Trinox Samoni

Trinox Samoni “Three nights of Samonios” – Always starts on 17 Samonios, which is the third quarter moon of that month. Trinox Samoni is the only holiday directly named on the Coligny Calendar. It also is always a fixed date on it. This also means that Trinox Samoni can fall either before or after Samolitus. Some years it will fall before, some after, but always after Centusaminos at least.

This makes it difficult to ascertain without looking at the Coligny Calendar itself. What we can say is that it is never before Centusamos, and is never more than a week after the summer solstice. So, Trinox Samoni falls on the third quarter moon closest to the summer solstice unless the third quarter moon is more than a week after it. What Trinox Samoni was exactly about historically is hard to say. As it falls in the summer and is not cognate with Irish Samhain, in spite of attempts to connect it to that. There is no reason to assume Samonios means “end of summer”, as.

Its proximity to the summer solstice suggests a possibility that they are a predecessor to Midsummer and St. John’s festivals. Which were celebrated with large fires for days. As well as with fire wheels which scream Taranis. There are several summer festivals this time of year and that isn’t surprising. As we don’t know for sure what is meant, we observe it as the point in time in which Taranis prevails over His cosmic foe we call in our custom Andangianos (the great serpent).

Activities: Trinox Samoni should then be the commemoration of Taranis’s victory. A microcosm of the battle between Him and the forces of darkness. As well as a commemoration, since this battle happens yearly, we give Him some help!

Other than offerings to Taranis on each of the three nights, we keep the lights on to help lead Him to victory. It’s also possible to light a bonfire on one or each night. So, if you have access to that, it’s a great idea. But it’s not recommended to stay up all night three nights in a row. Plus, even something as simple as leaving on the front door light or the lights in all the rooms you aren’t sleeping in help too.

Natus Trinox Samoni

Tenoi leucoi! Tenoi leucoi! Tenoi leucoi!
(Bright fires! Bright fires! Bright fires!)

Taranis essi Boudiâcos
(Taranis is victorious)

Tenoi leucoi! Tenoi leucoi! Tenoi leucoi!
(Bright fires! Bright fires! Bright fires!)

Tarani lati
(For Taranis the Hero)

Tenoi leucoi! Tenoi leucoi! Tenoi leucoi!

Molâmos Taranin
(We praise Taranis)

Orgetos Andangiani
(Slayer of Andangianos)

Molâmos Taranin
(We praise Taranis)

Latiâcos Samorix
(Heroic Summer King)

Molâmos Taranin
(We praise Taranis)

Indomos sintenos tei
(We light this fire for you)

Trinox Samoni dagi ollon
(A good Trinox Samoni to all)