Holy Nights 2025 - 2026

The Holy Nights arrive each year as a time outside of time, when, as we cross the bridge into the new year, the sense of participating in an annual renewal is at its strongest. The 12 days and 13 nights from December 24^th to January 6^th stand uniquely apart in the year’s cycle, allowing not only for personal reflection and review, but for the mighty cosmic rhythms of Sun, Moon, and Earth to align (after 12 months, the Moon has “fallen back” about 11 days from the Sun’s rhythm). Every year at this season we pass from one division of time to another.

This may at first appear simply a matter of convenience, but it is not so. Those who had to separate time into seasons followed by profound instinct certain great laws regulating the course of time.

~Rudolf Steiner "The Great Cosmic Year" December 31, 1915.

In addition to reviewing the year past, the Holy Nights season is also a time for preparing for the year ahead, for “weaving the basket” into which we will gather the spiritual fruits ripening in the 12 months of the coming year.

Each year at this time, the Anthroposophical Society in America joyfully offers a Holy Nights program, to support contemplative reflection on the year past and to provide inspiration for ways to prepare for the year ahead. In this 100^thanniversary year of Rudolf Steiner’s life, we are thrilled to present the work of Raphael as our guide, following Rudolf Steiner’s indications in his Last Address that in Raphael we have a steady companion through times of transition.

Our program begins with a Winter Solstice address on December 21^st with Mary Stewart Adams, followed on December 22^nd, 23^rd, and 24^th with three talks by Andrew Wolpert, to build up the living imaginations present in key works by Raphael. In these presentations, Andrew will guide us in accompanying Raphael on his artistic journey from the childhood of Jesus, through the Incarnation, to the mighty affirmation that is the Resurrection of the Christ. Note that this Holy Nights offering by Andrew will be followed by a further presentation at Easter 2026, planned to coincide with the opening of the largest-ever exhibition of Raphael’s work in the US at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

During the time from December 25^th to January 4^th, we will have 15-minute morning sessions led by volunteer community members and based on the virtues as they align with the 12 regions of the zodiac. On January 5^th, Bruce Donehower of the Literary Arts and Humanities Section will share Under the Sign of the Mother: Raphael-Novalis. Then finally, on January 6^th we will welcome in Epiphany with an offering from Mary Stewart Adams, looking ahead at the year to come.

All meetings will begin at 11am Eastern Time / 8 am Pacific Time.

The Winter Solstice Address with Mary Stewart Adams on December 21^st, Andrew Wolpert's offerings on December 22^nd, 23^rd, and 24^th, and the 12^th Night Meeting on January 5^th with Bruce Donehower will each be about an hour long, as will be Mary Stewart Adams' Epiphany Adress on January 6, 2026. Each of these hour-long meetings will begin with eurythmy, led by Mary Ruud of Living Arts Eurythmy. On the remaining dates, the morning gatherings will be approximately 15 minutes each.

Can't join us live?

Each meeting will be recorded and posted on our Participant Portal (link emailed upon registration).

See below for a full schedule!

Register here ~ this is a free community event with options to donate to support the ASA

Schedule of Events

The Hour-Long Sessions:

Sunday December 21 ~ Mary Stewart Adams - Winter Solstice Address, 11 am to 12 pm ET

Monday December 22  ~  Andrew Wolpert - And did those feet in ancient time…A sequence of seven Madonnas, 11 am to 12 pm ET

Tuesday December 23 ~ Andrew Wolpert - He came into the world…The task and gesture of Raphael Sanzio,11 am to 12 pm ET

Wednesday December 24 ~  Andrew Wolpert - And did the countenance divine shine forth…A contemplation of the Sistine Madonna,11 am to 12 pm ET

Monday January 5 ~ The 12th Night with Bruce Donehower- Under the Sign of the Mother: Raphael-Novalis 11 am to 12 pm ET

Tuesday January 6 ~ Epiphany Address with Mary Stewart Adams 11 am to 12 pm

All meetings begin at 11am Eastern Time / 8 am Pacrific Time.

