Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Pagan
Religious Events
The Urgency of Celebrating the Spring Equinox

The Urgency of Celebrating the Spring Equinox

Last updated on: March 3, 2025 at 5:17 pm by John Beckett

0 Comments

The Urgency of Celebrating the Spring Equinox 2025-03-03T17:17:13-06:00 John Beckett

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In 1980, workers at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk, Poland went on strike after a worker’s rights activist was fired. The strike was successful and led to the formation of the Solidarity movement, which eventually led to the end of Communist rule and the domination of Poland by the Soviet Union.

Shortly after the strike, a U.S. news organization (I can’t remember which one) had a feature on the role of the Catholic faith of many of those supporting the movement, drawing a link to the election of John Paul II of Poland as the first non-Italian pope in 450 years two years earlier. I do not remember whether the quote below was said by one of the strike organizers, or if it was a conclusion drawn by a journalist. But it’s been stuck in my mind for almost 45 years:

In a country where the government is atheist, the rebel goes to church.

Denton CUUPS Spring Equinox 2017

The religion of the current U.S. government is complicated. Donald Trump plays lip service to the Evangelical Christians who overwhelmingly support him – and he gave them their greatest desire with the three Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade – but he’s about as irreligious as it gets. Elon Musk calls himself a “cultural Christian” who, like Trump, finds conservative Christians to be occasionally useful but has no real faith or practice himself.

J.D. Vance is a Catholic convert and integralist who believes society should be governed in alignment with the teaching of the Catholic Church (but not of the pope – Francis is too liberal for him). So are many of the people behind Project 2025.

This strange blend of non-religious, Catholics, and Evangelicals are united around a religion of social conservativism and authoritarian government.

In a country where the government forces conformity, the rebel celebrates diversity

Donald Trump says there are only two genders. We recognize that gender is a spectrum and that some people simply aren’t the gender they were assigned at birth. Others are genderfluid, gender queer, or find gender to be irrelevant in their lives. We have no need to force people into boxes where they don’t fit. Quite the contrary – we celebrate their discovery and expression of who and what they are.

Lest we think the only enemy is Donald Trump and his minions, remember that while the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, it was red state legislatures that made abortion illegal. And now some of those same legislatures are trying to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 ruling that established marriage equality across the nation. Meanwhile, we recognize that it is love and commitment that make a marriage, and we celebrate these sacred unions whatever form they take.

Our current government says even the word “diversity” must be avoided at all costs. Meanwhile, we understand that our communities are stronger when we include different people with different perspectives and different skills. We celebrate life in all its many beautiful forms.

In a country where the government exploits nature, the rebel reveres nature

This country has no stone circles, no ancient temples, no medieval cathedrals. What it does have are some of the most beautiful and spectacular natural sites in the world. Yosemite. Yellowstone. Rocky Mountain. Acadia. Denali. Dozens of others. Our national parks are treasures to be enjoyed, respected, and above all, preserved for future generations.

Firing park rangers and support staff is bad enough. We know Trump would love to privatize the parks so he and others can “develop” them. “Drill baby drill” values only money. And while this country has never taken climate change seriously, ignoring it is now public policy.

Meanwhile, we understand that we are part of nature. Not its head and not its center, but one part of it, connected to all the other parts. We honor the trees in our back yards, the mountains and oceans that inspire and amaze us, and the countless species with whom we share this planet.

The Spring Equinox is a natural phenomena. It happened long before humans were here to notice it and it will happen long after we’re gone. We continue the sacred tradition of observing it and celebrating it.

Yosemite National Park 2022

In a country where the government builds walls, the rebel practices hospitality

This country has always had an isolationist bent to it, from Washington’s Farewell Address warning against “foreign entanglements” to the isolationists who argued against entering World War I and eventually killed the League of Nations to the America Firsters of today. And while it once invited the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” now that more than a few people who look and sound different from those already here arrived, it’s been quick to slam the golden door shut.

