Wiccan Covens
Initiatory Wicca is organised into covens of initiated
priests and priestesses. Covens are autonomous, and are
generally headed by a High Priest and a High Priestess
working in partnership, being a couple who have each been
through their first, second and third degrees of
initiation. Occasionally the leaders of a coven are only
second-degree initiates, in which case they come under the
rule of the parent coven. Initiation and training of new
priesthood is most often performed within in a coven
environment, but this is not a necessity, and a few
initiated Wiccans are unaffiliated with any coven.
In contrast, "eclectic" Wiccans are more often than not
solitary practitioners. Some of these "solitaries" do,
however, attend gatherings and other community events, but
reserve their spiritual practices (Sabbats, Esbats,
spell-casting, worship, magical work, etc.) for when they
are alone.
A commonly quoted Wiccan tradition holds that the ideal
number of members for a coven is thirteen, though this is
not held as a hard-and-fast rule. Indeed, many U.S. covens
are far smaller, though the membership may be augmented by
unaffiliated Wiccans at "open" rituals.citation needed When
covens grow beyond their ideal number of members, they
often split (or "hive") into multiple covens, yet remain
connected as a group. A grouping of multiple covens is
known as a grove in many traditions.
Initiation into a coven is traditionally preceded by a
waiting period of at least a year and a day. A course of
study may be set during this period. In some covens a
"dedication" ceremony may be performed during this period,
some time before the initiation proper, allowing the person
to attend certain rituals on a probationary basis.
Some solitary Wiccans also choose to study for a year and a
day before their self-dedication to the religion.