I read somewhere that Wiccans consider the victims of the Salem witch trials to be martyrs? Not sure if that's true or not, but I've always found the trials ridiculous, and now even more so. A few days ago was the anniversary of the death of the first victim (Briget Bishop), and more death anniversaries will follow. Do Wiccans pay tribute to them in some way?
I don't really believe in paying tribute to them but I want to go out and kill a cop everytime I think of it because they could have hunted crime lords rather then people who could helped them
i've never heard of Wiccan's saying that. most i know use it as an example to shake there fist as them no good bible thumpin' types. [a joke] i personally always liked Giles Corey, that guy was brilliant!
Salem is the most notorious of the witch hunts, but i don't know why because there was tens of thousands killed over the span of 300 years. someone i watch online once described Salem as 'Disneyland for Pagans' and it is. i've always wanted to go and soak in the history, but it's full of occult shops apparently, and there are haunted tours, and seances, and tarot readings, and all sorts of stuff apparently.
why Wiccans probably don't feel a strong kinship with the Salem Witches is because they weren't [except for maybe Tituba] real witches. the girls did something they shouldn't and instead of fessing up, they claimed witches made them do it. from there it was accusations of every wealth owner anyone had a grudge on or plain didn't like. it wasn't until 1693 when the courts finally stepped in and put an end to it. so that could be why some Wiccans consider them martyrs, because they were dying for god. this is how the trials worked. they asked you 'are you a witch' you say yes you've confessed and you're going to hell, you say no, you're lying and are then beaten into confessing. [which they never did 'confess' because it's a sin to lie, and they'd go to hell.] Giles was the only one who said nothing, so his land was intact for his family to inherit and he could die a christian.
I personally agree with nekoshema, they were not witches (or not alll of them anyway) but I also don't blame the people who kiled them as they did not know any better, they were just afraid.
I don't pay tribute to them because personally I didn't know them but if you wanted just say a prayer of kindness, ask whoever it is you pray to pass on your energy or love to the person and that you are sorry for what happened to them, light a candle if you like, it would be a nice thing to do for them.
I can't imagine nor do I want to what those poor women went through but I'm sure their guides have worked with them in the afterlife and they have recovered fro their traumas. I like to think that but hey thats just me. I like that you wanted to acknowledge their deaths it shows you care for humans you have never met whih is always a good thing.
No one really knows the truth as yet.
I do see them as martyrs as they were executed/murdered.
In my past lives I have been a witch and I have been executed too accused of being a witch.. today I would never tell anyone I was a witch, however many guess.
I laugh it off or deny it, from my previous experience.
