New York City Radical Faeries Yule Donald Gallagher

New York City Radical Faeries Yule by Donald Gallagher

2019 will mark the 20th anniversary of the celebration of the Winter Solstice at Grace Church Van Vorst in downtown Jersey City. Grace is an Episcopal church, which kindly has hosted this Radical Faerie, Wiccan based calibration all of these years, seeing that our ritual fits with their celebration of Christmas as another reflection of the return of the light. I am very grateful for their willingness to allow me and the NYC Circle of Radical Faeries to create each year a ritual of observing the darkest day of the calendar with a hopeful prayer of renewal of the slow but steady return of the daylights time.

I first experienced this ritual at Fannie and Fussy’s beloved love loft on 3rd and 3rd on Brooklyn. The ritual that night was in the capable hands of our dear witch Endora who I give credit for this form which we have used all of these years.

It was a gentle night of solemn participation of all attending. Beginning with a call of the directions and creation of a safe circle of protection and power, then without explanation the central altar filled with unlit candles became the place where each person came forward and lit one of the candles either in silence or with a hope or wish for the new cycle. I was greatly moved by the simplicity and beauty of that evening so was thrilled to be able to get the beautiful space,which I was recreating the look of the room when it opened in 1853.

The first one was a most auspicious occasion as we were only a little over a week before the turn of the millennium. A time full of speculation and hope for a better time ahead (if we could survive the Y2K treat of all the computers crashing.) If you don’t know what that was google it. It was a wonderful night because it had what was called a super moon because it was particularly close to earth as was Mars which was riding close to the moon so the night sky was also having a bright light event.

We began the ritual in as total darkness as we could make, helped that year by black curtains hung for a dance event. EverEddie led us in a chant with drummers at the rear of the room behind the black curtains, and walked through them to the center where the altar was set with hundreds of candles in beautiful candelabra and candlestick holders as well as many brought by the people. Thought no light was lit yet the super moon gave wonderful light and ambiance through the stained glass. Then the directions were called and each person came forward to make their contribution to the new light. By the end a warm glow filled the room both with light and love, drumming and a wild and crazy spiral brought a joyful conclusion to the evening.

Each year that followed kept the basic format, with variations on how the ritual was presented, sometimes simply, sometimes with great theatrics. Always with a center alter of candles to be lit by each person as they wished silently or with a spoken hope or observation. Some years are quite full, others a smaller group. Sometimes fabulous drag, others mostly street wear, no matter, always a truly beautiful and thoughtful observant of the darkness of the day and of the sad conditions of the world we are all part of but with a hopeful energy to bring light to the darkness. It is such a joy for me to bring together the NY Circle of Radical Faeries and many of friends and neighbors here in Jersey City. Here’s hoping that this practice will continue either here or elsewhere. Blessed Be.