Night of Darkness
"As the days shorten and darkness dwells longer over the world, we gather to ask the gaze of dark powers turn from us. We invoke the ancestors for favor in veneration and memory. We cast wards against trespass of those who would bring us evil. We call you ancestors. We call you grans and parents. Lost aunts and uncles. All those who came before. We offer you food and drink! Join us in this meal and meet the new children and family!"
Traditional invocation
History
The Night of Darkness grew from two autumnal festivals/ observances: Festival of Ancestors and the Dark Gods Festival of Day and Night.
The Festival of Ancestors consisted of a day of preparations, laying out masks or drawing/ portraits of ancestors on a table or altar space. This had to be set up in an important place - a entry or dining area or kitchen. A white cloth covered the altar and the portraits or masks were aligned across the back. Candles of bee's wax were set at the edges and before the ancestor images or other memorials. As the sunset the candles and sticks or cones of incense were lit. Food and drink offerings were set before the images fruits, breads, small dishes of favorite foods. Invocations of Gods of death and the underworld would be performed at temples, shrines or public squares. At homes, doors and windows were opened and candles set in doorways to invite in the ancestors. After sunset elders presided in introduction of new children or family members to the ancestors, and telling stories of the ancestors. A dinner was held with family and ancestors with portions given at the altar and burnt in a bowl or grill. The night progressed with praise and thanks given to each ancestor and to all the lost and dead of the family. Marriages and family stories were told to the ancestors to keep them "up to date". Music was played. Symbolic offerings were burnt to the ancestors in bowls - effigy animals, toy tools, and. painted wooden coins. In the predawn hours the altar was sprinkled with crushed dried flowers and fingers dipped in wine were flicked over the altar as last pleasing offerings in seeking the blessings of the ancestors.
The Dark Gods festival was a day and a night to avert harmful gods and spirits or to purge them. The day was spent in temples and shrines or home altars making prayers and worship for protection and favor against dark forces. Weapons were cleaned and polished and put on display with symbolic weapons placed next to or on doors and windows. In the ancient times the daytime activity included gladiatorial combat. A meal was eaten before sundown and a mix of sand and salt was sprinkled at doorways and windows that gave access to the residence. Once night fell homes or temples performed animal blood sacrifices, catching and collecting the blood in bowls and sprinkling it over everyone. Bowls of blood and wine were set outside, in a ritual "u" of sand and salt, away from doors or windows. The Dark Gods and the residents of the underworld forbid light, so no fires or lights could be lit this night. A vigil was kept over the night with a casting of sand and salt over the household residents soon after dark. Scary stories were frequently told. At sunrise the wine and blood are poured into deep pits or holes, or may be burnt in pyres.
The Festival of Ancestors consisted of a day of preparations, laying out masks or drawing/ portraits of ancestors on a table or altar space. This had to be set up in an important place - a entry or dining area or kitchen. A white cloth covered the altar and the portraits or masks were aligned across the back. Candles of bee's wax were set at the edges and before the ancestor images or other memorials. As the sunset the candles and sticks or cones of incense were lit. Food and drink offerings were set before the images fruits, breads, small dishes of favorite foods. Invocations of Gods of death and the underworld would be performed at temples, shrines or public squares. At homes, doors and windows were opened and candles set in doorways to invite in the ancestors. After sunset elders presided in introduction of new children or family members to the ancestors, and telling stories of the ancestors. A dinner was held with family and ancestors with portions given at the altar and burnt in a bowl or grill. The night progressed with praise and thanks given to each ancestor and to all the lost and dead of the family. Marriages and family stories were told to the ancestors to keep them "up to date". Music was played. Symbolic offerings were burnt to the ancestors in bowls - effigy animals, toy tools, and. painted wooden coins. In the predawn hours the altar was sprinkled with crushed dried flowers and fingers dipped in wine were flicked over the altar as last pleasing offerings in seeking the blessings of the ancestors.
The Dark Gods festival was a day and a night to avert harmful gods and spirits or to purge them. The day was spent in temples and shrines or home altars making prayers and worship for protection and favor against dark forces. Weapons were cleaned and polished and put on display with symbolic weapons placed next to or on doors and windows. In the ancient times the daytime activity included gladiatorial combat. A meal was eaten before sundown and a mix of sand and salt was sprinkled at doorways and windows that gave access to the residence. Once night fell homes or temples performed animal blood sacrifices, catching and collecting the blood in bowls and sprinkling it over everyone. Bowls of blood and wine were set outside, in a ritual "u" of sand and salt, away from doors or windows. The Dark Gods and the residents of the underworld forbid light, so no fires or lights could be lit this night. A vigil was kept over the night with a casting of sand and salt over the household residents soon after dark. Scary stories were frequently told. At sunrise the wine and blood are poured into deep pits or holes, or may be burnt in pyres.
Execution
During the Great War of Inx about 300 years ago the two festivals were merged.
Now the day is still spent in preparations - crushed dried flowers in entries to homes while purifying salt and sand is sprinkled at doorways and windows so that only benign spirits may enter. Masks and drawing or other memorials are still set on white cloth covered altars. Incense and fruits are set before the memorial. Burnt offerings of effigies and toy items or mock coins may be burnt in bowls at sunset but such must be dowsed with water or wine once it is dark on the streets. Also at sunset a small animal or bird is sacrificed and blood offered to ancestors. Blood is collected from the sacrifice in a bowl or cup and it is set inside a "u" of sand and salt outside the entry doorway of the home along with a bowl of wine. Once it is dark a cold meal is eaten with invitation to ancestors to join. Children and new family are introduced to the ancestors by the elders and stories are shared about ancestors and past family members as well as stories about the current living family. Stories and songs or music follow for the evening. Ancestors are asked to watch over, guide and protect the family. errors and failings are forgiven of the dead. They are thanked for giving the current generations their lives and for the work and sacrifices they had made in life. Before dawn the "U" of the blood and wine must be closed with salt and sand to capture any malign spirits that will invest the wine and blood at sunrise. Under daylight the bowls are poured into deep holes or pits or cast into fires.
Now the day is still spent in preparations - crushed dried flowers in entries to homes while purifying salt and sand is sprinkled at doorways and windows so that only benign spirits may enter. Masks and drawing or other memorials are still set on white cloth covered altars. Incense and fruits are set before the memorial. Burnt offerings of effigies and toy items or mock coins may be burnt in bowls at sunset but such must be dowsed with water or wine once it is dark on the streets. Also at sunset a small animal or bird is sacrificed and blood offered to ancestors. Blood is collected from the sacrifice in a bowl or cup and it is set inside a "u" of sand and salt outside the entry doorway of the home along with a bowl of wine. Once it is dark a cold meal is eaten with invitation to ancestors to join. Children and new family are introduced to the ancestors by the elders and stories are shared about ancestors and past family members as well as stories about the current living family. Stories and songs or music follow for the evening. Ancestors are asked to watch over, guide and protect the family. errors and failings are forgiven of the dead. They are thanked for giving the current generations their lives and for the work and sacrifices they had made in life. Before dawn the "U" of the blood and wine must be closed with salt and sand to capture any malign spirits that will invest the wine and blood at sunrise. Under daylight the bowls are poured into deep holes or pits or cast into fires.
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