Rhedmonth

St. Bede tells us that for the Anglo-Saxsons the month corresponding to March was sacred to the a goddess by the name of Rheda or Hreda (Old English Hreðmōnaþ). 

Though the only semi-contemporary source for a goddess by this name is the church father known as the Venerable Bede, or St. Bede, there is no reason to suppose that he made her up out of whole cloth. He was an Anglo-Saxon himself and not a foreigner, which means he was no doubt well-familiar with his own peoples customs pagan or otherwise.

Though there may be limited historical information about Rheda, or her colleague Ēostre, her existence is not improbable. She was no doubt connected to early spring. In contemporary heathenism, unverified personal gnosis (UPG) plays no small part. Many practitioners connect Rheda to victory (spring over winter) and the Roman goddess of the same name. 

For the spring equinox, or the full moon of Rhedmonth this year March 25, we decorate our altar with died eggs, and the earliest of spring flowers. In Maine, a small bouquet of croci were the usual. In southern Louisiana the famous irises are just starting to bloom.

Bede tells us the next month in the AS calendar corresponds to the goddess Ēostre which would make her celebratory day the full moon on April 23. Since I observe eight sabbats in the wheel of the year, not twelve or thirteen as would correspond directly to the historic calendar, I honor and celebrate both goddess on the time of the vernal equinox. Her name is likely linguistically connected to the Germanic goddess Ostara, by which manyneo-pagans know the equinox sabbat.

Ēostre lent her name, likely unasked, to the English word for the Paschal holy day, Easter. This may corroborate her connection to spring and rebirth. When my minos introduced seekers to the spring sabbat, he would play an episode from the American Gods (S01 E08) series where Mr. Wednesday confronts Ostara (Easter).