After the Ice Saints

Useful folk magic for May: planting by the moon, rejoicing in the sun, and welcoming three icy saints.

I was aiming to plant my main beds by the moon this month, with May 28th and 29th being the best dates for aboveground crops, falling just before the full moon.

It’s going to be a tomato-heavy year, I’m thinking.

Of course, these dates also fall after the arrival of the three Ice Saints: St. Mamertus, St. Pancras, and St. Servatius. Their feast days fall on May 11–13th, traditionally associated with the final cold snap of the season.

This time of year, I often turn to the Canticle of the Sun, a song of gratitude for the natural world by Francis of Assisi.

Canticle of the Sun as printed in Sister Karol's Book of Spells, Blessings & Folk Magic by Sister Karol Jackowski

Two of my favorite lines:

☾ “Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, in heaven you formed them clear and precious and beautiful.”

𖤓 “Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Mother Earth, who sustains us and governs us and who produces varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.”

It works especially well as a grounding prayer.

This week has felt lighter after another long, tough winter. I have so much to look forward to as the days grow longer: this time next month, I’ll be making my way back to the Appalachian Trail, learning from mentors and developing my practice in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Above: Local zine collection from Filler Zine & Distro (left), excerpt on knot magic from my zine (right)

Art update: I’ll have a small batch of folk Mary statuettes available this Saturday, May 9th, around 2 PM EST. I’ll also have a handful (4-5 copies) of Riverbank Saints and a few prayer cards and other small offerings. This month, 100% of profits from all items listed “in offering” will be sent to @the.auto.body.shop, a Pittsburgh-based mobile resource supporting bodily autonomy and community care.