Wicca

Wicca
   This Old English masculine noun meaning 'male witch, wizard' was curiously misinterpreted by Gerald *Gardner's followers as an abstract noun meaning 'witchcraft', and is now the title of a modern pagan movement which is both religious and magical. It was founded by Gardner in the 1950s, who claimed it was an ancient cult preserved secretly by persecuted but benevolent witches (see *Mur-ray); it combined worship of a horned and phallic god such as Murray described, with that of a universal goddess, who is now the chief deity. There are now many independent groups within the movement; most are polytheistic, revering gods and goddesses from many mythologies as aspects of a sexual pair of deities, but some feminist covens worship the goddess only. Rituals are linked to the seasonal cycle and the phases of the moon; prehistoric sites and places of natural beauty are greatly respected. A wide variety of magical and meditational techniques are learnt; altars, magic circles, consecrated tools, and ritual invocations are used (Hutton, 1999).
   The foundation texts for Wicca are Charles Leland, Ara-dia or the Gospel of the Witches (1899); Margaret Murray, The Witch-Cult in Western Europe (1921); and Gerald Gardner, Witchcraft Today (1954). Accounts from within the movement include Margot Adler, Drawing Down the Moon (1981); Doreen Valiente, The Rebirth of Witchcraft (1989); Janet and Stewart Farrar, Eight Sabbats for Witches (1981); Aidan Kelly, Crafting the Art of Magic, Book I (1991).

A Dictionary of English folklore. . 2014.

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  • Wicca — Wic ca (w[i^]k k[.a]), prop. n. [OE. wicche wizard, AS. wicce, fem., wicca, masc.; see also {witch} and {wicked}.] 1. A religion derived from pre Christian times, also called {Witchcraft}[4], which practices a benevolent reverence for nature, and …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wicca — Wic ca (w[i^]k k[.a]), prop. n. [OE. wicche wizard, AS. wicce, fem., wicca, masc.; see also {witch} and {wicked}.] 1. A religion derived from pre Christian times, also called {Witchcraft}[4], which practices a benevolent reverence for nature, and …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Wicca — An Old English masc. noun meaning male witch, wizard, soothsayer, sorcerer, magician; see WITCH (Cf. witch). Use of the word in modern contexts traces to English folklorist Gerald Gardner (1884 1964), who is said to have joined circa 1939 an… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Wicca — ► NOUN ▪ the religious cult of modern witchcraft. DERIVATIVES Wiccan adjective & noun. ORIGIN Old English, «witch» …   English terms dictionary

  • Wicca — [wik′ə] n. [OE, sorcerer (fem. wicce): see WITCH] a form of witchcraft practiced in the 20th cent. esp. in English speaking countries, characterized by pagan nature worship and white magic: sometimes with the Wiccan [wik′ən] adj …   English World dictionary

  • Wicca — Das Pentakel, ein Symbol, das auch von der Wicca Religion verwendet wird Wicca [ˈwɪkə] ist eine neureligiöse Bewegung[1] und versteht sich als eine wiederbelebte Naturreligion und als …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Wicca — This article is about the duotheistic religion. For other uses, see Wicca (disambiguation). This pentacle, worn as a pendant, depicts a pentagram, or five pointed star, used as a symbol of Wicca by many adherents. Wicca (pronounced  …   Wikipedia

  • Wicca — La Wicca est une religion, basée sur l Ancienne Religion. Elle est en général considérée comme une philosophie. Elle inclut des éléments que l on peut trouver dans nombre de croyances telles que le chamanisme, le druidisme, et les mythologies… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Wicca — El pentáculo (un pentagrama dentro de un círculo) es un símbolo de fe usado por muchos wiccanos Wicca Fundador Gerald Gardner sobre 1953 …   Wikipedia Español

  • Wicca — Пентаграмма, символ веры, используется многими викканами. Викка (англ. Wicca)  неоязыческая религия, основанная на почитании природы[1] . Она стала популярна в 1954 году благодаря Джеральду Гарднеру, английскому государственному служащему в… …   Википедия

  • wicca — /wik euh/, n. (sometimes cap.) witchcraft, esp. benevolent, nature oriented practices derived from pre Christian religions. [1970 75; < OE wicca (male) sorcerer (ME wicche, mod. dial. witch); see WITCH] * * * Modern Western witchcraft movement.… …   Universalium

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