Wiccaning
Encyclopedia
A wiccaning is a Wicca
n ceremony or ritual analogous to a christening or baptism
for an infant
which centers on the presentation of the infant to the God and Goddess for protection.
religions. In those cases, while the format may resemble Wiccaning, it is often referred to as a saining.
, the High Priest and High Priestess will present the infant to a God and Goddess. During this ritual, the infant is usually held up by its Mother, a High Priest and/or High Priestess, in the light of a full moon. Alternatively, the infant may have water, Serpent blood, or charcoal smeared across its forehead in the form of a Pentagram, to represent the elements of Wiccan spiritual belief. Normally during a wiccaning ceremony, a Coven of Wiccans attends, and alongside the High Priest and/or High Priestess, they give speeches and blessings to commemorate the event.
In accordance with the importance put on free will in Wiccan traditions, infants are not necessarily expected to choose a Pagan path for themselves when they grow older. In fact the ceremony, like its Christian equivalent, is focused on the parents' beliefs and the family's communal commitment to look after the child - thus the ceremonial request for protection.
A wiccaning is an opportunity for the parents to present their child to the five elements and ask a blessing for protection. Often both the child's legal name and the child's Wiccan (ceremonial) name are used. This is until such time as the child chooses another Wiccan name for themselves, usually at a coming of age.
Wicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
n ceremony or ritual analogous to a christening or baptism
Infant baptism
Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. In theological discussions, the practice is sometimes referred to as paedobaptism or pedobaptism from the Greek pais meaning "child." The practice is sometimes contrasted with what is called "believer's baptism", or...
for an infant
Infant
A newborn or baby is the very young offspring of a human or other mammal. A newborn is an infant who is within hours, days, or up to a few weeks from birth. In medical contexts, newborn or neonate refers to an infant in the first 28 days after birth...
which centers on the presentation of the infant to the God and Goddess for protection.
Application
Wiccanings apply specifically to the Wiccan religion, but similar ceremonies also are celebrated in other NeopaganNeopaganism
Neopaganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements, particularly those influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe...
religions. In those cases, while the format may resemble Wiccaning, it is often referred to as a saining.
Ritual
A wiccaning is a ritual that, in traditional paths of WiccaWicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
, the High Priest and High Priestess will present the infant to a God and Goddess. During this ritual, the infant is usually held up by its Mother, a High Priest and/or High Priestess, in the light of a full moon. Alternatively, the infant may have water, Serpent blood, or charcoal smeared across its forehead in the form of a Pentagram, to represent the elements of Wiccan spiritual belief. Normally during a wiccaning ceremony, a Coven of Wiccans attends, and alongside the High Priest and/or High Priestess, they give speeches and blessings to commemorate the event.
In accordance with the importance put on free will in Wiccan traditions, infants are not necessarily expected to choose a Pagan path for themselves when they grow older. In fact the ceremony, like its Christian equivalent, is focused on the parents' beliefs and the family's communal commitment to look after the child - thus the ceremonial request for protection.
A wiccaning is an opportunity for the parents to present their child to the five elements and ask a blessing for protection. Often both the child's legal name and the child's Wiccan (ceremonial) name are used. This is until such time as the child chooses another Wiccan name for themselves, usually at a coming of age.