Litha, the entire light half of the year, is centered upon Midsummer, with which it is easily identified, so that the summer solstice holiday is often referred to as Litha, especially in the recreated calendar used in the revived Germanic religion of Asatru. It is widely asserted that, in the pre-Christian Germanic calendar, the solstice was referred to as "Litha", a term especially endorsed by contemporary neopagans, but the term is specifically Anglo-Saxon. Midsummer celebration, Åmmeberg, Sweden Midsummer is the period of time centered upon the summer solstice. ... Illumination of Earth by Sun on the day of summer solstice on northern hemisphere The summer solstice is an astronomical term regarding the position of the Sun in relation to the celestial equator. ... satr , also known as Odinism, describes a number of attempts to reconstruct the indigenous religions of Northern Europe. ... The Germanic calendars were any of the various calendars in use among the Germanic peoples prior to the introduction of the Julian calendar. ... Neopaganism (sometimes Neo-Paganism, meaning New Paganism) is a heterogeneous group of religions which attempt to revive ancient, mainly European pre-Christian religions. ...

Its widespread use as the name for this holiday may trace back only to its appearance in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and its origins are specifically Anglo-Saxon. The only reference for the Anglo-Saxon calendar we have is Bede's De tempore rationum, written from a Christian perspective in the 8th century. Bede gives Anglo-Saxon names for the months of June and July Ærra Litha and Æftera Litha, the "foreLitha" and the "afterLitha", giving rise to the connection of the solstitial celebration as Litha. J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (January 3, 1892 – September 2, 1973) was the author of The Hobbit and its sequel The Lord of the Rings. ... Wikicities has a wiki about The Lord of the Rings: The Lord of the Rings Wiki The Encyclopedia of Arda - Mark Fishers tribute site to the works of Tolkien Tolkien Gateway Tolkien Collectors Gateway The Tolkien Wiki Community TheOneRing. ... The Anglo-Saxons refers collectively to the groups of Germanic tribes who achieved dominance in southern Britain from the mid-5th century, forming the basis for the modern English nation. ... Depiction of Bede from the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493 Bede (Latin Beda), also known as Saint Bede or, more commonly, the Venerable Bede (c. ...

See also:

• Germanic calendar

The Germanic calendars were any of the various calendars in use among the Germanic peoples prior to the introduction of the Julian calendar. ...

External links

• [www.byzant.com /festivals/litha.asp Byzant.com]: Litha
• FactBites (http://www.factbites.com/topics/Litha): Litha

Further reading

• Ron Hutton, The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles
• Ron Hutton, 1996. The Stations of the Sun,(Oxford)