At festival, blessings and lessons

At festival, blessings and lessons
Pagan Pride Day highlights nature-focused traditions, practices that predate Christianity
By Liz F. Kay
sun reporter
Originally published October 1, 2006

A small group formed a circle yesterday morning in Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park to honor the four compass directions and to bless water, salt, yeast and flour.

The opening ritual, part of Baltimore's first Pagan Pride Day, kicks off a week of activities in the Baltimore-Washington area. Organized by the Open Hearth Foundation, the events are designed to help followers of different pagan traditions educate others about their practices, which generally focus on nature and profess beliefs that predate Christianity.

Ingredients blessed as part of the opening ritual will be baked into bread and served during a closing ritual Saturday in College Park.

Open Hearth estimates there are between 10,000 and 25,000 pagans - including followers of Wicca, Druidry and other traditions - within an hour's drive of Washington. A 2001 survey by City University of New York put their number at nearly 200,000 nationwide, but this approximation might be low.

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Even though there are large numbers of Wiccans and other pagans, the 'open rituals' don't seem to attract that large a crowd in my experience. It's too bad. I wish it was easier.