The Celtic festivals: Beltaine
This post will continue the theme of Celtic festivals. And this time we’ll tell you about Beltaine.
Beltaine is the Celtic festival which takes place on the first day of May and celebrates the beginning of the summer.
Also ‘Beltaine’ is the Gaelic name for the month of May. This name is derived from Old Irish Beltene which means ‘bright fire’. Beltaine was dedicated to Belenos, the god of sun and fertility, whom druids made symbolical sacrifices to. They believed he could be seen in the world of human these days.
On this day people lighted bonfires on the tops of hills. The main Beltaine fire was held on the Uisneach hill which was in the centre of Irish lands. People passed between two fires or jumped over the fire to purify and protect themselves from the spirits of the Otherworld. Also they drove their cattle through the fires to purify them and gain good luck and protection from the winter diseases. The Celts erected May Bushes in the yards which consisted usually from branches of rowan and blooming whitethorns and were decorated with flowers, ribbons and colored egg shells. These rituals were connected with druids’ rituals and supposed to protect from evil spirits.
We’ll tell you more about Celtic festivals in our next posts, so don’t miss them! And till then enjoy the spirit of Celtic mood in our adventure hidden-object game.
5 July 2010
