Category Archives: Magic and Occult

St. Mark’s Eve

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St. Mark's in Venice (begun in 832 and burned in a rebellion in 976, was rebuilt in 978 and completed in 1647) is full of treasures taken from Constantinople in 1204 by the Fourth Crusade.

St. Mark’s in Venice (begun in 832 and burned in a rebellion in 976, was rebuilt in 978 and completed in 1647) is full of treasures taken from Constantinople in 1204 by the Fourth Crusade.

 

St. Mark’s Eve is the day before the feast day of St. Mark the Evangelist. His feast is observed on April 25 of each year; thus St. Mark’s Eve is April 24.

On St. Mark’s Eve it was the custom in the villages of England, from the 17th century to the late 19th century, to sit in the church porch between the hours of 11.00 p.m. and 1.00 a.m. for three successive years. On the third such sitting, it was said that the ghosts of those to die during the coming year would be witnessed passing into the church. This practice took place throughout England, but was most prevalent in northern and western counties. Some accounts of the custom state that the watchers must be fasting, or must circle the church before taking up position. The ghosts of those who were to die soon would be the first observed, while those who would almost see out the year would not be witnessed until almost 1.00 a.m. Other variations of the superstition say that the watchers would see headless or rotting corpses, or coffins approaching.

Another, one might say opposite, tradition holds that a young woman can see the face of her future husband appear on her smock by holding it before the fire on St Mark’s Eve.

Taurus the Bull

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Francois Boucher's 1734 painting, "The Rape of Europa," shows Europa being abducted by Taurus the bull.

Francois Boucher’s 1734 painting, “The Rape of Europa,” shows Europa being abducted by Taurus the bull.

Taurus, the astrological sign governing those born April 21 to May 22, is a constellation depicting the bull featured in the Grrek myth of Europa’s rape. According to the tale, Zeus was enamored of Europa and decided to seduce or ravish her. He transformed himself into a tame white bull and mixed in with her father’s herds. While Europa and her helpers were gathering flowers, she saw the bull, caressed his flanks, and eventually got onto his back. Zeus took that opportunity and ran to the sea and swam, with her on his back, to the island of Crete. He then revealed his true identity, and Europa became the first queen of Crete. Zeus later re-created the shape of the white bull in the stars, which is now known as the constellation Taurus.

According to Herodotus’ rationalizing approach, Europa was a princess kidnapped by Minoans. His variant story may have been an attempt to rationalize the earlier myth; or the present myth may be a garbled version of facts—the abduction of a Phoenician aristocrat—later enunciated without gloss by Herodotus.

The etymology of her Greek name (εὐρυ—”wide” or “broad” + ωψ—”eye(s)” or “face”) suggests that Europa was a goddess represented by the cow (with a wide face), similar to the Egyptian Hathor, at least on some symbolic level.

A person born under the sign of Taurus is said to be highly sensual, steadfast, warm and affectionate.

Bram Stoker RIP

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Bram Stoker, an Irish author-actor-playwright, is best known for his novel Dracula.

Bram Stoker, an Irish author-actor-playwright, is best known for his novel Dracula.

Abraham “Bram” Stoker (born November 8, 1847 – died April 20, 1912) was an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 novel Dracula. During his lifetime, he was better known as personal assistant of actor Henry Irving and business manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London, which Irving owned. (Stoker’s residence and parish church can still be visited in Dublin.)

Although Stoker hiself never visited Romania or the Carpathian Mountains, he spent several years researching European folklore and mythological stories of vampires. He also met Ármin Vámbéry, a Hungarian writer and traveler, whose dark stories of the Carpathian mountains may have also contributed to Stoker’s inspiration.

Stoker’s most infamous character, the vampire Dracula, has gone on to appear in many “incarnations” or guises. In the Dresden Files series, Stoker’s novel is said to be a hunter’s manual for the Black Court vampires, now all but extinct as a result. Bela Lugosi played the vampire in both stage and film versions of the story. A new study, just published in early April, Who was Dracula? explores and uncovers the wide range of source material – from folklore and history, to personas including Oscar Wilde and Walt Whitman – behind Bram Stoker’s bloody creation.