Sunshine proves the old wisdom as we are gathering again at Csobánkapuszta to celebrate the ancient rite of Beltane, the Gaelic May Day feast. This date marks the beginning of Summer, the time when cattle are driven out to the summer pastures.

In old times different rituals were performed to protect the crops, the farmers, the nomad living shepherds, and to encourage growth in all means. Special bonfires were kindled, and their flames, smoke and ashes were deemed to have protective powers. The people would walk around the bonfire, or sometimes leap over flames or embers.

All household fires would be doused and then re-lit from the Beltane bonfire. Doors, windows, byres and the cattle themselves would be decorated with yellow May flowers, perhaps because they evoked fire. In some places people would make a thorn bush decorated with flowers, ribbons and bright shells.

Holy wells were also visited, while Beltane dew was thought to bring beauty and maintain youthfulness. Many of these customs were part of May Day or Midsummer festivals in parts of Great Britain and Europe. Rituals were held to protect from harm, both natural and supernatural, and this mainly involved the "symbolic use of fire".

The "spirits' or "fairies' were thought to be especially active at Beltane and the goal of many rituals was to appease them. Beltaine was a "spring time festival of optimism" during which "fertility ritual again was important, perhaps connecting with the waxing power of the Sun".

Bonfires continued to be a key part of the festival, and were generally lit on mountains and hills. On Beltane Eve, all hearth fires and candles would be doused and, at the end of the festival, they would be re-lit from the Beltane bonfire. The fire was seen as having protective powers.

According to one theory, these bonfires were meant to mimic the Sun and to "ensure a needful supply of sunshine for men, animals, and plants". According to another, they were meant to symbolically "burn up and destroy all harmful influences".

Yellow flowers such as primrose, rowan, hawthorn, gorse, hazel and marsh marigold were set at doorways and windows. It is likely that such flowers were used because they evoked fire.

The May Bush was also popular until the late 19th century. This was small tree, that would be decorated with bright flowers, ribbons, painted shells, and so forth. There were household May Bushes (which would be set outside each house) and communal May Bushes (which would be set in a public spot or paraded around the neighbourhood). In some places, it was customary to dance around the May Bush, and at the end of the festivities it was burnt in the bonfire.

Holy wells were often visited at Beltane too. The first water drawn from a well on Beltane was seen as being especially potent, as was Beltane morning dew. At dawn on Beltane, maidens would roll in the dew or wash their faces with it, and it would also be collected in a jar, left in the sunlight.

Beltane and Beltane-based festivals are held by Neopagans. Some Neopagans celebrate it at the astronomical midpoint between the spring equinox and summer solstice (or the full moon nearest this point). In the Northern Hemisphere, this midpoint is when the ecliptic longitude of the Sun reaches 45 degrees. In 2014, this is on 5 May.

Beltane is referred to as Céadamh(ain) which it explains is short for Céad-shamh(ain) meaning "first (of) summer".

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Beltane is also called:
Beltine; Beltaine, Beltain,
(Lá) Bealtaine (Irish)
(Là) Bealltainn (Scottish Gaelic)
(Laa) Boaltinn/Boaldyn (Manx)

Significance:
Beginning of Summer

Celebrations:
Lighting bonfires, decorating with May flowers, visiting holy wells, feasting

Date:
1 May

Related to:
May Day, Calan Mai, Walpurgis Night

Source:
Wikipedia