The House Witch: Your Complete Guide to Creating a Magical Space with Rituals and Spells for Hearth and Home - Arin Murphy-Hiscock 2018

Gabija
Hearth and Home Deities

The Lithuanian goddess of the hearth fire, Gabija (also Gabieta, Gabeta) was perceived as a protector of the household. The hearth fire was believed to be a purifying energy that would defend the house from unclean people and creatures. Tradition dictated that the hearth fire be extinguished and ritually relit every midsummer. When a fire was laid, a cup of water or beer would be left as an offering for Gabija. When the fire was banked each night, the women of the household would pray to Gabija for good fortune and safety for the family. As in the cult of Hestia, a bride would take embers from her family’s hearth and use them to lay a fire in her new home. Some sources say that a pinch of salt would be tossed into the fire as an offering. Another form of this goddess, Gabjaua, was associated with grain crops and brewing.