Day and month of the Orishas in Umbanda: Oxalá, Oxossi, Iansã and more!

Umbanda believes that the Orishas are the representation of energy, the force that comes from nature and that they can help human beings. For these reasons, it is very important that the Orixás have specific days to be honored. Each of them receives a different offering, a reference color and their own greeting.

As each of the Orixás receives their tributes on specific days, they must have a day to salute them. In this way, the confusion of the faithful and the forgetting of obligations is avoided. Next, get to know the day and month of each Orisha and what each one represents.

The Orixás are deities of Yoruba African mythology, which became popular in Brazil with religions of African origin, such as Umbanda and Candomblé. Yoruba is a region of Africa made up of diverse groups with similar ethnicities, language and cultures. Little is known, but many of the blacks brought to Brazil as slaves were from this region.

There are more than 300 orishas in mythology, however some of them have become more famous in Brazil, such as Exu, Oxalá, Ogun, Oxóssi, Iemanjá, Xangô and Iansã. Each Orixá is represented in a different way and, moreover, they are very important for the religion of Umbanda. Next, learn why this importance and how these gods are seen in this religion.

Before talking about the importance of the Orixás for Umbanda, it is necessary to understand what the word Umbanda means. This word originates from the Bantu language and has two meanings: the first is “place of worship”, and the second is “priest”.

According to Caboclo das Sete Encruzilhadas, the entity responsible for defining the bases of this religion, ”Umbanda is the manifestation of the spirit of charity”.

Umbanda is a monotheistic religion, that is, it believes in the existence of a single God. Below this God are the Orishas, ​​entities and protective guides. Umbanda practitioners believe that the Orixás and ancestral entities occupy another plane of existence. Furthermore, orixás are considered ancient Yoruba deities.

According to Yoruba mythology, Olodumaré is the supreme and inaccessible god. He created the world and the orishas to govern it and serve as intermediaries between him and humans. Unlike the Orishas, ​​Olodumaré does not accept offerings, as he has control over everything and there is nothing he cannot do. The orishas represent the elements of nature, and Olodumaré is the combination of these energies.

Although African matrix religions are related to mysticism, it is common for people to associate the months of the orixás with their personalities since, like us human beings, the Orixás also have their own characteristics. In addition, the gods can also influence our way of acting and thinking, depending on the ruling days and orixás.

That’s why it’s so important to know the months of the orixás. Thus, it is easier to distinguish one from the other and, when it is necessary to please them, knowing the right month that each Orixá governs is essential. For this, keep reading the article until the end and discover the days and months of each Orisha in the Umbanda line.

Oxóssi, popularly known as the king of the woods, is celebrated in January, on the 20th and its day of the week is Thursday. As is well known, Oxossi is linked to knowledge and nature. He is represented as a hunter and is characterized as a black man who is always with his bow and arrow in hand.

Ogum is a warrior orixá, known for his strength and courage. He is an Orisha worshiped in both Umbanda and Candomblé. The date on which this orixá is commemorated is April 23, and its day of the week is Tuesday.

Ogum is characterized as a black man, who wears blue or red clothes and always has a sword in his hand. He is also seen riding his horse, which refers to Saint George, the saint of Catholics.

Generally speaking, pretos-velhos are known as evolved spirits. They are considered humble, wise and always willing to help. As many of them were slaves, they are celebrated on May 13, the date on which the abolition of slavery took place.

Santa Sara Kali is considered the saint of gypsy patron saints. This Saint is usually next to women who want to get pregnant, exiles and desperate people. On the 24th and 25th of May, Saint Sara’s Day is celebrated.

Obá is celebrated on the 30th of May. Your day of the week is Wednesday. Obá is a female orixá, known mainly for representing the turbulent waters of the rivers, the pororocas, the strong waters and the falls. She is also the lady of the swirls, and is always close to Nanã. Together they have control over floods and mud.

Xangô is known to be the father of justice and truth. In addition, he can be represented as the god of fire, lightning and thunder. Typically, he is sought after to solve problems related to documents, studies and intellectual work. It receives offerings on Wednesdays and is celebrated mainly on the 29th of June.

