May
Named after Goddess Maia Majestas (Irish Queen Medb, Celtic
Maeve)
Other deities. Artemis, Diana, Faunus, Flora, Bel and Pan
Other Names: Thrimilcmonath (Anglo-Saxon), "thrice-milk
month." Sproutkale. Winnemanoth, "joy month," (Frankish), Merrymoon
(asatru). Bealtaine or an Ceitean, the first weather of summer (Irish).
The two weeks before Bealtaine is ceitean earrach, spring May-time, and the
two weeks after Bealtaine is ceitean samhradh, summer May-time.
The first Full Moon of May is called the Flower Moon. Celebrated
as an enlightened Buddha
It shares the names Planting Moon, Hare Moon, Pink Moon, and
Green Grass Moon with April.
The May moon is also the Bright Moon, Dryad Moon, the Moon When
the Pony Sheds, the Frogs Return Moon, and Sproutkale.
Thursday before new moon – Mjollnir festival
Monday/Tuesday after Easter – Hocktide festival (England)
7th Thursday after Easter – Semik festival (Russia)
Litha begins at Beltane ends at Lammas
Britain –Tadpoles can be seen
Damselflies and the broad bodied chaser are now on the wing
Hedgehogs are courting
In the south migrant butterflies appear such as red admirals
and painted ladies
Bluebells will be plentiful
Also hawthorn will be in flower
Birthstone: Emerald
May 1
May day
Floralia Roman Goddess Flora
Bona Dea (Italian Goddess), Tanit (Phoenician
Moon Goddess), Braggi, Iduna, Princess Ysahodhara (Buddha’s wife)
Padstow Obby Oss
Elena/Helen (British Goddess of the Holy Road)
Bona Dea Eve the Roman Good Goddess
Veneration of the Thorn (especially thorns
hanging over holy wells)
Bona Dea
Eyvind kelve –martyr murdered on the orders of Christian king of Noway Olaf Trygvason because he refused to give up his belief in the gods
May 7
Thargelia – Greek and Ionians festival in honour of Apollo on isle of Delos
May 8
Furry Dance – Helston, Cornwall, UK – St Michael and Flora
Lemuria -Roman
St Mamertius
Old May Day
St Pancras (Christian) his name means “all
powerful” probably related to Pankration (Greek martial arts practitioner)
St Servatius
St Bonifatius
Festival of the midnight sun (Norway)
St Cold Sophie
Mercury and Maia
Blackthorn trees are honoured
Dea Dia honoured
Festival of Pan (Greek)
Apollo
May 20
Plynteria Festival in honour of Athena (Greek)
Hammer of Thor (Northern Tradition)
Tefnut (Egyptian)
Plato’s birthday 429BCE
Agonia festival (Etruscan)
Ragnor Lothbrok (Norse warrior)
Rosalia Festival (Roman) in honour of Flora
and Venus
Tubilustrium (Roman)
Summer Finding (Norse)
Artemis (Greek moon goddess), Hermes Trismegistus
Bonn Chroat Preah Nongkoal, or Sacred Furrow Day (Cambodia)
Saint Sarah of the Gypsies (France) , Apollo (Greek)
Fontinalia Festival (Roman) celebrated in Britain. Flowers thrown into wells. Springs
Oak apple day –England remembers the time
when the future King Charles II escaped his roundhead pursuers by hiding in
an oak tree. Sprigs of oak leaves are traditionally worn in memory of the king's
lucky escape
Ambarvalia festival (Roman) purification in
honour of Dea Dia & Ceres
May 30
Frigg (Norse)