Pagan Community Notes: Week of Feb 27, 2025

The Interfaith Community in South Carolina supports the Pagan Vendors at The Market on the Mill 

As TWH reported earlier this week, members of Stillwater Christian Fellowship allegedly harassed a Pagan vending event at The Market on the Mill on February 15, 2025. Reports surfaced that church members, citing biblical scripture, confronted the vendor selling Witchcraft-related goods, condemning them to hell. While no physical violence occurred, the incident alarmed the local Pagan community.

On February 18, a YouTube video confirmed Pastor Barry Vaughn’s involvement, where he and others admitted to protesting the market and later being asked to leave. Following the backlash, Stillwater escalated its rhetoric, posting inflammatory social media statements against witchcraft and other marginalized groups.

Holli S. Emore, MDiv, Executive Director for Cherry Hill Seminary and Chair of Interfaith Partners of South Carolina, posted The Wild Hunt story about the harassment in Pickens, SC to the interfaith list.  The community demonstrated swift support.

Thanks for posting about this incident. It greatly saddens me to see this kind of hate being expressed by a pastor and congregation anywhere. Jesus central teaching was to love your neighbor as yourself not threaten with harm those you disagree with. We are living in a different day for sure but there is no justification for this kind of hate and intimidation.

Peace

Herman Yoos,
Retired Bishop of SC Synod
ELCA

To all, There is no doubt that we are living in a DIFFERENT world now, but at the same time it’s more important to stick together so we can face these situations with understanding and within the limits of the Law of the Land, “Religious Freedom”. On behalf of Sikhs in Carolina, we condemn such incidents and we must be aware to avoid any arguments in the future at such incidents because only those can create such an atmosphere who have no knowledge of HUMANITY.

Best wishes and standing with all Pagan members.

Sincerely,
Amarjit Singh
Sikh leader
South Carolina

As the Pagan Faith Rep here in IPSC, I want to say thank you for the supportive words so far. From my experience with pagans and witches (and not all witches are pagan!), we are among the people who will fight and stand up for everyone to have the freedom to practice their own religion and spirituality. Hate can be so insidious and it’s so important for us to stand up against hate. I am involved in some events with the Pickens and upstate pagans, and have been following the goings-on recently. The consensus is that the best way to support them right now is to show up at their events and markets if at all possible. Again, thank you for bringing this to our interfaith community’s attention and for the support. You cannot imagine what it means to see other faiths support the South Carolina pagan community.

Rev. Mela Borawski
Hearthkeeper of Awen Grove, Greenwild Spiritual Fellowship
Pagan Faith Representative of IPSC

New Temple of Zeus [Courtesy of YSEE Cyprus

ATHENS –  Regrettably, in Greece, the government and faith community have not been so supportive of Hellenic religion. A Greek court has prohibited the inauguration of the Temple of Zeus and Pan, currently under construction near the village of Kalliani in Arcadia, and has ordered a halt to all ongoing construction work.

As The Wild Hunt reported previously, George Constantinou, a modern priest of the Hellenic Ethnic Religion under the Supreme Council of Ethnic Hellenes (YSEE) in Cyprus, has sought to revive the Kalliani ’s ancient traditions. As part of this effort, he has undertaken the construction of the world’s first licensed modern temple dedicated to Olympian Zeus, a project that reconnects the region with its classical heritage.

This announcement was followed by a statement published in local media from the local Christian metropolitan opposing the temple.

The ΥΣΕΕ Κύπρου – Cyprus Hellenic Ethnic Religion released a statement calling for action.

Hellenic religious leaders are calling on the public to gather en masse on March 8 at 2:00 p.m. for its official inauguration ceremony.

The Wild Hunt will continue to follow the story.

In the Skies:  Rare Planetary Alignment on February 28

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – As we mentioned in last week’s Pagan Community Notes, tomorrow, on February 28, all the planets in our solar system will make a rare simultaneous appearance in the night sky. While not all will be visible to the naked eye, a telescope or binoculars can help bring the dimmer ones into view.

Since early February, six planets have been aligned, with Mercury set to join them on February 28. This will be the last such event until 2040.

The term “planetary alignment” is not a strictly scientific phrase but a general term used to describe when multiple planets appear together in the sky. While these alignments always follow the same arc—known as the ecliptic—because all planets orbit the Sun on roughly the same plane, they will not form a perfect straight line as often depicted in illustrations.

Astronomers define planetary alignments as occurrences when planets cluster closely on one side of the Sun. Such events can involve anywhere from three to eight planets. A five- or six-planet alignment is considered significant, but a seven-planet alignment is particularly rare.

NASA explains that while the planets may seem to line up across the sky, this is simply a result of their orbits along the ecliptic. Their apparent closeness is an optical effect, as they move along their respective paths in the vast three-dimensional space of our solar system.

