Studio Portrait of Raven Grimassi
(c) RavenWolfe Photography
House of Grimassi: Biography
As a well-known Witchcraft Teacher and Elder, Raven Grimassi is credited with popularizing in the USA the religious practice of Witchcraft (Stregheria), which had roots in Italy. Grimassi believed there may have been a mortal woman named Aradia di Toscano. In 1981, Grimassi published The Book of the Holy Strega. Grimassi believed Charles Godfrey Leland’s Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches (1899) to be a Christian-influenced or “distorted” version of the genuine story of Aradia, who was a 14th century mortal woman (born August 13, 1313). Yet, Grimassi also noted that there were genuine Italian elements within Leland’s collected materials in Aradia.
I have had the pleasure of attending a few classes with Raven Grimassi and of being able to ask him some questions via computer. The Alexandrians and Gardnerians--and many other Wiccans--commonly refer to Aradia as a “Moon Goddess”. Grimassi wrote that Aradia was not a Goddess in his Stregheria tradition. I posted back, that upon learning that Aradia was not viewed as a Goddess in his Stregheria tradition, I was now referring to Aradia as a “lunar spirit”. He kindly and politely corrected me that Aradia was not viewed as a lunar spirit in Stregheria, either. When I inquired what the correct term would be, Raven Grimassi responded: “Aradia serves as a go between."
Grimassi became involved with Wicca in 1969. He create his own system of Witchcraft, known as the Aradian Tradition. In 1981, he published information related to the tradition in The Book of the Holy Strega and The Book of Ways Volume I and II. (See bibliography below.)
Although Professor Sabina Magliocco criticized some of Grimassi's claims, she conceded that "Grimassi never claims to be reproducing exactly what was practiced by Italian immigrants to North America; he admits Italian-American immigrants 'have adapted a few Wiccan elements into their ways.'" After meeting with Grimassi, Professor Magliocco wrote in a letter to the Pomegranate Reader's Forum:
I had the pleasure of meeting Raven Grimassi during the summer of 2001, unfortunately after the final draft of my article had already been submitted to The Pom. He was very gracious and helpful to me. From information he revealed during our interview, I can say with reasonable certainty that I believe him to have been initiated into a domestic tradition of folk magic and healing such as I describe in my article.
May eternal light shine upon Raven Grimassi. No doubt Aradia will greet and guide him beyond (aldila).
Se scriviamo “aldila” senza spazi intendiamo quindi l’oltretomba, stiamo parlando dei morti. (Translation: If we spell "aldila" without spaces, we therefore mean the afterlife, we are talking about the dead.) --Angela Del Prete Come si scrive. Al di la dell'aldila – righevaghe, November 2, 2016.
Raven Grimassi’s Bibliography:
1981: The Book of the Holy Strega There is a newer revised edition of The Book of the Holy Strega 2009, which I understand is greatly expanded from the original 1981 published version. In this first version, Grimassi claimed that certain “old legends”--not just Charles Godfrey Leland’s Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches published in 1899--told of a powerful witch (strega) who lived and taught in 14th century Italy. She was known as “Aradia”, and by the titles “The Beautiful Pilgrim”, and “The Holy Strega”. Grimassi’s The Book of the Holy Strega, 1981, was a seminal work telling a story of Aradia. I have not read the original 1981 book, but I suspect it is the written source for some “oral lore” circulating among members of the Neo-Pagan community.
1981: The Book of Ways Volume I and II These were also apparently another “seminal work” for the Neo-Pagan Witchcraft community, as I found bits of “traditional material” typed up in BOS in a coven in 1984. Supposedly, these two volumes were commonly known as "The Blue Books". I have not read the original 1981 two volumes, nor did I purchase the 2012 reprint. [I have not purchased the 2012 reprint as of March 2019] However, I spotted some the “traditional material” which I had received typed up in BOS in a coven in 1984 much later in other books written by Grimassi. I suspect that the original version of The Book of Ways Volume I and II from 1981 was the source of this material.
1994: Ways of the Strega
1995: Italian Witchcraft: The Old Religion of Southern Europe
1998: Wiccan Magick
1999: Hereditary Witchcraft: Secrets of the Old Religion
2000: The Encyclopedia of Wicca and Witchcraft Truly a GREAT reference book! This book was awarded "Best Non-Fiction" by the Coalition of Visionary Retailiers.
2001: Beltane: Springtime Rituals, Lore and Celebration
2002: The Wiccan Mysteries Grimassi was awarded "Book of the Year" and "First Place - Spirituality Book" from the Coalition of Visionary Retailers for The Wiccan Mysteries.
2002: The Witches’ Craft: The Roots of Witchcraft & Magical Transformation
2003: Spirit of the Witch
2003: The Witch’s Familiar: Spiritual Partnership for Successful Magic
2004: Witchcraft: A Mystery Tradition
2005: Well Worn Path: Divination Kit (with Stephanie Taylor)
2007: Hidden Path: Divination Kit (with Stephanie Taylor)
2008: Crafting Wiccan Traditions
2009: The Book of the Holy Strega, Revised Edition. Was “Aradia” a witch living in 14th century? Are there any true basis for her legends? Pagan scholar Raven Grimassi explores this and many other questions in his new revised edition.
2009: The Cauldron of Memory: Retrieving Ancestral Knowledge & Wisdom
2011: Old World Witchcraft: Ancient Ways for Modern Days
2012: The Cimaruta and Other Magical Charms From Old Italy
2013: Horns Of Honor: Regaining the Spirit of the Pagan Horned God
2014: Grimoire of the Thorn-Blooded Witch
2016: Communing with the Ancestors
2019: Oracle of the Ancient Celts – The Dalriada (with Stephanie Taylor)
March 11, 2019, Myth Woodling
Studio Portrait of Raven Grimassi
(c) RavenWolfe Photography
House of Grimassi: Biography