The
month of May announces the onset of summer in the northern
hemisphere. Since it marks the beginning of the farming season in
this region it is celebrated with unparallel grandeur. May Day
celebration on 1st
May is an ancient spring time event observed to welcome spring time.
It is
a popular celebration in many cultures and normally a public holiday
in the countries where it is celebrated.
Origination
of the May Day Celebration
May
Day has its origin in the early Celtic festivals and the Germanic
festival of Walpurgis Night. It also has its roots attached to the
pagan and neopagan festivals of Europe like Samhain. In paganism it
is also celebrated as cross-quarter day as the day falls exactly half
a year from 1st
November.
Arrival
of May means the end of the harsh winter and beginning of the
welcoming summer. The ancient Romans used to celebrate the day with
the festival of Flora, who was the Roman Goddess of flower. In the
Pagan culture, February 1 was usually celebrated as the beginning of
spring and May was the beginning of summer and hence, was the time
for the traditional summer holiday. May Day was a time of festivity
and people used to celebrate by dancing and singing around the
maypole and crowing the Queen of the May.
When
Christianity became the primary religion of Europe many of these
pagan festivals were abandoned or were replaced by Christian holidays
like Christmas, Easter, All Saint’s Day, Lent, Ash Wednesday etc.
It wasn’t since twentieth century that many neopagan groups started
the movement to recreate and reconstruct their old traditions. They
took the initiatives to revive and popularize the May Day
celebration.
In the
Roman Catholic religion the month is dedicated to Mary and is
celebrated as Mary’s month. Often during this celebration the head
of the Blessed Virgin Mary is decorated with headgears made with
flowers called the May crown.
May
Day is a popular event in the countries like:
- England
- Ireland
- France
- Germany
- Finland
- Sweden
- USA
May
Day: International Workers' Day
In
many parts of the world 1st
May is celebrated as the International Workers' Day to recognize the
success of international labor movements and left-wing movements.
In the
history of trade union movements 1st
May holds great importance as it is on this day the eight hour
workday rights of the labors was established. As a result, it is
recognized worldwide as a day that freed the labor class from the
oppression of the privileged section of the society. May Day remains
a public holiday in more than eighty countries and workers and trade
unions celebrate the day demonstrating and organizing parades for
labor rights.
Send May Day Cards to your friends and relatives -
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