Hecate Night begins at sunset, Nov. 16th, when the crone of the Goddess is honored in Wiccan Traditions. Hecate is a very special goddess. Reigning over the powers of sorcery, witchcraft, enchantment, black magic, fertility, death, the crossroads, and renewal.
According to some sources, she is one of the Furies, to others, she was the last surviving Titan except for Zeus, still others, and she was merely descended from the Titans, Asteria and Perses. Not only has she been vastly misrepresented over time, but she continues to live on today as a deity to some groups of people, who look upon her in an altered modern sense as the Great Mother. Watcher over the crossroads, Hecate usually is shown holding two huge torches to light the way and direct, Hecate represents a coming together of three at a point. The crossroads which she guards have a past, a present, and a future. Where will you go, where have you been, where are you now?
The crossroads can also represent her domains of the sky, land, and the underworld. In addition the crossroads were looked at as a ghostly place at night. The Athenians were especially respectful towards Hecate, and once a month they placed food offerings at the crossroads, where her influence was said to be felt. Her aspect of threes is also noted when she is sometimes referred to as a triple goddess.
Come, the Moon’s path opens before thee,
From thy secret realm dark as midnight seas
Approach the crossroads of wolves, thy wild minions
Thou that runs with the fierce, run now with us,
Drive our foes into the dense impassable forest
come like a fire blazing as high as if the firmament
were kindled by the winds great power
They will be calmed by the calling of thy name!
Guide of the underworld – of the ancient wisdom
black as night, red as blood,
wise as time, everlasting…Hecate!
Who art the souls mirror and the keeper of the keys
Enter there upon the chamber where infidels
bear aloft their weapons of war
Strike there with thine eye which penetrates all darkness
and release those who profane the blessed night!
Come, calm all fears of those who are thy children.
In the silvered silence of the Moon,
in the cries of all passion,
in the howls of the wild,
Hecate, grant us thy presence!
Come, may the darkness dance with the light!
(Chant:)
“AS THE DARKNESS NOW DRAWS NEAR,
SEE THE CYCLE OF THE YEAR
AS THE LIGHT NOW GOES WITHIN
LET THE HALLOWS DANCE BEGIN”
Velvet Darkness shuts out the Light, Hecate we Call You.
Startling Visions come into Sight, Hecate we Call You.
Black Flowing robes curtain the Moon, Hecate we Call You.
She will be among us soon, Hecate we Call You.
Goddess of the Fertile Earth, Hecate be with us.
Goddess of Death & Rebirth, Hecate be with us.
Gentle Watcher of the Young, Hecate be with us.
Goddess for Whom the Craft is sung, Hecate be with us.
Watcher through the Darkest Night, Hecate is with us.
Protectress of the Soul in Flight, Hecate is with us.
Guardian of the Triple Road, Hecate is with us.
Strength of Heart, in Darkness bold, Hecate is with us.
Wisdom of Crone & bright insight, slipping quietly through the night.
Heed our calls & safely guide, lest the Darkness reach inside.
Grant that we may surely see, the Heart of Night that tries to flee.
In the Darkness all will find, the Light that lives within the mind.
Spinning Her web so all will know from Her threads life does flow.
In Black of Night does she stay. We Call Her To Us—-Hecate!
(Thanks to http://roswell.fortunecity.com/milkyway/317/ for the invocation)