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Sabbats and esbats are astronomically related. Virtually all ancient religions, worldwide, practiced some form of these festivals. Too, many modern religious holidays and festivals contain remnants and/or are similarly dated.
The sabbats are sun/solar festivals, and so, are always associated with fires - bonfires and fireplaces. No sabbat is complete without a feast and drink celebrating hunting, gathering, livestock, and/or planting. The Catholic Church, in order to combat the Old Religion in medieval Europe, adopted many of the sabbat dates as Christian celebrations. The names listed are considered to be Celtic. Additionally, the association with the sabbats vis-à-vis the Horned One's rebirth/resurrection cycle is also considered Celtic, though it's more likely older. What is missing in the Celtic cycle is the sun/solar association with the Goddess as a maiden - however, the sabbats do emphasize the Goddess' fertility role - the mature, childbearing woman. The eight sabbats are usually a month-and-a-half apart. Starting with the Celtic New Year: Esbats are lunar/moon festivals. The Drawing Down the Moon Festival [modern name] is the most commonly associated
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