The month of March is named after the second most, although some would claim the primary god of the anicent Romans. To that end he was sometimes known as Marspater, or Father Mars, and his original name was Mavors. Although worshiped, at least from our historical prism, as the Roman god of war, he aslo was the protector of one of the more honorable and somewhat opposite pursuits, agriculture.

Although all of antiquity might understand this complex relationship, it was perhaps the Romans who both understood and exploited it best. It is one we know well since it is through farming and the production of excess food that allows for the rise of civilization and eventually to the State and subsequent armies to defend that State. As we uncover and discover more buried cities and shipwrecks, slowly our understanding of the ancient world is being rewritten to that which far more resembles our own world, in both technology and understanding of the universe. Also, as one who has read a detailed history of Rome, it was the Roman Emperors, who very much desired a State Religion in which to further control the population. But I digress.

Mars, like many goddesses had three aspects, as the martial god he was Gradivus, as the rustic god Silvanus and as patrol of the Roman state, Quirinus. He and his consort Neria, are commenrated on March 25.

Originally known as Mavors, his Greek equivalent was Ares, and in central and northern Europe, it was the sky god Tiu or Tiwaz. While in western and northern Europe, this diety was known as the Celtic god Teutates and the Norse god Tyr. The wolf and woodpecker are sacred to Mars.

Mi or Mharta is the Irish spelling, also honoring Mars. The Anglo Saxon, who honored the Earth Mother goddess Hertha or Nerthus the month was called Hrethmonth or Hertha's month. The Frankish name for the month is Lentzinmanoh, or "renewal month" honoring the vernal equinox.

March Highlights
1

Matronalia; feriae Marti

Roman New Year

Juno Lucina, Roman Wales; England

Matronalia, foundation-day of her temple on the Esquiline, 1 March of the cult of Juno Lucina, the goddess of childbirth. In Wales a holy day celebrating the patron saint, David, representing vigorous growth at springtime and recalling the royal colors, green and white, of ancient Britain.

2

Ceadda*‡; St. Chad ‡ Deity of healing springs and holy wells
Sacred day to Ceadda, his symbol being the Crann Bethadh or tree of life. Honoring the day might be cleaning a holy well or sacred springs, or by making an offering or flowers. (*Misspelled in this 2006 calendar.)
3
Aegir Icelandic (Nordic) God of the ocean.
Controller of the sea's tides and weather, known period of worship Viking, but probably earlier. Associated with storms or March "coming in like a lion."

5
Navigium Isis Egyptian

An ancient Egyptian festival that recognized the goddess's invention of the sail; her patronage of sailing, and the beginning of a new sailing season.

6
Mars Roman On this day Roman household gods were honored, such as Mars in a more peaceful aspect.
7
Junonalia Roman Festival in honor of goddess Juno, mother of Mars, Greek synonyms Goddess Hera.
11

Herakles;

St. Hercules

Day of, ref. unknown
Day of semi divine hero Herakles or Hercules celebrating strength and superhuman feats of courage.
12
Hypatia Martyrdom of,
Commemorates the martyrdom of Hypatia, known as the Divine Pagan, dean of the Neoplatonic school at Alexandria, she was a famed philosopher and mathematician, murdered by a Christian death squad.
14
Veturius Mamurius‡  
Festival of Veturius Mamurius celebrating the art of armor making.
15

Rhea; Rheie;

Ides of March

Greek

Roman

Holy Day of Rhea, primordial Greek goddess; daughter of Ouranos and Gaia, mother of Zeus and other gods of Olympus from Homer's Iliad.

Julius Caesar, as warned, was assassinated in 44, B.C.E.

16-17

Dionysus;

Bacchus

Greek;

Roman

Two day festival of the Greek God Dionysus and the Roman god Bacchus, youthful deity of wine. The festival promotes a fruitful grape harvest, but was also known for wild parties, probably the origin of spring break.
17
St. Patrick's Day Celtic, modern
Trefuilnid Treochair, the national day of Ireland. The feats for the "the triple bearer of the triple key," the trident-bearing Celtic divinity assimilated to St. Patrick.
19

Athena; Minerva;

Eyvind Kinnrifi

Greek; Roman;

Icelandic/Germanic

Festival of the goddess Athena; in Roman times, this began the festival of the goddess Minerva (five day festival);

Eyvind Kinnrifi was one of Odin's martyrs.

20
Vernal Equinox (Spring or fifth Station of the Year, Ostara, Alban Elir); Pagan Today represents the fifth Station of the year and as a marker that Spring has sprung.

Iduna / Idunn

Norse goddess

Today is also sacred to the Norse goddess, Iduna, bearer of the magic apples of life, personifying the light half of the year and can appear on this day as a sparrow, bringing joy to humans.

23
Summer Finding Norse This festival acknowledges sunlight becoming more powerful than darkness.
24

Britannia

Heimdall

British

Unknown

Day of Albion, the guardian goddess of Great Britain (Prytania, Britannia), whose image appears on British coins.

Day of the guardian of heaven, Heimdall.

25

Mars and Neria

Return of the Goddess

Roman

Modern

This was once considered the date of the creation of the world and is celebrated, as well, the conception date of the divinity that enters the world on 25 December. Goddess worshipers call this day the Return of the Goddess.
28
Pallas   De Pascha Comutus, a treatise written in 243 c.e., states that the Sun and Moon were created on 28 March. Before adoption of 25 December as the "correct" date, this was the date given as the nativity of Jesus.

Sacrifice of the Tombs

Roman

Sacrifice of the Tombs is an old Roman festival acknowledging the ancestors.

30

Janua and Concordia

Passover, begins

 

Jewish

The festival of Janus and Concordia.

The Jewish Festival of Passover begins.

31
Luna, Festival of Roman
Festival of goddess of the full moon.
Footnotes
‡ = not yet cross referenced.  
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