iPedia Free Information Center

Information about Cross Quarter Day

A cross-quarter day is a day falling approximately halfway between a solstice and an equinox. These days originated as pagan holidays in Northern Europe and the British Isles, and survive in modern times as neopagan holidays. The cross-quarter days were also independently developed in East Asia as four of the 24 Solar Terms.

In some cultures, including ancient Irish and East Asian cultures, the cross-quarter days mark the beginning of each season (see traditional seasons). In others, including the modern United States', the cross-quarter days mark the middle of each season (see astronomical seasons).
  • 5-10 November: Samhain, 立冬 (lìdōng)
  • Between Midautumn and Midwinter
  • Traditional winter begins
  • Middle of astronomical autumn
  • 2-7 February: Imbolc, 立春 (lìchūn)
  • Between Midwinter and Midspring
  • Traditional spring begins
  • Middle of astronomical winter
  • 4-10 May: Beltane, 立夏 (lìxià)
  • Between Midspring and Midsummer
  • Traditional summer begins
  • Middle of astronomical spring
  • 3-10 August: Lughnasadh, 立秋 (lìqiū)
  • Between Midsummer and Midautumn
  • Traditional autumn begins
  • Middle of astronomical summer

Neo-paganism

Main article: Wheel of the year


Together with the solstices and equinoxes (Yule, Ostara, Midsummer, and Mabon), these form the eight solar holidays in the neopagan wheel of the year. They are often celebrated on the evening before the listed date, since traditionally the new day was considered to begin at sunset rather than at midnight.

Festival name Date Sun's Position
Samhain1 Nov (alt. 5-10 Nov)≈ 15° ♏
Imbolc2 Feb (alt. 2-7 Feb)≈ 15° ♒
Beltane1 May (alt. 4-10 May)≈ 15° ♉
Lughnasadh1 Aug (alt. 3-10 Aug)≈ 15° ♌


There are Christian and secular holidays that correspond roughly with each of these four, and some argue that historically they originated as adaptations of the pagan holidays, although the matter is not agreed upon. The corresponding holidays are:

See also

solstice occurs twice a year, whenever Earth's axis tilts the most toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun to be farthest north or south at noon. The name is derived from Latin sol (sun) and sistere
..... Click the link for more information.
equinox can have two meanings:
  • The moment when the Sun is positioned directly over the Earth's equator and, by extension, the apparent position of the Sun at that moment - see below.

..... Click the link for more information.
Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning "an old country dweller, rustic") is a term which, from a Western perspective, has come to connote a broad set of spiritual or cultic practices or beliefs of any folk religion, and of historical and contemporary polytheistic religions
..... Click the link for more information.
Northern Europe is a term for the northern part of Europe, though its precise boundaries are vague and defined variously. It is a term that groups the Nordic countries (which are present in all definitions):

..... Click the link for more information.
British Isles<nowiki />

The British Isles in relation to mainland Europe

Geography <nowiki/>
Location Western Europe <nowiki /> <nowiki />
Total islands 6,000+<nowiki />

..... Click the link for more information.
Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of new religious movements, particularly those influenced by ancient and pre-Abrahamic Pagan religions.[1][2]

These movements are extremely diverse.
..... Click the link for more information.
solar term is one of 24 points in traditional East Asian lunisolar calendars that matches a particular astronomical event or signifies some natural phenomenon. The points are spaced 15° apart along the ecliptic and are used by lunisolar calendars to stay synchronized with the
..... Click the link for more information.
Motto
"In God We Trust"   (since 1956)
"E Pluribus Unum"   ("From Many, One"; Latin, traditional)
Anthem
..... Click the link for more information.
Samhain (pronounced /ˈsˠaunʲ/ from the Old Irish samain) is the word for November in the Gaelic languages.
..... Click the link for more information.
equinox can have two meanings:
  • The moment when the Sun is positioned directly over the Earth's equator and, by extension, the apparent position of the Sun at that moment - see below.