We understand that hospitality is one of the greatest virtues. Zeus and Odin were known to disguise themselves as lowly travelers to test the hospitality of their people. Those who were virtuous were rewarded. Those who were not received a very different reward.

We can debate the limits of hospitality (immigration is a complicated issue) but we recognize that the refusal to provide basic hospitality to those in need is tantamount to saying “I don’t care if you live or die.”

And so when we gather to celebrate the Spring Equinox, we welcome all who come in love and friendship. If they don’t believe the same things about the Equinox as we do, that’s OK. What matters is that they want to be part of our community, accepting our hospitality and practicing reciprocity in return.

In a country where the government promotes the worship of one God, the rebel worships many Gods

Oklahoma mandates teaching the Bible in public schools. Louisiana mandates posting the Ten Commandments. North Dakota Republicans proposed a bill to “acknowledge the Kingship of Jesus Christ” (the bill was defeated, but over a third of legislators voted for it). Christian Nationalism is a growing threat to religious and personal liberty in this country.

Meanwhile, we understand that many different Gods call many different people to worship, work for, and work with them in many different ways. We also recognize that some people choose not to worship any Gods. Either way, we judge people based on how they treat other people and the world at large, not by how closely their beliefs and practices match our own.

Celebrating the Spring Equinox reminds us that we are Pagans and we will remain Pagans

We don’t celebrate the Spring Equinox because we want to be rebels. We’re rebels because we celebrate the Spring Equinox.

There are ancient sites around the world aligned with the equinoxes and the solstices. We don’t know how – or if – our ancient ancestors celebrated the Spring Equinox, but we celebrate it now because it’s part of the Wheel of the Year (a 20th century invention), which helps us align ourselves and our lives with the rhythms and cycles of nature. We may call it Ostara (another 20th century invention) or we may call it something else, but whatever we call it, it’s our notice that for the next six months, the days will be longer than the nights. It’s a time when the temperatures are warming, the trees are greening, and farmers are planting their crops.

Celebrating the seasons is part of what we do as Pagans. Whether the government supports it, opposes it, or ignores it, it’s what we do.

And when we do, we reaffirm our support for hospitality, reciprocity, the diversity of life, the multiplicity of the Gods, and the sacredness of nature.

The Spring Equinox is March 20

The Spring Equinox is an astronomical event that can be calculated with great precision. This year it occurs Thursday, March 20, at 4:01 AM CDT. If this was the Pagan country some have claimed then Thursday would be a national holiday. It isn’t, and so we celebrate when we can.

Some will celebrate on Wednesday night or on Thursday. Many will celebrate the Saturday before. Denton CUUPS will celebrate on March 22, the Saturday after.

If you can, I encourage you to find a local public celebration and join in. If you can’t, get together with a few friends at a time that works for you. Or observe the Equinox by yourself, either with a solitary ritual or with some other Pagan-oriented activity.

We urgently need to celebrate the Spring Equinox. Because in a country where the government is repressive and authoritarian, the rebel celebrates the joys of life, freedom, self-expression, and the sacredness of nature.

Religious Events

Previous Post

February 26, 2025

Be The Eight of Cups, Not The Four of Pentacles

Next Post

March 9, 2025 Is The Star Trek Future Is Dead?

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Concern about the attitude of Islam toward Pagans is not limited to the Trump Administration. ..."

Maureen Richmond

The Fear of Witchcraft

"Thank you for your much needed review of the Lucas Miles polemic. A key point ..."

Maureen Richmond

I Read Pagan Threat So You ..."

"A number of these are also available streaming through the Kanopy digital service, carried by ..."

C. Lee Vermeers

The Vampire Films of Jean Rollin

"Happy October!"

renniejoy

The Vampire Films of Jean Rollin

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Books Community CUUPS Druidry Foundations and Context Gods and Goddesses Magic Myth Nature Ritual Spiritual Practice Theology Travel Uncategorized Videos

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What book comes directly after Lamentations?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Hosea Jeremiah Daniel Ezekiel