Tamala 3340
Rejoice Halloween lovers, Tamala is here! The first day of a three day festival of the dead, today is closest to Halloween in theme. Bonfires and traditional foods, such as apples (and all the candied/caramel/toffee variations), any food cooked over fire (popcorn, marshmallows, barbecue, etc.), & soul cakes, are common for all three days.
“The
Feast of the Dead is a feast of the unity of the Family of the Faithful,
inseparable even by death. It is the feast of the darkening of the year
in preparation for the coming Light of the Daughter at Nativity. It is
the festival of the continual presence of Dea in every part of life –
even those that seem most frightening – and in this it has always been a
feast of the welcoming and dispelling of all that is fearful in the joy
and laughter of the community.” (Mother God website on Tamala)
Though the ECE appendix on holidays doesn't mention it, I've always seen the three-day festival of Tamala as directly corresponding to the three-day span of days of All Hallows Eve, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day. All Hallows, according to church traditions, began as a vigil for All Saints' Day, while others make the connection to Celtic origins. This is a time where we believe "the gulf between the physical and other worlds" (ECE pg 268) is made easier to cross -- or, in other words, the veil is thinner -- though for Filyanis, this is not the *only* time of year this happens. (Other ghost seasons are midsummer and midwinter.)
Many people set out a Dumb Supper, a place at the table that is set for a guest with food and drink, though no one sits there. It is for the ghosts or ancestors who come at this time. Candles are lit, and prayers said for the dead -- especially those who wander, lost or confused, or those who have died suddenly and may need more help in their journey. Prayers for the dead are very needed this year, in the wake of a global pandemic. The ECE also mentions wrapping soulcakes with prayers for the dead and burning them on the bonfire.
I’ve always seen a difference between the first and last days of Tamala, though the difference may seem to be minute. All Souls’ Day, in Christian tradition, is a day when believers pray for the souls in purgatory, and the saints have their day, but the first day has always felt like a day to pray for those who are lost, confused or angry, who need help moving on. The third day felt more like those souls who know the way more or less and are getting there, but perhaps may need the prayers to help them keep going. This isn’t anything I’ve seen in a Filyanic setting, so this isn’t some official position of the faith; just my practice.
Happy Halloween everyone, and a blessed Tamala!
Though the ECE appendix on holidays doesn't mention it, I've always seen the three-day festival of Tamala as directly corresponding to the three-day span of days of All Hallows Eve, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day. All Hallows, according to church traditions, began as a vigil for All Saints' Day, while others make the connection to Celtic origins. This is a time where we believe "the gulf between the physical and other worlds" (ECE pg 268) is made easier to cross -- or, in other words, the veil is thinner -- though for Filyanis, this is not the *only* time of year this happens. (Other ghost seasons are midsummer and midwinter.)
Many people set out a Dumb Supper, a place at the table that is set for a guest with food and drink, though no one sits there. It is for the ghosts or ancestors who come at this time. Candles are lit, and prayers said for the dead -- especially those who wander, lost or confused, or those who have died suddenly and may need more help in their journey. Prayers for the dead are very needed this year, in the wake of a global pandemic. The ECE also mentions wrapping soulcakes with prayers for the dead and burning them on the bonfire.
I’ve always seen a difference between the first and last days of Tamala, though the difference may seem to be minute. All Souls’ Day, in Christian tradition, is a day when believers pray for the souls in purgatory, and the saints have their day, but the first day has always felt like a day to pray for those who are lost, confused or angry, who need help moving on. The third day felt more like those souls who know the way more or less and are getting there, but perhaps may need the prayers to help them keep going. This isn’t anything I’ve seen in a Filyanic setting, so this isn’t some official position of the faith; just my practice.
Happy Halloween everyone, and a blessed Tamala!
Mother God Tamala article: http://www.mother-god.com/feast-of-the-dead.html
Eastminster Critical Edition of the Clear Recital (ECE) HERE.
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