To understand what Litha is, you have to step into the heart of summer, when the sun stands still in the sky and the world is bursting with warmth, life, and color. Also known as Midsummer or the Summer Solstice, Litha is a Pagan holiday celebrated around June 20th, marking the longest day and shortest night of the year.
What Is the Origin of Litha?
Litha has deep origins that stretch back into ancient European solstice celebrations.
From the stone alignments at Stonehenge to fire festivals in Scandinavia, cultures across the globe have long honored the sun’s zenith with ceremonies that celebrate fertility, growth, and the promise of a bountiful harvest.
Litha itself is rooted in pagan belief and has ties with ancient agricultural and solar traditions. For early European pagans, especially in Celtic and Germanic cultures, the solstice was a time to honor the power of the sun at its peak. Bonfires were lit to mimic the sun’s strength and to drive away evil spirits, while herbs gathered on this day were thought to hold heightened magical potency.
The solstice was also associated with fertility, abundance, and the cycle of life—symbolized by the earth overflowing with crops, flowers, and light.
What Are the Beliefs and Traditions of Litha?
Litha is a day of deep spiritual significance for many Pagan and earth-based traditions. It’s a time of vibrant energy and perfect balance, when the earth is overflowing with life, yet the sun begins its slow retreat toward the darker half of the year.
Love and Union
This is considered an ideal time for handfasting ceremonies, joyful, sacred unions filled with symbolism and intention. Many also turn to love magic during this season, drawing on the sun’s powerful energy to bless relationships and attract harmony.
Bonfires
In many cultures, bonfires were thought to protect against mischievous spirits, which were said to roam freely as the light began to wane. These towering flames mirror the sun’s strength and serve as spiritual acts of devotion, believed to energize the waning sun and secure blessings for a fruitful harvest.
Sunrise
Many Litha celebrants rise early to witness the first light of dawn and offer thanks. Floral wreaths and garlands, crafted from the season’s abundant blooms, are another joyful way to mark the day. They are used for decorating homes, altars, and even worn as crowns in celebration.
Symbolism
Litha is also rich with symbolism and lore. One striking example is the ancient monument of Stonehenge in England, which aligns perfectly with the solstice sunrise. Each year, thousands gather to witness the sun rising through the stones, an awe-inspiring moment that connects modern-day solstice observers with ancient traditions.
The Green Man is another powerful symbol associated with Litha. This mysterious, leafy figure represents the spirit of nature, wild growth, and eternal renewal. His image appears in myths and carvings across many cultures, embodying the untamed power and fertility of summer. King Charles sparked controversy when he added a depiction of the Green Man to his coronation invitations.
Litha in Modern Paganism
Litha also marks a mythological turning point. In Wicca and modern neopaganism, the day is often portrayed as the moment when the Oak King (ruler of the waxing year) is defeated by the Holly King (ruler of the waning year), symbolizing the shift from growing light to encroaching darkness.
This spiritual duality reflects older pagan beliefs in seasonal balance and the endless turning of the Wheel of the Year. While specific rituals varied across cultures, the essence of Litha remains: a joyful, reverent celebration of nature’s fullness, the power of the sun, and the brief but brilliant peak of summer’s light.
While today’s observances might look a little different than those of ancient times, they echo this age-old reverence for the life-giving sun.
What Is Litha to You?
At its core, Litha is a vibrant celebration of life, light, and love. Given its focus on these fundamental aspects, it naturally becomes a beautiful and auspicious time for significant life events. Whether you feel called to officiate a wedding or lead a handfasting ceremony, the spirit of Litha perfectly complements these expressions of commitment and joy.
Ready to embrace the joyful energy of Litha? The Universal Life Church welcomes people from all walks of life to explore their spiritual journey on their own terms and makes it easy to get ordained to begin that next chapter.
