Which orixá is July the month of? The most common answer is Nanã, the most ancient Orixá, celebrated on July 26. But this is just one piece of a larger calendar. The month of each orixá is a third layer of sacred time, alongside the day of the week and the annual date of the festival. Each month of the year is "dyed" by the energy of an Orixá, almost always because of the festival that falls within it.
This guide maps this monthly layer, month by month, with honesty about where it is strong and where it is loose.
Monthly calendar of the orixás
The table brings together the Orixá most associated with each month and the festival that anchors that connection. Right after, each month gets its explanation.
| Month | Most associated orixá | Festival that anchors |
|---|---|---|
| January | Oxalá and Oxóssi | Lavagem do Bonfim (movable date), Oxóssi (January 20) |
| February | Iemanjá | February 2 |
| March | weak association | no consolidated festival; connection with Oxalá is a household custom |
| April | Ogum | April 23 (Saint George) |
| May | Obá (Oba) and Pretos-Velhos | Obá (05/30), Pretos-Velhos (05/13) |
| June | Xangô and Exu | Junino Saints, Exu (06/13) |
| July | Nanã (and Oxum) | Nanã (07/26), Oxum (07/16) |
| August | Obaluaê / Omulu | August 16 (Saint Roch) |
| September | Ibeji (Cosme and Damião) | September 27 |
| October | Oxum | October 12 (Aparecida) |
| November | month of Umbanda | Umbanda Day (11/15) |
| December | Iansã and Oxum | Iansã (12/04), Oxum (12/08) |
The monthly regency arises from the festival of the syncretized saint that falls in the month, not from a closed Yoruba table. Therefore, it varies from house to house, and some months have a strong connection while others have almost none.
First semester: from January to June
January: Oxalá and Oxóssi
The year opens with Oxalá, the father of all Orixás, at the Lavagem do Bonfim, which falls on the Thursday before the Bonfim Sunday (in 2027, by the rule, 1/14). The Waters of Oxalá have their own date in each house, and January 15 has no source, as shown by Oxalá day. Meanwhile, January 20 marks Oxóssi, the hunter of the woods, syncretized with Saint Sebastian. January therefore has two legitimate regencies. Learn who is Oxalá, the lord of peace.
February: Iemanjá
February is the month of Iemanjá par excellence. On the 2nd, crowds take white flowers and gifts to the sea in tribute to the queen of the salt waters, syncretized with Our Lady of the Navigators. It is the largest Iemanjá festival on the calendar. Learn more about who is Iemanjá, the mother of almost all Orixás.
March: a month without a strong regency
Here honesty is required: March does not have a consolidated ruling Orixá. There are those who link it to Oxalá because of Saint Joseph (March 19), but none of the sources consulted bring this association: it is a house custom, without consensus. If someone claims with certainty that March belongs to such an Orixá, know that it is a house tradition, not a general rule.
April: Ogum
April is clearly the month of Ogum, the warrior orixá, lord of iron and the roads. His day, April 23, coincides with Saint George. The holiday is only in Rio de Janeiro, and it is Saint George Day (State Law 5.198, of 2008); in São Paulo, Law 14.905, of 2012, made the date the "Day of Ogum" in the official calendar, without a holiday. The laws and June 13 in Bahia are on Ogum day. It is the month to ask for strength, courage, and the opening of paths for life's battles.
May: Obá and the Pretos-Velhos
May has a divided and more symbolic regency. The orixá Obá, warrior of the waters, is celebrated on May 30. And May 13, the date of Abolition, is preto velho day, dedicated to the Pretos-Velhos, the wise ancestors of Umbanda. It is worth remembering that Pretos-Velhos are spirits, not orixás, but they mark the month with strength.
June: Xangô and Exu
June is the month of the June saints, and many houses call it the "month of Xangô", linked to Saint John and Saint Peter. It is also when Exu is honored on June 13, the orixá of paths and communication, who has nothing to do with the devil of Christian prejudice. Understand better in the syncretism of the June saints and on Exu day, June 13.
Second semester: from July to December
July: Nanã, and also Oxum
July is dominated by Nanã, the most ancient orixá of the pantheon, lady of mud and still waters, celebrated on July 26 along with Saint Anne. But there is real variation: some houses dedicate July to Oxum, because of the 16th (Our Lady of Mount Carmel), and houses of hunting tradition honor Odé and Otim. Know Nanã day, July 26 and Oxum day, July 16.
August: Obaluaê and Omulu
August is the month of Obaluaê, also called Omulu, the Orixá of healing and diseases, the doctor of the poor, syncretized with Saint Roch on August 16. It is a month of caring for the health of the body and the spirit. Oxumarê, the Orixá of the rainbow, also appears on August 24. See who is Obaluaê (Omulu).
September: Ibeji, the month of the children
September is the month of the Ibeji, the twin Orixás of childhood, syncretized with Cosme and Damião on September 27. It is one of the most beloved festivals of the people of santo, with caruru and sweets distributed to the children. At the end of the month, September 30, Xangô reappears in some houses, with Saint Jerome.