For skywatchers, February 28 presents a fleeting opportunity to witness this celestial spectacle before it disappears for another 15 years.

Matronalia

Juno Sospita. Photo Credit: Biser Todorov CC BY 4.0

Matronalia is celebrated on March 1st in ancient Roman tradition. It was a festival dedicated to Juno Lucina, the goddess of childbirth, motherhood, and married women. The holiday was primarily observed by Roman matrons (married women), who prayed for fertility, safe childbirth, and the well-being of their families.

Husbands would give gifts to their wives, and female slaves were sometimes given a day of rest or small presents. Women would also visit the temple of Juno Lucina on the Esquiline Hill to offer flowers and sacrifices. The festival marked not only a time of honoring motherhood but also renewal, as it coincided with the beginning of the new year in the old Roman calendar.

Matronalia symbolized the importance of women in society and the sacred role of motherhood, reinforcing family bonds through rituals of gratitude and reverence.

Call for Submissions: 2025 International Contest for Minority Artists

UNHCR logo

The 2025 International Contest for Minority Artists is now open for submissions, inviting artists to explore the powerful themes of belonging, place, and loss. This year’s contest focuses on the intersections of environmental degradation, cultural loss, and the ongoing struggle for a just and equitable future grounded in human rights.

Organized by UN Human Rights, Minority Rights Group International, and Freemuse, with the City of Geneva as a key partner, the contest is a central part of the Minority Artists for Human Rights Initiative (2024-2028). This initiative seeks to empower minority artists as human rights defenders, expand engagement with diverse audiences, and strengthen their connection to the UN human rights system.

The 2025 contest examines the deep and complex relationships minorities have with identity, home, and displacement, particularly in the context of environmental justice and climate change. It highlights issues such as attachment to place, the loss of community, language, and culture, and the rights of minorities to preserve their heritage in the face of external threats.

Environmental harm disproportionately impacts minority communities, disrupting essential lands, resources, and ecosystems crucial for their survival. Environmental racism—the placement of polluting industries and hazardous waste in minority-dominated areas—exacerbates these injustices, often forcing displacement and deepening social marginalization. Rising hate speech and stigma further alienate individuals from their homelands and cultural roots.

Minority artists have a vital role in shedding light on environmental injustice, cultural loss, and systemic discrimination. Through their work, they can challenge environmental racism, amplify the voices of affected communities, and create impactful narratives that resonate globally.

The contest celebrates the unique perspectives of minority artists in connecting human rights, environmental justice, and climate action. It also aims to showcase solutions led by minority communities to combat climate change while illuminating the realities of displacement, loss, and resilience.

For more information on eligibility, submission guidelines, and deadlines, visit the official contest website.

Call of Papers

Magic and Witchcraft Conference 2025
June 24 & 25, 2025, University of York

Theme: What is a Witch?

We are delighted to invite paper proposals for the CREMS (University of York) Magic and Witchcraft Conference 2025. This year’s theme is inspired by conversations begun at a conference on Witchcraft and Authority, held in Copenhagen in October 2024. Drawing together scholars from across Europe and North America, it quickly became clear that while understandings and the prosecution of witchcraft were indisputably bound up with questions of authority, what was meant by a ‘witch’ varied considerably between regions, and even between decades. The result is that, at times, we speak across each other in our research, drawing conclusions based on conflicting definitions and parameters of what we study.

We therefore propose to re-open the discussion on what we, as scholars, mean when we refer to witchcraft. In short: what is a witch?

Papers are invited that address this question, particularly those looking at the period from Antiquity to 1850. Suggested sub-themes include, but are not limited to:

• Legal definitions of witchcraft: intra- and international comparisons particularly welcome
• Folk conceptions of witchcraft: What constituted the crime of witchcraft in popular perception, and who were perceived as its practitioners?
• Maleficium: is real-world harm a necessary component of the definition of a witch?
• Magic beyond the Christian paradigm: is the term ‘witch’ meaningful outside Christian cultures?
• The feminist lens: Does the identification of historical witchcraft as “gender-based persecution” remain applicable to the definition of the historical witch?
• Literary/cultural portrayals of the witch

Abstracts of 200-300 words should be sent to magicwitchcraft2024@gmail.com by the 14th of March 2025. Please include your name, institutional affiliation (if any), and your intention to attend in person or online.

Keynote speakers

• Julian Goodare (University of Edinburgh) – What is a Witch in Scottish Literature?
• Rita Voltmer (University of Trier) – Beyond the Village Witch: The many faces of the witch in European witch trials
• Ceri Holbrooke (University of Hertfordshire) – Unstoppering the Witch Bottle
  Organisers
• Debora Moretti (University of Hertfordshire) and Tabitha Stanmore (University of Exeter)

Events and Happenings

Marshall University’s Humanities Department (Classics, Philosophy, and Religious Studies) is hosting a conference in celebration of 150 years of Classics at the university entitled Goddess at the Crossing Place March 6th- 8th, 2025 in Huntington, WV.

