According to this story, there once was a young woman from the town of Volterra who "travelled far and wide, teaching and preaching the religion of old times, the religion of Diana, the Queen of the Fairies and of the Moon, the Goddess of the poor and the oppressed". Leland goes on to say "And the fame of her wisdom and beauty went forth over all the land, and people worshipped her, calling her La Bella Pellegrina (the Beautiful Pilgrim). In the Aridian Tradition we refer to Aradia as The Holy Strega (pronounced Stray-gah, meaning witch) and we honor her memory. We do not worship her.
According to our teachings, Aradia formed covens (called groves) in central Italy during the 14th Century. She taught the Old Religion of Nature, and of Magic, but above all she taught a Spirituality. Beyond this she gave hope to peasants whose lives were made miserable, in service to the wealthy class. She taught them personal power, and personal value, in an Age when the Church taught shame and sin, and servitude. Aradia returned their beautiful pagan heritage to them, a heritage which was preserved in secret by courageous Priests and Priestesses of The Old Religion. Aradia taught harmony with Nature, and directed her followers to merge with Nature through seasonal rites, and ritual observation of the Full Moon (times of planetary power).
Charles Leland's version of Aradia, is not the original version. It has little to do with the Aradia I have addressed here. His work is a Christianized view of Aradia, and does not reflect the beliefs, or practices, of Hereditary Italian Witches. So, if you chose to read his book, bear in mind that he and I are NOT speaking of the same Aradia. His account of the Legend given here, is the only thing I can agree with in his book. The rest of his book does not show Aradia in a positive light.
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