The Stregherian calendar acknowledges Eight Treguendas. During this time, we undergo 13 Full Moon phases, one every 28 1/4 days. It was once believed that the shadowed areas of the Moon were forests where the Goddess Diana hunted; that the Moon was a spinning wheel upon which the Goddess spun the lives of men and women; and that the Moon was a gem worn by the Goddess and that the stars were decorations upon her gown. The names by which the Moon was called varied with the significance of the seasonal month.

In Italy, witches do not use the word Sabbat for their seasonal rites. The Italian word is Treguenda (Tray-gwen-dah). In modern Italian the word Treguenda means 'quarterly or every three months'.

In the Stregherian tradition there are eight Treguendas: four major and four minor. The major festivals occur in October, February, May and August and these are the Spiritual rites. The minor festivals occur on the Spring and Autumn Equinox and on the Summer and Winter Solstice. These are the Earth festivals and are seasonal and agriculture-related in nature.

There are many names for each festival as noted below, depending on where you live: USA or Italy.

Participation in the these Festivals will bring you into a harmony with nature. It aligns you with the energy patterns which flow across the earth.

The religious year begins in October and ends in September.

ShadowFest or Calenda or Ognassanti or La Festa Dell' Ombra marks both the beginning and ending of our year. On November Eve, we note the time when our Lady descends into the Underworld seeking to understand the Mystery of Death. She meets Dis, the Lord of the Underworld. She is angry with him, as he has taken away those things that she loved. He tells her it is not he who does this, but age and fate which robs her of these things. He tries to make the time until they are reborn more pleasant. Eventually, he wins her heart. They come together in Holy Union, and share their mysteries with each other. For me, this is a time to remember the dead and my ancestors. It is a time to use crystalballs and scrying mirrors. In my house we always set an extra place for 'spirits' to visit and always leave some milk and honey or cream for the Faery folk.


At Winter Solstice/Yule or Saturnalia or La Festa dell'Inverno, we celebrate the re-birth of the Sun God, the child of the Holy Union of ShadowFest. This is the longest night of the Winter.


The Festival of Lupercus or Candelora marks the puberty of our Lord, Lupercus. The Grigori have set "twelve labours" before the young Wolf God that he must master to prove his worth as the new Sun God. Lupercus proves his worth by completing the tasks. This is the time when we can see that Spring is coming...even if slowly. We see some signs of greenery, we feel the Sun more strongly, Nature's growth is waking from the Winter. All the plants and trees and crreatures are preparing to come 'alive' once again within the cycle of Nature.


The Spring Equinox or Primeira or Equinozio della Primavera celebrates the beginning of the Goddess' ascent from the hidden Realm of Shadows. Longing for her children and the light of the Sun, She emerges. As She returns, the Earth awakens, and her children rejoice. This is a time of great fertility. It is also the time that the God Lupercus is slain. It is also for some the time to plant Rue.


At Tana's Day or La Giornata di Diana or Calendmaggio we celebrate the full return of the Goddess from the Realm of Shadows. She has returned to her hidden children, bringing with her the Mysteries she has learned. We also celebrate God and Goddess, and their delight in each other. The Goddess becomes the dominant force, and the Goddess months begin.


Summer Solstice or La Festa dell'Estate or Festa delle Erbe or Solstizie d'Estate marks the marriage of God and Goddess. From this union comes the bounty of the Harvest Tide. This is a time of growth and life. At this time we do works to heal the Earth. This is a time when the Elemental forces are abound in great number. We honour the fata, the elementals, and other spirits of Nature. this is also the time which I reflect on Nature and maintaining a good relationship with all that is around me.


Cornucopia is the celebration of anticipation of plenty. This is the time of the First Harvest. God is preparing to sacrifice himself so that the world can continue. Even as we begin our harvest, we plant the seeds of rebirth. For those seeds which are planted now and nurtured over the cold winter will become the strong plants of spring.


Autumn Equinox/Mabon or Equinozio di Autunno is the time to rejoice for the abundances which have come into the world. The bounty of the harvest is due to God's sacrifice of himself. The Lord of Light now becomes the Lord of the Shadows. The Goddess descends into the Realm of Shadows. In celebratation, we feast upon the bounty of the harvest. We count our blessings and prepare for the upcoming Winter.