ARADIA - GOSPEL OF THE WITCHES

Aradia, a classic neo-Pagan, is one of the few books which purports to be an actual sacred text of traditional witchcraft, in particular that of the Tuscan region of Italy. Charles Leland was an American expatriate journalist, folklorist, and author. He based this book on material which he received from a woman named Maddelena, who had assisted him in collecting regional Italian folklore. On New Years day, 1897 she handed over to him a document in her own handwriting, the Vangel, which is the core of this book. Maddelena then reportedly went missing, and never contacted Leland again.

The authenticity of Aradia has always been in question. Ronald Hutton, in his scholarly study of the roots of neo-Paganism, The Triumph of the Moon (Oxford University Press, 1999), presents three divergent theories about Aradia: first, that is a genuine text of an underground Italian Goddess religion, second, that Maddelena wrote it based on her family tradition, or third, that Charles Leland forged it based on his extensive knowledge of folklore. Each of these theories has pros and cons: it may be that the second and third are closest to the truth.

Whatever the source of this material, it has had a profound impact on the emergence of neo-Paganism, and is required reading for anyone interested in the subject.

Included in this Aradia app:

★Preface

★Chapter I. How Diana Gave Birth to Aradia

★Chapter II. The Sabbat: Treguenda or Witch-Meeting--How to Consecrate the Supper

★Chapter III. How Diana Made the Stars and the Rain

★Chapter IV.The Charm of the Stones Consecrated to Diana

★Chapter V. The Conjuration of the Lemon and Pins

★Chapter VI. A Spell To Win Love

★Chapter VII. To Find or Buy Anything, or to Have Good Fortune Thereby

★Chapter VIII. To Have a Good Vintage and Very Good Wine by the Aid of Diana

★Chapter IX.Tana and Endamone, or Diana and Endymion

★Chapter X. Madonna Diana

★Chapter XI. The House of the Wind

★Chapter XII. Tana, The Moon-Goddess

★Chapter XIII. Diana and the Children

★Chapter XIV. The Goblin Messengers of Diana and Mercury

★Chapter XV. Laverna

★Appendix: Comments on the Foregoing Texts

★The Children of Diana, or How the Fairies Were Born

★Diana, Queen of the Serpents, Giver of the Gift of Languages

★Diana as Giving Beauty and Restoring Strength

★Note

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