Gods and Goddesses of Ostara

The Vernal Equinox, Ostara, truly is a special time; the midpoint of Spring, where Light and Darkness hang in perfect symmetry. For our ancestors, it was a time to head the call of the great outdoors and rejoice at the vibrant colors of Nature and sweet laughter of newborn animals. But they also realized that everything is cyclical; Darkness will prevail again. So the Equinox became the symbol of that precarious balance of opposing forces, whose constant struggle brings life.

The Wiccan Sabbat of Ostara takes its name from the Germanic Goddess of dawn, Eostre, but there are several gods and goddesses associated with this time of year. Almost every ancient Pantheon included a deity of Spring and renewal; of fertility; of balance and resurrection. Some are still celebrated each Spring, in parts of the world. After all, no matter what part of the Path we come from, we all love to celebrate new beginnings!

Eostre (or Eostara, and later Ostara)

The Goddess of Spring herself. Although most of the sources we have come from the writings of Benedictine monk Bede in late 7th century, Eostre was worshipped by Saxons and Germanic tribes for hundreds of years before that. Many festivals were held in her honor, starting at the Vernal Equinox and continuing well into April. In fact, the whole month of April (“Eostremonath”) was named after her!

Our ancestors saw Eostre as a beautiful, whiteclad Maiden; the embodiment of Spring Dawn. They gathered water from the brooks (considered holy this time of year) and washed with it to restore youthfulness. As Spring is the time hens start laying eggs again and new chicks hatch, they also painted eggs as offerings and buried them to fulfill their wishes. Not surprisingly, the egg is a core Ostara symbol: a symbol of infinite potential – still not fully realized.

Eostre’s other core symbol, the Hare, first appears in a 1835 German mythology book. But given that Ostara celebrates new life and fertility, the Hare is indeed a perfect companion!

When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire, many old Pagan festivals were "repurposed" as Christian celebrations, for people to transition into the new religion easier. So the festival of Ostara became the Christian Easter. But every time people paint eggs and chase the Easter bunny to this day, Ostara lives on.

Eos

Eostre may have given her name to Easter, but the ancient Greek Goddess of Dawn, Eos, is probably the inspiration behind her name. In contrast to Eostre though, Eos was not a virgin. She was "always in love", cursed by Aphrodite with an insatiable sexual desire. To cure her lust, Eos abducted many young men to take as lovers.

Eos was a Titaness, older than the Olympian Gods — but forever young and beautiful. Sister of the Sun and the Moon, she rose every morning to “open the gates of heaven for the Sun to rise”. She wore a saffron robe adorned with flowers, had rosy fingers and white-feathered wings. Many consider Eos to be the inspiration behind Angels in Hebrew and Christian mythology. Certainly, the fact that she gave birth to the Morning Star (Eosphoros) makes it plausible.

Eos was mostly worshipped outdoors in Spring. Women would wear saffron robes and offer her honey and fig cakes (foods that awaken carnal desire).

Artemis

The twin sister of Apollo, Artemis was the ancient Greek Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt. A sworn virgin, Artemis preferred the company of her hunting dogs and was always depicted wearing her bow or shooting an arrow but was also the protector of childbirth and young girls. Some of her sacred symbols are the deer, the cypress, and the waxing Moon.

Artemis was celebrated in Spring: a festival for her and Apollo was held on the last day of the month we now call March. Later incorporated into the Roman Pantheon as Diana, Artemis is celebrated to this day in Wicca traditions as one of the Maiden manifestations of the Triple Goddess. In fact a branch of Wicca, the Dianic Wicca of Zsuzsanna Budapest, is inspired by Artemis.

Blodeuwedd

A Welsh Goddess of Spring, Blodeuwedd was created from flowers to become the wife of legendary hero Lleu. But she cheated on him with her lover, Gronw Pebyr, and found a way to trick and wound Lleu. As a punishment, she was transformed into an owl. (“Blodeuwedd” which translates to “flower face” in Welsh, it’s still a name for the owl.) Blodeuwedd is a symbol of the beauty of Nature of Spring — and a reminder of the fickleness of that beauty. Our ancestors were well aware of how volatile Spring weather was!

