Candlemas, Imbolc, and the geese

[Preston Pittman]

Elyn wrote:
>
>Fascinating and I am interested, indeed, as I continue to search for the
>"golden goose" of the Camino--or some such mixed metaphor. I did a research
>project a few years ago on the Camino, looking for the hidden preChristian
>and esoteric strata, and of course the goose is a clue that comes up in
>Spain. At the hermita outside of Villafranca Montes de Oca (there it is,
>again), there is an ancient spring, which might relate to a Celtic sacred
>site later Christianized. But I also read that the area was an
>ecclesiastical
>region called Auca, which later was transformed into "Oca." Why Auca, I
>don't
>know... We've circled on this topic various times, and I am convinced it is
>NOT a "wild goose chase," but I still feel I lack vital information.
>
>For example, you talk about the Celtic pilgrimage to Finis Terra, and I
>have
>heard that too (along with an Atlantian pilgrimage back to the ocean where
>their island sank..). But what evidence do we have that Celts took long
>pilgrimages? And from where? I've heard it was a rite of passage for Druids
>who studied in the sacred forest near Paris, but I'd like more than
>hearsay.
>
>Any help?
>Thanks!
>Elyn


When John Dagenais was running his list serve from UCLA, we had some
extremely interesting dialogs on these issues.  You can pick up on them by
going to:

http://www2.humnet.ucla.edu/listsearches.html

select "Santiago Email List Digests (Beginning 1/98)

and put "goose game" or some such variant in the search area and it will
bring up the pertinent data.  Most of the dialogs were in Feb. and
Sept./Oct. of last year.

I'll do some research into my files this weekend and post what I come up
with in a couple of days.  There are some interesting sites I do know of
that I can recommend right away dealing with the Celtiberians, the
pre-Christian Camino and the "sacred goose".

There's a gnostic Church site that has information on Candlemas:
http://www.webcom.com/homily_Candlemas.htm

a site devoted to Epona:
http://gaia.faithweb.com/epona.html

a site relating Imbolc, Candlemas & Groundhog Day at:
http://www.iti2.net/waltzark/holiday.html

some info on Holda at:
http://shadowdrake.tripod.com/frauholt.html

Elyn, you asked about resources for the pre-Christian pilgrimage route to
Finis Terra.  Louis Charpentier writes about it in his book on The Mysteries
of Santiago - I haven't seen a copy of it, but I understand from people who
have read it, that he discusses at length the Celtiberic Camino.  The book
was written in French (I have some of his other books dealing with Chartres,
and with the Goths) but there is a Spanish, and I think, an English
translation.  Charpentier also talks about the cagotes and their goose
footed water nymphs - the "lamiaks"; the origins of "Mother Goose", and who
he thinks is really buried in Santiago's tomb...

but on a lighter note, for a bit of amusement, check out this scene from the
Camino in Galicia - a "goose" house:

http://144.92.138.152/ernie/spain/spain21.jpg



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