Pagan priestess and Witch Caroline Tully will be presenting a discussion titled Unsubstantiated Personal Gnosis and Hekate.”

Other discussions include: “A Girl’s Transition Through the Various Rituals of Artemis in the Ancient Greek World”, “Crossing the Goddess: the Cosmic Power of Female Anger”, “The Goddess as the Crossing Place: Styx, the Dread River of Oath”, “The Hindu Goddess Comes to America”, as well as a virtual Q&A session with NYT bestselling author Madelline Miller (Circe, Song of Achilles).

More information is available at Marshal Univerity’s Department of Humanities.

Restored Rites of Eleusis to Return for 39th Year at Spring Mysteries Festival

There’s a new Pagan even in town!  Well, actually in Portland, Oregon… 

Spirit Northwest is the West Coast Pagan conference in Portland, May 1 – 4 2025.

Spirit Northwest is a transformative and new format gathering for seekers, offering 90 and 120-minute immersive workshops on Paganism, witchcraft, and natural magick.

We heard from many in the occult community that people longed for in-depth workshops and rituals, hands-on learning, and make-and-takes with well-known speakers, ritualists, and practitioners.

Amy Blackthorn is the award-winning author of the best-selling Blackthorn’s Botanicals series.

J. Allen Cross is an accomplished author and folk magician known for his book American Brujeria: Modern Mexican American Folk Magic and The Witch’s Guide to the Paranormal.

Maria Minnis is a tarot reader of 20+ years who teaches people about blending their spirituality with magic, liberation work, and eroticism in their everyday lives.

We took action and are bringing it to you all in one weekend!

🧙 Opportunities to raise your visibility:

Be a Speaker: Share your wisdom! Applications are closing soon—don’t miss your chance to lead.

Become a Sponsor: Elevate your brand to a highly engaged, diverse audience hungry for magickal tools, insights, and connections. Five sponsorship levels offer options with vendor spaces to hotel suites.

📅 Mark Your Calendar:

• Vendor Applications Open: January 15, 2025.
  Schedule Launch: Coming soon via Sched.
  Hotel Reservations: Available now.
  Saturday Night Entertainment: Stay tuned for the big reveal!
  We are excited to learn and meet you all one-on-one in-person conference for Witches and Magickally-Minded people.

🔮 Let’s make magick together in Portland May 1 – 4th.

Your Hosts: Courtney Weber, Kanani Soleil, Hilary Whitmore, and Silent.

More information is available on the Spirt Northwest website 

Tarot of the Week by Star Bustamonte

Deck: Folk Lore Tarot, by Rowan Ortins, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Card: Major Arcana XVIII (18), The Moon

This week the emphasis is liable to be centered on uncertainty, and possibly being overwhelmed by anxiety, fear, and even false information—which can spread within any environment like a contagious disease. Elements of the unknown can easily provide fuel for illusion, obscuring vision and preventing easily seeing what is right in front of one’s eyes.

In contrast, recognizing the potential influence of negative aspects is likely to be the first step towards processing and neutralizing them. Shadow work on a personal level is indicated, as well as accepting and learning to manage the darker aspects of the self. One way to combat fear is to take decisive action that supports a positive approach to resolving issues.

But wait!  There’s more! Monkey Bridges Saving the Day! 

Deep in the Amazon Rainforest, motorists traveling along the few highways cutting through the vast ecosystem may notice a series of rope bridges stretching high above them between the treetops.

These bridges are the work of conservationist Fernanda Abra, who, in collaboration with the Waimiri-Atroari people, has pioneered a groundbreaking system of wildlife crossings designed specifically for tree-dwelling species.

Primates such as Groves’ titi monkey and the golden-handed tamarin have long faced the challenge of fragmented habitats, often forced to risk their lives crossing dangerous roads on foot. Abra herself first encountered a Groves’ titi—a critically endangered species—on an asphalt road, an experience that inspired her to take action.

As a postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian’s Center for Conservation and Sustainability, she launched the Reconecta Project. With the expertise of the Waimiri-Atroari, the initiative has leveraged grant funding to construct 30 wildlife crossings, featuring rope and wire bridges, some incorporating Tyrolean traverses to facilitate safe movement.

Each crossing is equipped with camera traps to monitor wildlife activity, providing valuable data for conservation efforts, including population assessments and identifying priority locations for future crossings. Abra’s work offers a vital lifeline for Amazonian wildlife, reconnecting fragmented habitats and promoting coexistence between nature and infrastructure.

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