Wikijunior:World Religions/Wicca
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How many people follow Wicca?
About 800,000 people in total. This figure is also very hard to say because many people practise Wicca in secret and do not tell their family. This is because some people think Wicca has to do with the devil in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
Wicca is the fastest growing religion in the USA and the UK.
Where is Wicca practiced?
Wicca is practiced mainly in the United States and the United Kingdom. This is because it originates from an old religion of Britain. However, there are a growing number of followers all over the world, in countries such as Germany.
What are the main beliefs of Wicca?
Wicca is a very interesting religion. It is very eclectic, meaning that there are many different versions of it. Most people who practice Wicca believe in spirits, mystical creatures, elements, and multiple gods and goddesses. Many women find comfort in Wicca, and one of the main reasons for this is because feminine energy and spirit is largely represented. There is even a version of Wicca that only represents female energy and spirit. As previously stated, there are many versions of Wicca. To every person who practices it, it is unique. It's like going to a candy shop with a box to hold all the candy you want in it, and you pick out only the pieces you like. Wicca is so vast, and many people only choose parts of it to practice. In Wicca, you can incorporate other religions into it. It is a very flexible religion.
What texts does Wicca hold sacred?
Wicca has no one central belief so is hard to say what is a sacred text. Many Wiccans regard the Bible as an inspirational book, but do not believe the stories in it. Many followers also do not worship a sacred text, instead choosing to their own path and beliefs.
What are some main holidays and practices of Wicca?
Wiccans celebrate festivals which happen throughout the year. These holidays are called Sabbats. There are eight sabbats at regular intervals throughout the year.
Samhain
Samhain is the festival of the dead and also the New Year. Wiccans will feast and remember their dead ancestors.
Yule
Yule is the equivalent of Christmas. It is to celebrate the days becoming longer. A Yule Log was a huge trunk of a tree that was burnt for three days of the celebration.
What is the history of Wicca?
Wicca was created in the early twentieth century — the 1900s — using ideas from ancient Paganism in England, and other ideas about magic and the occult. Paganism was an old belief in Celtic England. When Christianity came to England and became the main religion there, the older beliefs were practised in secret. In medieval times, believers in the old ways were assumed to be witches working for the Devil. Even until 1960, Wiccans were persecuted.