..... Click the link for more information.
Winter Solstice, historically known as Midwinter, occurs around December 21 or 22 each year in the Northern hemisphere, and June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.
..... Click the link for more information.
Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, celebrated either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. Originally dedicated to the goddess Brigid, in the Christian period it was adopted as St Brigid's Day.
..... Click the link for more information.
Winter Solstice, historically known as Midwinter, occurs around December 21 or 22 each year in the Northern hemisphere, and June 20 or 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.
..... Click the link for more information.
equinox can have two meanings:
  • The moment when the Sun is positioned directly over the Earth's equator and, by extension, the apparent position of the Sun at that moment - see below.

..... Click the link for more information.
Beltane or Bealtaine (Irish, pronounced IPA /ˈbʲɑlˠ.t̪ˠə.n̪ʲə/) is an ancient Gaelic holiday celebrated around May 1.
..... Click the link for more information.
equinox can have two meanings:
  • The moment when the Sun is positioned directly over the Earth's equator and, by extension, the apparent position of the Sun at that moment - see below.

..... Click the link for more information.
solstice occurs twice a year, whenever Earth's axis tilts the most toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun to be farthest north or south at noon. The name is derived from Latin sol (sun) and sistere
..... Click the link for more information.
Lughnasadh (Old Irish pronounced IPA: [luɣnəsə], Modern Irish Lúnasa IPA: [lu:nəsə]
..... Click the link for more information.
solstice occurs twice a year, whenever Earth's axis tilts the most toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun to be farthest north or south at noon. The name is derived from Latin sol (sun) and sistere
..... Click the link for more information.
equinox can have two meanings:
  • The moment when the Sun is positioned directly over the Earth's equator and, by extension, the apparent position of the Sun at that moment - see below.

..... Click the link for more information.
The Wheel of the Year is a Wiccan and Neopagan term for the annual cycle of the Earth's seasons. It consists of eight festivals, spaced at approximately even intervals throughout the year. These festivals are referred to by Wiccans as Sabbats.
..... Click the link for more information.
Yule is a winter festival celebrated in Northern Europe since ancient times. In pre-Christian times, Germanic pagans celebrated Yule in late December or early January on a date determined by a lunar calendar.
..... Click the link for more information.
Ostara is a modern Neopagan holiday. It is loosely based on several holidays which were celebrated around the vernal equinox (when day and night are nearly of equal length). The modern holiday does not have a strong relation to any known historical Pagan religious observation.
..... Click the link for more information.
Midsummer may refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice and the diverse celebrations of it around the Northern Hemisphere, but more often refers to European celebrations that accompany the summer solstice, or to Western festivals that take place in June
..... Click the link for more information.
This article is about the Neopagan festival Mabon.
For the Welsh mythological character, see Mabon ap Modron. For the Welsh politician, see William Abraham.

Mabon

Harvest Home, The Feast of the Ingathering, Harvest End, Autumnal Equinox
..... Click the link for more information.
Samhain (pronounced /ˈsˠaunʲ/ from the Old Irish samain) is the word for November in the Gaelic languages.
..... Click the link for more information.
This article or section may contain inappropriate or misinterpreted which do not the text.
Please help [ improve this article] by checking for inaccuracies. This article has been tagged since August 2007.
..... Click the link for more information.
Imbolc is one of the four principal festivals of the Irish calendar, celebrated either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. Originally dedicated to the goddess Brigid, in the Christian period it was adopted as St Brigid's Day.
..... Click the link for more information.
This article or section may contain inappropriate or misinterpreted which do not the text.
Please help [ improve this article] by checking for inaccuracies. This article has been tagged since August 2007.
..... Click the link for more information.
Beltane or Bealtaine (Irish, pronounced IPA /ˈbʲɑlˠ.t̪ˠə.n̪ʲə/) is an ancient Gaelic holiday celebrated around May 1.
..... Click the link for more information.


This article is copied from an article on Wikipedia.org - the free encyclopedia created and edited by online user community. The text was not checked or edited by anyone on our staff. Although the vast majority of the wikipedia encyclopedia articles provide accurate and timely information please do not assume the accuracy of any particular article. This article is distributed under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License.
Herod_Archelaus


page counter