Wicca is a religious movement that has revived and re-created pre-Christian beliefs and practices, particularly those of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. Wicca is often classified as a new religious movement, a term that refers to any of a large group of nontraditional or unconventional religious movements that have developed since the mid-1900’s.
Wiccans view the human body, the earth, animals, and plants as sacred. Their rituals incorporate the elements of earth, air, fire, water, and spirit, which correspond to the north, east, south, west, and center. These elements often are symbolized by a five-pointed, star-shaped figure called a pentagram.
Wicca has no central authority. Wiccans may practice alone as solitaries or in groups called covens. Their rituals correspond to the natural cycle of the seasons, which is known as “the wheel of the year.” This cycle includes four major and four minor festivals called sabbats. Wiccans also may hold rituals during the new or full phases of the moon.
Covens traditionally are led by a priest and priestess who guide participants through different levels of religious initiation. Ritual practices, which vary widely, often include altars, candles, chanting, dreams, incense, meditation, visions, and worship in a circle. Wiccan deities (gods and goddesses) typically include a horned god and a goddess in the three life stages of maiden, mother, and old woman. The horned god sometimes has been mistaken for the devil of Christian tradition, but Wiccans consider him a nature deity.
Wicca has no known founder or sacred text. It allows for a wide diversity of beliefs and practices. However, Wiccans do follow the Wiccan Rede, a rule that instructs Wiccans to do what they will, as long as it harms none. This rule forms the basis for Wiccan ethical systems, healing practices, and rituals.
Although Wiccans trace the beginning of their tradition to much earlier times, modern Wicca developed in England in the 1950’s. Since then, Wicca has spread throughout the Western world. The main Wiccan organizations and the largest numbers of Wiccans are in the United Kingdom and the United States. Australia, New Zealand, and other countries also have many Wiccans. Because many Wiccans practice alone or without revealing their identities, estimates of their numbers vary widely.
See also Witchcraft .
