Kūčios - the winter solstice - is the time when we say goodbye to the darkness on the longest night of the year and celebrate the return of the Sun - Winter Solstice ritual the Baltic Pagan way: with fire altar, burning of the log and Lithuanian polyphonic songs by "Giedula".Kūčios is followed by Kalėda –the merry rituals celebrating the rebirth of the Sun, called Saule Motule (Mother Sun).Semantically, the word Kalėda comes from core words:“kalėti” – to be imprisoned, just like the mother earth is imprisoned by the frost, and “kalti” – to forge, hammer, as Perkunas forges the new Sun on the solstice to end the dark time of the year. Eventually, Perkunas (Thor-like God of thunder) becomes the Sun as later in pagan times his cult replaced the Sun worship. He is documented as the God of the sky, thunder, lightning, storms, rain, fire, war, law, order, fertility, mountains, and oak trees.Solstice is often associated with the battle: light versus dark, day versus night, warmth versus cold. Just like in many Celtic –based and Wiccan traditions, there is the enduring legend of the battle between the Oak King and the Holly King. These two mighty rulers fight for supremacy as the Wheel of the Year turns each season. So is the liberation/rebirth of the Sun ritual in Baltic paganism. And it is done so by dragging and burning of the Yule log - Blukis - in the sacred fire. As in Druidism, trees were considered sacred by Baltic pagans. The tree absorbs the sunlight as it grows and when it’s mature and dies the same sunlight can be released by burning it - emitting the warmth and light. Blukis, the cut log is round just like the dull Sun in the sky on the longest night of the year, and by burning it we release the warmth and light to help the Sun shine brighter the next day. A big part of the ritual is also dedicated to Perkunas, as he is the one that will forge the new, brighter Sun in the sky. Spring also starts with the day of Perkunas, usually celebrated in February. The first day that Perkunas strikes, the whole earth is shaken awakening nature. The grass begins growing. As do the crops, the trees, and all life.
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