The day of homage to Nanã is July 26th. As an old woman, Nanã has been present since the creation of humanity. She is the “Mother – Primordial Earth” of the grains and the dead. She is the memory of the people, as she experienced all the magic of the conception of the Universe. Furthermore, she is considered the lady of death, as she is responsible for the entry and exit portals of souls.

The day and month in which Obaluaiê is honored is the same in which Catholics worship São Roque, August 16th. Already in the week, Obaluaiê governs Mondays. This orixá is known for his domain in the area of ​​health, resilience and is always willing to protect his own against diseases.

He is considered a strong and generous orixá. If you want to identify him, just pay attention to his clothing, as he appears under a long garment made of straw.

During the week, Oxumaré usually rules on Tuesdays, but the day to worship and honor this saint is August 24th. Together with Oxum, Oxumaré forms the second line of Umbanda, that of love and conception. It represents continual renewal in all aspects of human life. Furthermore, it is the orixá that radiates the seven colors of Umbanda.

Different from the Catholic Church, umbandistas celebrate the day of Saint Cosme and Damião on September 27th. Little is known, but Cosimo and Damião were twin brothers, studied medicine and sought to help others through it. They are considered the orixás of children and, curiously, they are the children of Iansã and Xangô.

Mother of sweet waters and considered the most beautiful among the orixás, Oxum is celebrated on October 12th. During the week, she is regent of Saturdays. Oxum was created with a lot of pampering, which is why she is characterized as the goddess of gold, prosperity and, above all, the goddess of love.

In Umbanda, Omulu is considered a warrior and brave deity. He is associated with earth and fire. He is the son of Nanã-Burukê, and was abandoned by her. Interestingly, Omulu is the king of the mysteries of life and death and cannot be looked at directly by men, because like the Sun and the truth, he could blind them. August 16th is the day to honor him.

Just as there are days when the orishas are celebrated, Umbanda is also celebrated on a specific day. November 15th is considered the National Day of this religion. Umbanda was born in Brazil and, in its origin, unites characteristics of other religions, such as Catholicism, Spiritism and other African and indigenous religions.

Iansã’s weekly day is on Saturdays, but because of her love for Xangô, she can be celebrated on Wednesdays. The day to worship and honor Iansã is December 4th. Nationally known orixá for being the warrior goddess, lady of the winds, lightning and storms, she commands the dead spirits with a ponytail, known as Eruexim – one of her symbols.

The most popular among the Orixás and considered the queen of the sea, Iemanjá is celebrated on February 2nd. On the other hand, her weekly day is Saturday. Iemanjá is the daughter of Olokun, the orixá king of the oceans and that is why she is known in this way.

She is considered the mother of all adults and also of the Orixás. Usually, the faithful of almost all religions jump the 7 waves of this orisha at the end of the year, in order to attract good luck.

The weekly day of Oxalá is Friday. On the other hand, the day on which the orixá considered one of the most important in the Umbanda lineage is celebrated is January 15th. Oxalá is considered the god of white and peace. In addition, he is associated with the creation of the world and the human species. As one of the largest in the Umbanda Line, Oxalá is calm, peaceful and serene.

The Orixás are also responsible for the regency of each sign. Thus, it is easier to associate their characteristics with those of their children. The African gods, in addition to being present in their children’s daily lives, can also influence the way each one acts and thinks. Next, stay on top of which Orisha governs each sign, and find out which one is yours.

If you’ve ever wondered why your sign is considered one of the worst in the Zodiac, here’s the answer: the ruling Orisha is Ogun. Considered the god of war, Ogum is authoritarian and people who are governed by him are considered natural leaders, since they have the ability to make decisions, in addition to having courage and self-confidence.

On the other hand, Aries tend to be a little impulsive. They throw themselves into things and don’t always think about the consequences. Ogun protects their paths, which makes them very active and willing to achieve their goals.

The regent Orisha of the Taurus people is Oxossi, the Orisha of the woods and abundance. Oxossi is patient, persistent and reliable. He has a generous heart, but his assumptions are inflexible. Usually Taureans are known for care, determination and intelligence. They go after what they want, although they are somewhat indecisive in situations that require definition.

The Orisha of Geminis is mainly…