The Green Man

His legend can be traced throughout ancient history, from Asia to Scandinavia. Faces covered in foliage, with vines and leaves sprouting from mouth, have been popping up all over. Carved in the woods, in temples, even in Christian churches. However, it wasn’t until 1939 (in a folklore article) that the name “Green God” was used to describe these faces.

Our ancestors probably didn’t have a single name about what was unmistakably a depiction of the return of greenery in Nature. In ancient Greece, these images were associated with Bacchus, God of wine and rebirth. In ancient Egypt, Osiris was depicted with dark green skin. Among Germanic tribes, these images were mostly associated with Odin or Freyr, the God of virility. In later English traditions, he’s been called Jack in the Green, Green George and even Robin Hood. Yes, he’s the inspiration behind the merry outlaw!

But his name doesn’t really matter. The Green Man is a timeless symbol of the cycle of life and growth that begins with each Spring. In Wicca, he is one of the manifestations of Cernunnos, whom most traditions consider the Great God. Still a young suitor of the Maiden Goddess during Ostara, the Green Man tries to woo her with his dazzling tricks but does not succeed (their Sacred Union will happen during Beltane).

One of our ancestors' traditions was to dress a man or a boy as a tree, to honor the Green Man, but if you want to honor the Green Man this Ostara, you don't need to do much. Just sitting among the trees, observing the animals roaming about, will bring you in the presence of Green Man. Raise a glass of wine to him.

Pan

The son of Hermes, Pan is one of the most enigmatic figures of the Greek pantheon — and his influence (although vilified by Christianity) still carries to this day. Pan is the God of mountainous Arcadia; the protector of wild animals, shepherds and flocks; the companion (and seducer) of nymphs. He gave Artemis her hunting dogs and taught her brother Apollo to interpret prophecy. Half man half goat, Pan is a symbol of virility, but also of the wisdom that comes when you surrender to your instincts. His flute was thought to enchant anyone who heard it and his cries of anger would induce panic in his enemies — that’s where the word comes from!

Like Eos, Pan didn’t have temples and shrines devoted to him. He was worshipped in nature, but also in natural caves and grottos. To this day, Pan has inspired the constellation of Capricorn and the Christian depiction of the Devil (as his worship was strong among Pagans, the early Christian Church needed to vilify his image to scare people away). He would have probably laughed at that.

Persephone

Everything in nature contains the seed of its opposite; every Spring contains the seed of Autumn Persephone, the daughter of the Greek Goddess of Earth Demeter, is the ultimate manifestation of this Ostara energy.

The beautiful maiden Persephone was abducted by Hades and carried her to his Underworld domain. Demeter, devastated by the loss of her child, brought drought and winter on Earth; people were starving so Zeus had to intervene. He ordered Hades to return Persephone to the world of the living but Hades, in love with Persephone, offered her a pomegranate. Persefone ate six seeds, so, according to Underworld laws, she was now bound to Hades for six months every year. When Persephone would emerge in Spring, Demeter would fill the Earth with flowers. When Persephone would go back to Hades in the Autumn, Demeter would let the Earth dry out.

Half of the year, Persephone was responsible for the growth of grain, whereas the other half was queen of the afterlife. She was widely worshipped in Ancient Greece and southern Italy, with mystical festivals dedicated to her and her mother.

This cycle of sacrifice and rebirth can be found in many other deities. The Roman goddess Cybele resurrects her lover Attis each Spring after he kills himself. The Egyptian God Osiris, murdered by his brother, is resurrected by his wife/sister Isis, the Goddess of life. Ultimately, the resurrection of Christ during Easter can be traced back to all these Gods and Goddesses — and to Nature itself.