All articles tagged with #paganism
French President Emmanuel Macron's appointment of Gabriel Attal as the new prime minister signals a reset for his presidency, aiming to push through policy reforms and counter the far-right. Meanwhile, the re-election of President Félix Tshisekedi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has sparked controversy, and there's a discussion on how the film "The Wicker Man" may be influencing a rise in paganism.
About 10,000 people, including Druids and pagans, gathered at Stonehenge to celebrate the summer solstice, marking the longest day of the year. The sun rises behind the entrance to the stone circle, and rays of light are channelled into the centre of the monument. Stonehenge's distinctive formation aligns to both the midsummer sunrise and the midwinter sunset. Many people travel from around the world to celebrate at the stones, which have been a site of solstice celebrations for thousands of years.
The inclusion of the Green Man, a figure from British folklore, on the official invitation to King Charles' coronation has caused controversy. While some see it as a positive symbol of nature and a nod to the king's love of conservation, others view it as a pagan idol that should not be included in a royal event. Historian and folklorist Francis Young explains that the Green Man is actually a made-up figure of 20th-century folklore, and its association with paganism makes it a potentially controversial image to use.