Wednesday is the first of May, or May Day and to many across the world this
means all night celebrations and following ancient customs, for May Day
marks the festival of Beltane. Beltane is one of the four major pagan
festivals of the year, marking the approach of summer and the flowering of
life. A celebration of fertility and new life Beltane is an extremely
joyous occasion and is often marked by all night rituals of feasting and
fun.
Beltane is an old festival and greatly predates Christianity. The Romans had a feast of flowers, Floriala; three days of unrestrained sexuality which began at sundown on April 28th and reached a crescendo on May 1st. This feast has much in common with the earlier, Celtic celebrations from which Beltane originated. In these the Druids would light fires on the top of beacon hills and whole communities would come together around these fires to honour the Gods and Goddesses. It was usual for the villagers to jump over or through the fires and to lead their livestock between two fires to ensure fertility, prosperity and protection in the coming year. Each family would then carry home some embers from these fires to start the next dayıs fire in their own hearth, that good things might come to them.
Feasting and drinking would continue throughout the night and rituals of fertility were carried out. Young girls or couples would dance about a phallic maypole entwining it with ribbons or garlands of flowers and men would perform sword dancing or morris dancing. A Queen of May would be elected and would ride sky cladı through the village on a white horse, it is thought that the legend of Coventryıs own Lady Godiva arose from a May Queen making this annual procession through the town. As part of these fertility rites greenwood marriages would take place, with young people making love indiscriminately in the woods and fields. They would most likely take more than one partner throughout the night and in the mornings all those who had take part would carry home boughs of hawthorn with which to decorate their homes and the village.
During the seventeenth century the Christians became shocked at such antics and tried to suppress the May rites, even making the maypole illegal in 1644. Despite this, the Christian rules of strict fidelity were usually relaxed for the May Eve rites long after Christianity had become the prevalent religion of England and Europe.
Pagans today try to follow some of the old customs of Beltane in order that they might experience peace, health and prosperity in the coming year. Why not hold a celebration of your own next may day? Click on the link to view a list of steps to follow to bring you a good year and a good night. Blessed Be and Happy Beltane