Diapositiva 1

The Druids

The word druid has a Celtic origin and it comes from the union of two words: dru that means oak and vir that means sapience.

Who were they? The Druids were the priests in the Celtic society so they were responsible of all religious rituals, because they were the chosen ones that could talk to God. In addition, they were also the guardians of the sacred natural order, teachers, doctors, lawyers and astronomers. For this reason the Celtic people went to them for everything. For example, if a child was sick, the Celts went to the Druids, who might cure the child with medicine made by some plants. If two members of a clan had a quarrel the chief of the druids judged who was right and who was in mistake and he established penalties and, if someone disobeyed his decree, he couldn't do sacrifices, which was considered the heaviest between punishments.

According to Druids activities, they were divided in three groups: The Druids engaged in religious worshipsThe Druids who were poets and singers that told stories about the great deeds of heros The Druids who were considered soothsayers, called also magicians

The Druids had a lot of privileges thanks to their position in Celtic society. For instance, they were abstained from military service and they didnt pay taxes. They had also the same politic power of the king, who was chosen by them.

Their ceremonies The Druids gathered in the Sacred wood, the heart of every Celtic population, where they held their ceremonies. Once a year, Druids assembled here in order to choose their chief who was submitted to the judgment of the Druids. After the death of their chief, another one was appointed. But if there were Druids with equal merits, the others voted, although they sometimes resorted to armed violence.

For becoming a druid, it had to study with the druids for twenty years. There was a lot to learn, in fact they studied for example, ancient poetry, natural philosophy, astronomy and the Celtic lore.

In general, they worshipped the natural elements, such as the Sun, the Moon, the trees and also the water. This was considered the door to the world after death and the holy element which generates life. Moreover they believed in the transmigration of the soul from one person to another one and they thought that a man after death could still on the earth in hills, in forest or caves.

Gods

OGMIOS MORRIGAN ESUS TEUTATES

Sacrifices For the Celts one way to communicate with the spiritual world, so with gods, was through sacrifices. For this reason, every year, there were five big ceremonies where the Druids offered to the gods some sacrifices, and more precious was the sacrifice, more powerful was the act of gods. However, today we know that the belief which the Druids were bloodthirsty executioners is false. In fact they sacrificed, above all, animals. Human sacrifices were done in particular cases: for example when a man was gravely sick or in danger of death in battle. In these cases, they preferred to sacrifice criminals, but if they werent enough, the Druids added to them prisoners of wars and if was necessary, innocent victims too. These men were put in huge wicker cages and then they were burnt alive with everything in.

Sources The tradition of the Celts was essentially oral and so they didnt write about themselves. In fact, the Druids learnt by heart everything. For this reason nothing is survived about them, neither in translated form nor in legends in a druidic form. The only survived testimonials about Celts were interpreted by the Christians or they were burnt because they were considered heretics. Anyway, the principal source of information about them comes from Greek and roman evidence because Gaul was conquered by Roman Empire under Tiberius. The Romans and the Greeks tried also to replace Celtic Druidism. Moreover, their evidences were confirmed by some Irish poems written when the Druids lost their religious functions after the coming of Christianity in Ireland.

Modern Druids From XVIII a lot of people chose a life style in harmony with the nature inspiring by ancient Druids. The historical reason of the druidic revival is linked to the thought that nature is the only source of raw materials. For this reason a spiritual movement where people respect the Earth like a living being is born. In the 90s the Druidism is developed in Italy and abroad creating a lot of groups and associations that had attracted more people. Today, the Druidism is widely expanded, especially among young generations that appreciate the contact with the nature and a life without obligations.

The Druids movement is concentrated mainly in England, Ireland and Britain where the ancient history of Druids has more importance, but it is spread also oversea, in the north of the USA and in Canada. While in Australia and in New Zealand the number of the devotees is estimated around thousand of people.

Created by:

Astarita LucaAusanio PiaBalsamo LorenzoCapasso AdeleCarboncino AntonioCerbone AlfredoSalomone MariangelaTonelli Anna

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