THE VERNAL, OR SPRING, EQUINOX—the day of the year when light equals darkness as the daytime grows longer—has been celebrated by humans for thousands of years.
- It marks the new year on the Persian and Bahá'í calendars,
- both Easter and Passover are calculated from it,
- it's the occasion of Mother's day in many Arab countries,
- the date of the first Earth Day,
- World Storytelling Day,
- World Citizen Day, and,
- in Annapolis, Maryland, it marks the festival of the Burning of the Socks.
Apparently, people who work on boats don't wear socks in the summer, so on the Vernal Equinox they burn the socks they wore the previous winter to celebrate the liberation of their feet.
It's another of those days marked by the natural seasons, the rotation of our home and it's continual journey around the sun—a holiday that belongs to us all and binds us together.
The Winter Solstice spoke to our hope, as the light retreated to its lowest ebb but then began its return.
The Spring Equinox confirms that hope, marking the day that light surpasses darkness as the earth warms and life is renewed.
It's also the time of the ancient festivities surrounding the god Dionysus in ancient Greece—the Romans called him Bacchus—who was the son of Zeus and a human woman.
He was a god of liberation, whose initial followers were the poor, and women who participated in his rituals as way to free themselves from their oppression in Greek society.
Dionysus was born into a royal line on his mother's side.
Jealous, Hera (sounds like "Herod", doesn't it?) attempted to kill him after his birth, but Zeus saved him by carrying him beyond Egypt.
Dionysus was eventually killed, but was brought back to life by Zeus, thus earning the title of "twice-born", and his role as the god of resurrection.
He was the god of wine, and of the grape vines which were "born again" every spring.
His followers re-enacted his birth and death in a ritual, and celebrated him with a communion meal of bread and wine.
As Bacchus, he carried the Latin epithet "Adoneus," which means "Ruler" or "Lord".
His followers gained a reputation for their celebrations—lots of drinking and dancing and other ecstatic activities.
Not unlike Spring Break: another custom associated with the Vernal Equinox.
Freedom, light, rebirth—starting anew by sharing bread and wine.
Dancing together.
We humans do have a lot in common.
At least, that's what I think today.
Happy Equinox.
