. The family earn the title Cailleach Guardian for that year.
Another tradition is that on the 1st February the faithful celebrate Là Fhèill Brìghde. This is a day for omens and it is believed that if the day see's good weather it is because the Goddess knows that winter will continue for a significant period and needs the good weather to continue collecting firewood however if the weather is bad it means she has sufficient firewood and the winter will end shortly.
There are several folk-lore tales that explain why the world is the way it is. For example the reason for different races on Mundus is explained by the story that says "she had fifty foster-children in Beare (a fictional place believed to be heaven). She had seven periods of youth one after another, so that every man who had lived with her came to die of old age, and her grandsons and great-grandsons formed tribes and races."
The faithful have no place of worship instead praying in places of nature, usually by the side of rivers or lakes. Ceremonial cairns have been made across the country dedicated to helping Cailleach find her way during winter snows. These range from a village maintaining a pile of stones to the famous Cailleach National Carin Network (CNCN) which are a series of large cairns made at significant places in stories to the goddess. One of the most significant is the Abergeven Carin.
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Abergeven Carin
The faithful believe there are several other Gods and Goddesses whom are the children of Cailleach. She even created other creatures such as pixies and fairies to help her in her task of looking after the world.
When a person dies it is believed that when she next passes by Cailleach will gather their soul in her basket and take them to Beare (a paradise) if she deems them a worthy person. Funeral rituals dictate a person is placed inside a shroud and buried in a barrow. On the 1st anniversary of their death the body is taken and burned. It is believed that by this time Cailleach will have collected the persons soul, if she has not deemed it worthy then the spirit is trapped in the body and thus must be destroyed to prevent it becoming an evil spirit upon the world. The ashes of the deceased are then either placed in an urn and kept by the clan in their own vault or more often sprinkled on the land.
A marriage to worshippers of Cailleach is carried out on any day without a full moon. It is believed that on nights of the full moon Cailleach is busy working and could not bless the ceremony. A wedding must take place outdoors so the Goddess can witness it. A groom must build a cairn at which the ceremony will take place, this usually is done the week before with the friends of the groom turning up and helping. This in many ways is a time for the groom and his friends to celebrate the upcoming wedding. The bride must meanwhile collect a flower for each person attending. During the ceremony the two have their hands tied together while a Druid gives a blessing. Following the ceremony a feast takes place at which there is a high table with just one seat that is reserved for the goddess.