The morning meetings from December 25 ~ January 5:

Below are the dates, zodiac signs, and virtue contemplations, as we will consider them during our sessions. The year in review this way aligns with Rudolf Steiner's suggestions about the rükshau, or backward review, which is in keeping with the soul's experience of time moving from the end back to the beginning beyond the physical realm (see Evolution of Consciousness, lecture 2, August 20, 1923, GA 227)

Dec 25 Leo/ Compassion

Dec 26 Cancer/ Selflessness

Dec 27 Gemini/ Perseverence

Dec 28 Taurus/ Balance becomes progress

Dec 29 Aries/ Devotion 

Dec 30 Pisces/ Magnanimity

Dec 31 New Year's Eve ~ Mary Stewart Adams ~ When the Present and Eternity Join Hands. ~ At midnight on New Year's Eve, our folk-soul briefly releases us, as it were, and consequently what we then think is perceived by the highest hierarchies, and has power in it to be brought into reality. ~ Herbert Hahn, in conversation with Rudolf Steiner

Jan 1 Aquarius/ Discretion

Jan 2 Capricorn/ Courage

Jan 3 Sagittarius/ Control of speech becomes feeling for truth

Jan 4 Scorpio/ Patience

Jan 5 Libra / Contentment ~ with special presentation by Bruce Donehower ~ Under the Sign of the Mother: Raphael-Novalis 

Our meetings will be recorded and shared with registered participants.

"Anyone who lets Raphael's creations work upon his soul, will admit that in Raphael—with respect to certain artistic intentions—the highest ideal has been attained"

~ Rudolf Steiner, 17 January 1917, Dornach. GA 292

Bruce Donehower is the North American representative to the Goetheanum for the Section for the Literary Arts & Humanities of the School for Spiritual Science. He has a Doctorate in English Literature (UC Davis), a Masters in German literature (UC Davis), and a Masters in English with emphasis on creative writing (CSUS). Bruce is a poet, novelist, essayist, musician, storyteller, translator, and retired professor. He is the author of "The Birth of Novalis" (SUNY Press).

Mary Ruud, of Living Arts Eurythmy, has taught eurythmy and has offered eurythmy therapy for 40 years in public, private and charter schools. Mary is a eurythmist, a therapeutic eurythmist and a therapeutic horsemanship instructor. Mary is a Board Member for the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education. Mary taught and did therapeutic eurythmy at Green Meadow Waldorf School (Spring Valley, NY) Pleasant Ridge Waldorf (Viroqua, Wisconsin), Urban Waldorf (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), Prairie Hill Waldorf School (Pewaukee, Wisconsin) and Tamarack Waldorf School (Milwaukee, Wisconsin). She has served twice as President of the Association of Therapeutic Eurythmy in North America and serves as a Board member of the Anthropological Medical Association. 

Mary Stewart Adams has been General Secretary and President of the Anthroposophical Society in America since autumn, 2023. She serves as a spokesperson for the Society and country representative in the international movement. For over twenty years, under the title of Star Lore Historian, Mary has worked as a dark skies advocate, to raise awareness about the effects of light pollution and to make known the mysteries of the starry skies from environmental, cultural, and anthroposophic perspectives. This work ultimately resulted in her leading the team that established one of the world's first International Dark Sky Parks. Mary first encountered the work of Rudolf Steiner before her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan. The work of Rudolf Steiner and a later meeting with Hazel Straker, a pioneer in astrosophy, has shaped much of her life path, which, together with her education in literary arts, continue to inspire her work and research. 

Andrew Wolpert is a scholar who has been lecturing and leading courses and seminars on anthroposophical themes internationally for many years. He led the Spirit of English Course at Emerson College for 17 years and was co-editor of the ‘Golden Blade’ magazine. He has also taught at the Waldorf Teacher Training University in Stuttgart, at various schools in Japan and Italy, and is coordinator of the Humanities Section of the School of Spiritual Science in Great Britain.

REGISTER HERE for our Holy Nights Series