About Pentacles
Catholics have crosses, some Jews wear a star of David and the Crescent Moon has long represented the Islamic faith. Most religions have a special symbol or device and Wicca is no exception.
Wicca's symbol is the pentagram. Pentagrams have been around for thousands of years. Despite the misconception held by many people, pentagrams have never been used as a sign of evil. They have always been used as a sign of protection AGAINST evil. Given the strong reaction that some people have to pentagrams, you'll want to think seriously about whether you want to wear a visible one as a symbol of your faith or whether you want to keep your faith and its symbol private.
The pentagram has a long history and once was even used by the Catholic Church. Today it is a symbol of the Wiccan faith. A pentagram is a five pointed start. A pentacle is a pentagram with a circle drawn around it. It is a powerful symbol of protection and there is usually one placed upon the alter.
Archaeologists have found pentagrams on Mesopotamian potsherds that date back to 3500 BCE. Pentagrams also appear in ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman art. Pentagrams were even used by Christians in the early Middle Ages. Christians saw the pentagram as representing the five wounds of Christ. As such it was considered a potent protection against evil. In the late Middle Ages, the pentagram was used as a symbol of knightly virtues. In the well known English poem Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight, which dates from the second half of the 14th century, the pentagrams points stand for chastity, chivalry, courtesy, generosity, and piety.
During the Inquisition, the pentagram first became associated with evil and the devil in the form of Baphomet. In the popular imagination of the time, the pentagram was thought to represent the head of a goat, the devil or a witch's foot.
Today the pentagram and the pentacle are symbols of the Wiccan faith, and of neo-paganism. The points of the pentagram and pentacle represent Akasha or Spirit and the four elements, substances that are crucial to all life. In some pentagrams, each point is the color associated with that element's point. Some witches also view the five points as representing the three aspects of the Goddess-Maiden, Witch, and Crone- and the two aspects of the God-Dark and light. Many witches wear one on a daily basis for protection. Some display their pentacle jewelry to show pride in their religion. Others wear one, but keep it to themselves.
Catholics have crosses, some Jews wear a star of David and the Crescent Moon has long represented the Islamic faith. Most religions have a special symbol or device and Wicca is no exception.
Wicca's symbol is the pentagram. Pentagrams have been around for thousands of years. Despite the misconception held by many people, pentagrams have never been used as a sign of evil. They have always been used as a sign of protection AGAINST evil. Given the strong reaction that some people have to pentagrams, you'll want to think seriously about whether you want to wear a visible one as a symbol of your faith or whether you want to keep your faith and its symbol private.
The pentagram has a long history and once was even used by the Catholic Church. Today it is a symbol of the Wiccan faith. A pentagram is a five pointed start. A pentacle is a pentagram with a circle drawn around it. It is a powerful symbol of protection and there is usually one placed upon the alter.
Archaeologists have found pentagrams on Mesopotamian potsherds that date back to 3500 BCE. Pentagrams also appear in ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman art. Pentagrams were even used by Christians in the early Middle Ages. Christians saw the pentagram as representing the five wounds of Christ. As such it was considered a potent protection against evil. In the late Middle Ages, the pentagram was used as a symbol of knightly virtues. In the well known English poem Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight, which dates from the second half of the 14th century, the pentagrams points stand for chastity, chivalry, courtesy, generosity, and piety.
During the Inquisition, the pentagram first became associated with evil and the devil in the form of Baphomet. In the popular imagination of the time, the pentagram was thought to represent the head of a goat, the devil or a witch's foot.
Today the pentagram and the pentacle are symbols of the Wiccan faith, and of neo-paganism. The points of the pentagram and pentacle represent Akasha or Spirit and the four elements, substances that are crucial to all life. In some pentagrams, each point is the color associated with that element's point. Some witches also view the five points as representing the three aspects of the Goddess-Maiden, Witch, and Crone- and the two aspects of the God-Dark and light. Many witches wear one on a daily basis for protection. Some display their pentacle jewelry to show pride in their religion. Others wear one, but keep it to themselves.