When we talk about witches, a word that soon comes to the fore is coven, a concept that according to the RAE refers to a meeting of wizards and witches that takes place at night, and in which the devil participates in the form of a male goat. The purpose of the coven would be to carry out magical or superstitious practices. The Spanish word, coven, comes from the Basque, and precisely means meadow of the male goat; its origin is linked to the famous case of the witches of Zugarramurdi, since in this town in northern Spain the meadow where the miracle workers congregated would be found.
In the next article, we will delve into all the secrets that surround this type of meetinghow to make a coven and many other matters of interest for those who are curious about it.
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What is a coven: definition
Many people find the word coven just as disturbing as the word witch, because they don’t know anything about witchcraft. We have already seen that in Spain the term coven implies yes or yes worship of the devil and witches, but not in all countries it is understood the same.
Webster’s dictionary, the most famous in the United States, reveals that a coven, known there by the concept «coven» is simply a gathering of individuals with similar interests or activities; However, he also talks about an assembly or group usually made up of 13 witches. If the sabbath comes from Basque and implies the presence of a male goat, the etymology of «coven» implies meeting, band or group.
If we leave the dictionaries aside and focus on how people linked to witchcraft define a coven, we can highlight that Miriam Simos, commonly called Starhawk, affirms that it is a support group, an awareness group, a psychic study center, a clergy training program, a college of the Mysteries, a surrogate clan, and a religious congregation all at the same time.
Other authors point out that a coven would be a small group of Wiccan initiates who related to each other, like good friends and a family by choicewho come together to pay homage to ancient gods and follow ancient traditions.
How to make a coven
Joining a coven will be one of the most important decisions of your life if you want to enter the world of witchcraft. Today there are many books and digital resources explaining the traditions of witchcraft that can help you find and lead a coven.
The traditional number of people to form the coven is 13. Ideally, it should consist of six men, six women, and one leader.
However, this does not mean that a witch cult group cannot function unless it is made up of thirteen people. One can form a coven being less than 13; but the number of members of a coven must not exceed thirteen. When the members exceed this number, the coven should split up and form a new circle. This is how art spreads and perpetuates itself.
The number 13 has been perceived as having special magical properties, whatue reflect the worship group with its 12 members and its leader. Throughout history, we find relevant groups with these characteristics: Romulus, the hero who founded Rome, had 12 companions; Jesus Christ had 12 apostles; some versions of Arthurian legends relate that at King Arthur’s Round Table were the King himself and his twelve knights, and so on, many more.
Because of these associations with witchcraft, the number thirteen has come to be called «the Devil’s dozen». Old photos of covens often depict twelve people and a thirteenth. There is, for example, a lovely 15th-century French miniature in the Bodleian Library at Rawlinson College, depicting a gathering of witches on the outskirts of the village. In the foreground, three women and a man worship a goat with lighted candles in their hands. Behind them, two couples kiss. Three witches on broomsticks happily fly over them, and another witch has just climbed out of the chimney of a nearby house. Therefore, there are twelve witches in this image, and the Goat God is the thirteenth.
The covens must be separated by about 5 kilometers or 3 miles from each other, and the pacts that are made there must not know too much about the private affairs of other members. Only leaders should keep in touch with each other.
The reason for this rule is related to the time when witches were persecuted, because what people did not know could not be commented on. Sometimes, the members of a coven use pseudonyms or nicknames, to indicate a permanent change of personality.
Some famous covens
One of the earliest witch trials in the British Isles was that of Lady Alice Kyteler of Kilkenny in 1324, and the name of 12 defendants was registered plus that of Robin Artisson, the leader of the covenwho escaped (as did Lady Alice).
In Scotland, the witch Isobel Gowdie of Auldearne surrendered to the authorities in 1662 and made the longest and most detailed confession ever made at a witch trial in Britain. He revealed that the witches were organized in groups and that each group was made up of thirteen people.
A trial was held from the Zugarramurdi witches’ coven that it was conducted by the court of the Spanish Inquisition in Logroño and was held on November 7 and 8, 1610. Dozens of people were accused, and about twenty recognized their faults and asked the court for mercy. Six people were burned alive as punishment, and another five were burned in effigy as they had already died.. Some of the most famous names of this coven are María de Arburu, María Baztán, María de Echachute and Graciana Xarra.