What is the Sabbath? Sabbat in the Middle Ages and now

The word "coven" has French roots. In turn, it was borrowed by the French in the Hebrew language. The word "shabbat" was pronounced and it meant "a day off". In this context, its meaning is strongly interwoven with the biblical commandments, in particular, with the seventh day of the week, in which it is necessary to postpone all matters and devote oneself to rest.

Subtlety of etymology

In the word "coven" the stress is on the first syllable, if a collection of witches is meant, a celebration. It should also be noted that the word can also be pronounced with the stress placed on the second syllable, but then its meaning will be different. For example, it can be used as an exclamation and mean "enough", "pretty". For the word "coven", the synonyms presented above are not the only ones. You can recall such words as: razgulie, debauchery, orgy, feast, etc.

Historical reference

The first record of the Sabbath in court documents dates back to 1335. It was then that in Toulouse about sixty people were accused of practicing magic and witchcraft. They confessed to perfect atrocities only under terrible torture, but the inquisitors did not bother. What happened to the accused is unknown, but knowing the mores of those times, it's easy to guess.

In other parts of Europe, there were no records until 1620, when the witches' coven was first described in England.

This action is represented as a bunch of witches and demons, copulating with each other. Blood rites in the name of Satan, blasphemy, gluttony and alcohol - that's what a coven in the eyes of a man of the era of witch hunts.

Where and how were the coven?

It is quite natural that secrets were chosen for such an action. In hidden impassable thickets, on high mountains, in deep caves - it was there that actors gathered for their black affairs.

Undoubtedly, the most famous location for the coven is the Brocken mountain in Germany. On the Walpurgis Night , the most powerful witches and demons gather here to conduct their rites.

Get to the place of the witch coven or using levitation, for the best effect, riding a pomelo, or in the image of an animal or a bird. Many come on the backs of demons. They can be animals, most often black cats, known as the constant companions of witches.

After the collection of all the witches and demons, the appearance of the devil is expected.

He appears before the assembled in the guise of a goat, for even a witch can not stand his true face. Sitting on the throne, he dominates the Sabbath, he receives pre-prepared sacrifices - babies or virgins.

Witch initiation

An important part of the coven is the initiation into witches. A woman who has expressed a desire to become a witch must utter an oath of loyalty to Satan. She undertakes to appear on the first call of her master, recruit new members, keep the secrets of the witch community.

After uttering the vow, the newly witches devote himself to the devil and kisses him under the tail. The devil conveys to her the witch's attributes, powders and ingredients that can instantly transfer the witch to the place of the coven.

Initiation into witches is the final ritual, after which begins feasting and binge. Members of the coven are overeaten and drunk, wildly dancing and randomly copulating. Only before dawn the bacchanalia ends, and the guests scatter wherever.

The Modern Sabbath

What is the Sabbath in the current reality? It is difficult to imagine that in the age of scientific discoveries and space travels somewhere similar events are conducted in the form in which they were known by the Middle Ages. With devil worship, eating babies and killing virgins.

In our time to be a witch is not shameful and not dangerous. They are shown on television, they offer their services in newspapers and on the pages of Internet sites. If there is demand, then there is an offer - these are the laws of the market.

Today you can find out what the Sabbath is almost from the first mouth. Gone are the days when for the disclosure of the mystery the witch was punished with death. Yes, and the coven of the witches became different: the actors migrated from gloomy dense forests to city apartments or to household plots of country houses.

Changed and conducted rituals. From devil worship witches turned to paganism. The spirits of the Earth, Water, Air, Fire are worshiped, nature is lauded. From medieval Sabbaths there were only traditions of bodily exposure, but not all witches preach them. There are a lot of new trends, for example the use of masks and ritual clothing.

Important dates

Sabbats are held eight times a year. These dates are timed to the change of seasons, to the end of harvesting, to the beginning of sowing. Significant holidays are:

• Oymalk, it is celebrated on February 2.
• Walpurgis Night, is celebrated on April 30.
• Lunasadh is on the 31st of July.
• Samgein, is celebrated on October 31.

In the days of the winter and summer solstice, autumn and spring equinox, covenants are also held.

In Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union there are several holidays, to which these mystical events are timed. This is Kolyada - December 21-22, the end of Shrove Tuesday is March 21 and the day of Ivan Kupala.

So, in order to answer the question of what a coven is, you do not need to stir up ancient treatises of medieval religious ministers. This knowledge is of interest only to researchers in the field of the history of the occult sciences, and there is nothing to draw from the present witches. It is possible to discuss for a long time whether naked women on the broomstick are still hitting the mountain Brokken, and whether we are shown the truth on television in various shows. One thing can be said with certainty: many innocent lives were given to the glory of Satan, so it is not at all bad that the Sabbaths in their true form have long passed away.