October: Oxum
October is the month of Oxum, the Orixá of fresh waters, love, and abundance, associated with Our Lady Aparecida, celebrated on October 12. As Aparecida is the patron saint of Brazil, this regency is strong and very beloved. In baiano Candomblé, however, the great date of Oxum is December 8. Learn more about who is Oxum.
November: the month of Umbanda itself
November does not have a classic ruling Orixá. It is the month of Umbanda, celebrated on November 15, and of Black Awareness, on November 20, a date that also appears in the proposal to change the day of preto velho. A month to celebrate the religion as a whole and the black ancestry that sustains it, more than a single deity.
December: Iansã and Oxum
December is a full month. It opens with Iansã (or Oyá), lady of the winds and lightning, on December 4, together with Saint Barbara. It continues with Oxum on December 8, and some umbanda houses give December 25 as the date of worship for Oxalá, while others do not celebrate Christmas, as shown in day of Oxalá. Iemanjá closes the year on the turn of December 31, when the sea receives the New Year offerings.
Not every month has a ruling orixá
This is the part that many sites hide. Monthly regency is not a closed law, and three months show this clearly:
- March: without strong regency; the connection with Oxalá is a house custom, without a consulted source.
- May: divided between Obá and the pretos-velhos, in a more symbolic way.
- November: month of Umbanda and Black Awareness, not of an Orixá.
The reason is simple. The "month of the orixá" derives from the syncretized Catholic festival that falls in that month. Where there is a large festival, the regency is strong. Where there is not, the association becomes loose. Forcing an Orixá for each month would be inventing tradition, and this guide does not do that.
The three layers of sacred time
The people of santo organize time into three different layers, and confusing them generates much doubt:
- The month of the orixá: the entire month that the divinity's festival colors, the theme of this guide.
- The ruling day of the week: the day that repeats every week, such as Exu on Monday and Ogum on Tuesday. See the guide of the days of the week of the orixás.
- The annual date of the festival: the exact day of the celebration in the year, such as Ogum on April 23 and Oxum on December 8.
- The ruling orixá of the year: the orixá that each house discovers in the New Year's divination. See ruling orixá of 2027.
If you want the exact date of each Orixá's festival, see the complete calendar of the orixás. Here the focus is on the regency of the month. This set of dates stems from syncretism, which was a historical strategy of resistance, not equivalence, and today Candomblé terreiros are among the heritage sites listed by IPHAN, as shown in the text about terreiros listed by IPHAN. If you are starting out, begin with the guide on what the Orixás are.
Frequently asked questions
Which orixá is July's month?
July is predominantly the month of Nanã, the most ancient Orixá, celebrated on July 26 with Sant’Ana. Some houses, however, dedicate July to Oxum, because of the 16th (Our Lady of Mount Carmel), and houses of the hunting tradition honor Odé and Otim. All three readings are valid.
What is the orixá of each month of the year?
In summary: January is Oxalá and Oxóssi; February is Iemanjá; April is Ogum; June is Xangô and Exu; July is Nanã; August is Obaluaê; September is Ibeji; October is Oxum; and December is Iansã and Oxum. March, May, and November have weak or symbolic regency.
Is the month of each orixá the same in Umbanda and Candomblé?
Not always. The base is the same, but there are divergences. The biggest is Oxum: Umbanda celebrates her greatly in October (Aparecida), while Bahian Candomblé gives her great date on December 8. The Águas de Oxalá also carry more weight in Candomblé, and the date changes from house to house.
How to know which orixá my month belongs to?
Simply locate the month in the table above. But pay attention: the "month of your birthday" does not define your head orixá. The Orixá that rules your life is revealed in the cowrie-shell divination by a Pai or Mãe de santo, not by the date of birth.
What is the difference between the month of the orixá and the day of the orixá?
The month of the orixá is the regency of the entire month, linked to the festival that falls within it. The day of the orixá can be the governing day of the week, which repeats every week, or the exact annual date of the festival. They are distinct layers of the same sacred calendar.
Where to honor the orixá of your month
At Joia Mística Laroyê, you find everything to celebrate the Orixá of each month with respect and tradition:
- Ritual candles by Orixá color: white for Oxalá, gold for Oxum, red for Iansã, purple for Nanã
- Herbs and baths: fresh or dry, for baths and fumigations of each Orixá
- Statues of Orixás: for your altar or congá
- Bead necklaces and offering elements: honey, beads, and ritual items
- Incense burners: to prepare the environment during the month's festivals
Visit our shop in Extrema, Minas Gerais or receive it at home with delivery to all of Brazil. To know how to honor the Orixá of your month, talk to us via WhatsApp.
References
- Decree-Law 25/1937, Presidency of the Republic: heritage listing
- Legislative Assembly of São Paulo: Law 14.905 of 2012, Day of Ogum
- Supreme Federal Court: Informativo 1105, ADI 4.092, holiday of the Day of Saint George
