Why Michaelmas?
A Nemed Cuculatii Perspective on the Autumnal Gate
In Search of the Right Name
Among modern Pagan circles, the Autumn Equinox is often called “Mabon”—a name coined by Aidan Kelly in the 1970s as part of an effort to create uniform names for the modern Pagan calendar, but it has no authentic link to traditional seasonal observances (Kelly, 2017). Others refer to this season as “Harvest Home” or “The Hairst,” drawing on English or Scots rural traditions.
Within Nemed Cuculatii, our practice does not follow these naming conventions. We observe this time as Là Fhèill Mìcheil—Michaelmas, the Feast of St. Michael. While we do not adopt the figure of Michael uncritically or from a Christian theological stance, we find in the symbolism of Michael a potent archetype: a guardian of thresholds, bearer of the flaming sword, and reckoner at the edge of descent.
This is not about adopting another tradition’s saint or angel, but about engaging with a deep mythic structure—a pattern of reckoning, balance, and boundary—that aligns with the Work of this season in our coven’s cycle.
Michael as Threshold Guardian
In Christian legend, Michael the Archangel slays the dragon and casts it from heaven. Stripped of its doctrinal context, we see this as a mythic drama of transition and necessity—of standing guard at the moment of seasonal tipping, when the outer light fades and the inward path begins.
Michael’s flaming sword becomes, in this context, a symbol of clarity, protection, and decisive action. At Michaelmas, we do not simply celebrate the harvest—we reckon with it. We take account of the year’s gains and losses. We set boundaries. We prepare for winter.
Highland Rites and the Bannock of Reckoning
In Highland Scotland, Michaelmas was long associated with the baking of the struan Micheil—a bannock made of barley, oats, and rye, baked by the eldest daughter as an offering and omen for the household. It was a ritual of thanksgiving and protection, not mere celebration.
Other customs include:
- Lifting carrots and root vegetables
- Roasting geese
- Leaving brambles unpicked after this date (a sign of the Devil’s influence following Michael’s casting down of the dragon)
We view these practices not as superstition, but as seasonal wisdom encoded in lore.
Twin Guardians: George and Michael
In spring, the Romani peoples of the Balkans celebrate St. George (Đurđevdan / Hıdırellez) as a protector of fertility, flocks, and households—a dragon-slayer and bringer of renewal. His Islamic counterpart, Hızır (Al-Khidr), shares traits of wildness, greenness, and timeless protection.
We see Michaelmas as the autumnal echo of that spring celebration:
- George opens the fertile season.
- Michael closes it with fire, boundary, and reckoning.
Their dragons are not enemies—they are liminal forces. Their swords are not weapons—they are instruments of balance.
This layered meaning resonates with our understanding of seasonal polarity and mythic guardianship.
Why Not “Mabon”?
We choose not to use the term Mabon in our practice. While it may serve others, it lacks historical or cultural roots in this context. Mabon ap Modron is a figure from Welsh myth, but one with no historical association to the Autumn Equinox or to harvest rites.
Our use of Michaelmas instead:
- Reflects actual folk tradition, rooted in seasonal practice.
- Honors the threshold moment of balance, descent, and reckoning.
- Aligns with the spiritual rhythm of our coven, Nemed Cuculatii.
The Equinox: Balance Before Descent
Just as the Solstices are the “standing-still” moments of the Sun—the longest and shortest days—the Equinoxes are the “balance-points.” These are the brief instants of equilibrium, where light and dark are theoretically equal—if not in practice, then at least in cosmic intent.
In a perfect world, at the equator, day and night divide the sky evenly. And so, we mark this time not with finality or flourish, but with recognition.
At the Autumnal Equinox, we begin our renewal of the Gate Wards—spiritual and energetic boundaries aligned to the changing tides of the year. This is the moment in our cycle when we take up the work of guardianship again, preparing for the inward arc of the Wheel and the long descent toward winter.
It is from this point forward that the balance tips, and we meet that tipping with intention, protection, and resolve.
The Witch’s Feast of Balance
At Là Fhèill Mìcheil, we do not simply feast.
We reckon, we bless boundaries, and we prepare the inward way.
This is not the outward energy of spring, but the sober work of harvest’s end.
Michaelmas is, for us, a Witch’s Feast—a time of guardianship, clarity, and sacred descent.