Lughnasadh Sabbat, pronounced /Loonasat/, is also known as Lammas Sabbat. It is celebrated on the Wheel of the Year with harvests by Witches and Pagans.
It is during this period that all the abundance of the Earth is available to all of us.
Lughnasadh precedes Mabon, the Second Harvest, and comes after Litha, the Summer Solstice.
You can watch the video below and/or continue reading this post:
- Northern Hemisphere: August 1st
- Southern Hemisphere: February 1st
- Colours: Red, brown, orange and yellow
It is said that the God Lugh, son of the Sun, sacrifices himself for the good of the people and to strengthen the grains so that they can be harvested.
Some grains from this crop are stored for the next plantation. Thus, Lord Lugh may be resurrected next Spring on the Ostara Sabbat.
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Lughnasadh Sabbat and the First Harvest
On the Lughnasadh Sabbat, the results of the work performed on the Ostara Sabbat and on the Litha Sabbat are harvested.
The Wheel of the Year shows itself as a continuous stream of energies. The Sun God is preparing himself for his death at this moment, and, therefore, he transfers all his energy to the planted grains and seeds so that a great harvest can be made and it can also produce more fruits on the Mabon Sabbat.
During this period, Lord Lugh is honored and the grains harvested here are transformed into loaves that are offered to animals and the Elemental Beings.
The Goddess is also honoured, and acknowledgements are given to her for the prosperity, the abundance of the crops, and for the promise of the return of the Sun after it has departed.
Bread is a symbolic food because it has got the four elements in its ingredients:
- Earth (grains, flour, salt …);
- Air (which allows it to grow);
- Water (origin of all life);
- Fire (when heated).
This Sabbat is ideal to thank for the presence of all the elements, for the joy of life and for the abundance.
The making of dolls of corn and figures of bread is very common. The doll is placed on the altar during the celebration of the Sabbat. In the next year, it is burned and replaced by a new one.
Lughnasadh Sabbat and the death of the Sun God
On the Lughnasadh Sabbat, the Sun begins to get less strong. It is not much visible, but we all know that death is part of the cycle of rebirth.
This is the first Sabbat of the dark part of the Wheel of the Year.
As the Sun God sacrifices himself for the harvest to be plentiful, in a few weeks his rays will be so weak that Winter will reign once more.
The grains of Lughnasadh
The harvested grains of this time, mainly the wheat, are used for the production of bread. Bread, as a symbol of the body of the child of God in Christian religions, probably had its inspiration here.
The Christianized version of Lughnasadh is called Lammas which stands for Loaf of Mass.
Lughnasadh and sacrifices
Sacrifice is a recurring theme in Lughnasadh.
Everything that we desire or seek can only be conquered with some kind of sacrifice. But this sacrifice is not necessarily something painful or some suffering, it is only one stage of the whole process.
When we plant a seed, for example, we must wait for it to germinate. The waiting can be long and sacrificial, however, it is needed.
We can also see the sacrifice on the face of the Goddess who sees her son giving up his life to feed people and has to stand-alone until he is reborn again.
Therefore, on the Lughnasadh Sabbat, it is ideal to be grateful to the abundance of the Gods and also stop to think about our actions and goals so that we can go through the necessary sacrifices and allow ourselves to wait for the right moments.
Sabbats and the Wheel of the Year
You can also read about the other Sabbats which are part of the Wheel of the Year:
General FAQ
What is Lughnasadh (Lammas) Sabbat?
Lughnasadh Sabbat, also known as Lammas Sabbat, is a Pagan celebration done during the first harvest of the year.
Is Lughnasadh and Lammas the same thing?
Both represent the same celebration. Lughnasadh is older and received the name Lammas after the Christianization of Pagan festivities.
What’s the meaning of the word Lughnasadh?
Lughnasadh means something like “The Festival of Lugh”.
What’s the meaning of the word Lammas?
Lammas means “loaf mass” or a big quantity of loaf. Yes, we bake a lot for this celebration.
When is Lughnasadh celebrated?
Lughnasadh Sabbat is celebrated one and a half month after the Summer Solstice. This date is around August 1st.
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