Today, the Japanese begin Golden Week. Four public holidays take place, April 29, the birth day of Emperor Shōwa; May 3 Constitution Commemoration Day; May 4 Nature Day; May 5 children's day. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #April 29 #GoldenWeek #Japan
30April 30, 2024●(1 event)
Walpurgisnacht
April 30, 2024
Today, Germanic and Saxon peoples celebrate Walpurgis Night. Saint Walpurga is said to have protected the German peoples from the plague, rabies, whooping cough and witches. This festival dates back to pre-Christian times and is said to be close to the Celtic festival Beltaine. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #April 30 #walpurgis
Today, the Bretons are laying the Barrin ar mae (May branch). If today the May branch is considered more of a good luck charm, it was once hung in strategic places on the farm, such as the henhouse, the oven, the stable, in order to ward off bad luck. The entrances to the fields also had their may, in order to ensure a good harvest and to repel crop disease. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #May 1 #BarrinArMae #Brittany
Beltaine
May 1, 2024
On this day, the Celts celebrated Beltaine. It marks the return of the clear season or luminous season. The main ritual of Beltaine consists of fires lit by druids where livestock passed so that they would be protected from epidemics for the coming year. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #1May #beltaine
Bona Dea
May 1, 2024
On this day, the Romans celebrated Bona Dea. She was a goddess in ancient Roman religion. She was associated with the chastity and fertility of Roman women, healing and protection of the state and people of Rome. Its rites allowed women to use strong wine and blood sacrifice, things otherwise forbidden to them by Roman tradition. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #romeantique #rome #bonadea #1May #3December
Today, the Welsh celebrate Calan Mai, Calan Haf or Cyntefin. It marks the start of summer, the inhabitants celebrate around bonfires, maypoles and songs. Some of its traditions parallel the Gaelic May Day festival Beltaine and other May Day traditions in Europe. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #1May #CalanMay #Cynteend #Wales
Dziady
May 1, 2024
Today, the North Slavic peoples celebrate Dziady. This communion of the living with the dead takes place twice a year. The rituals have been Christianized to become All Saints Day. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #1st May #31October #dziady
Today, the Japanese of Nanto celebrate Fukuno Yotaka. This more than 350-year-old festival is known for its paper lamp works lit in the evening. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #1May #FukunoYotaka #japan
Lei Day
May 1, 2024
Today, Hawaiians celebrate Lei Day. Much more than May Day, this day is an opportunity to honor the culture of the island's natives since 1927. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #May 1st #LeiDay #Hawai
Mayades
May 1, 2024
Today, Mayades take place in the Landes de Gascognes. A may (pine pole which is flowered/decorated, probably from the Beltane Celtic tradition) is planted on the night of April 30. On May Day, all kinds of celebrations take place, the traditions of which vary from one city to another. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #1May #Gascognes #Mayade #France
May lily of the valley
May 1, 2024
Today, the French treat themselves to May lily of the valley. The symbolism of the return of spring linked to this flower has its roots in Celtic traditions as well as Roman ceremonies performed in honor of Flora, goddess of flowers. The tradition of lily of the valley in May was formalized in 1561 by Charles IX who requested that the ladies of the court receive a lucky sprig every May 1st. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #May 1 #Muguet #CharlesIX
2May 2, 2024●(1 event)
Dziady
May 2, 2024
Today, East Slavic peoples celebrate Dziady in honor of their ancestors. The essence of the rituals was the "communion of the living with the dead", namely the establishment of relationships with the souls of ancestors, periodically returning to their seats from the times of their life. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #2May #November 1 #Dziady
3May 3, 2024●(1 event)
Hakata Dontaku
May 3, 2024
Today, the Japanese begin the Hakata Dontaku festival in Fukuoka. This festival has two main parts which are the parade and the shows. Locals walk the streets in various costumes, and they play some instruments, and others clap with rice spoons. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #3May #Japan #hakatadontaku
4May 4, 2024
5May 5, 2024●(1 event)
Tango no Sekku
May 5, 2024
Today, the Japanese celebrate Tango no Sekku, one of the festivals traditionally held by the Gosekku imperial court. This feast fell on the fifth day of the fifth month, before being postponed on the Gregorian calendar. It marks the beginning of summer and the rainy season. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #5May #japan #tangonosekku
6May 6, 2024●●(2 events)
Đurđevdan
May 6, 2024
Today, the South Slavic peoples celebrate Đurđevdan, Saint George's Day in the Orthodox calendar. This festival replaces the pagan rituals of the return of Spring. These rituals mainly consisted of grazing of sheep, ritual slaughter of a lamb, preparation of various dishes, ritual bathing in the river or springs, lighting of bright fires, decoration of greenery and flowers and conducting love spells. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #6May #Durdevdan #Balkans
Day of the Gorans
May 6, 2024
Today, the Gorans people (in the Balkans) are in the spotlight. This is the opportunity for these people who became Sunnis under the Ottomans to show the world that they deserve their reputation as the best pastry chefs and bakers! #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #6May #Gorans #Gorani #Balkan
7May 7, 2024
8May 8, 2024●●(2 events)
Johannine festivals of Orléans
May 8, 2024
Today, in Orléans (France), the Johannine Festivals take place in honor of the deliverance, on May 8, 1429, by Joan of Arc of the city then besieged by the English. It is the occasion for a grand parade and a mass in the presence of high-ranking personalities. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #8May #JeanneDArc #Orléans
Day of the Irises
May 8, 2024
Today, the people of Benelux celebrate Iris Day. An emblematic flower of Dutch know-how, whether in floral manipulation, perfume and even in the arts as evidenced by the love of this flower by great masters like Vincent Van Gogh, this day is an opportunity to pay tribute to the emblematic flower of the wealth and power of the Orange Republic. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #8May #Netherlands #Belgium #Iris
9May 9, 2024●●(2 events)
Gudbrandsdal Gudrod
May 9, 2024
Today, the Asatrus commemorate Gudbrandsdal Gudrod, known as the martyr. He was one of the five Novegian kings who opposed the forced Christianization by Saint Olaf in 1018. Warned of their plan, he took them prisoner, Olaf took possession of their kingdoms and founded the Kingdom of Norway. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #9May #Norway #SaintOlaf #Gudrod
Lemuria
May 9, 2024
On this day, the Romans celebrated Lemuria. They paid homage to the dead and exorcised malevolent ghosts from their homes. The rites took place during the night, around midnight. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #May 9 #May 11 #May 13 #rome #lemuria
10May 10, 2024
11May 11, 2024●(1 event)
Ice Saints
May 11, 2024
Today and for 3 days, Europeans celebrate the Ice Saints. These saints were invoked by farmers and gardeners to anticipate the effect of a drop in temperature on crops, which could be observed during this period and which caused frost (phenomenon of the red moon). Once this period had passed, frost was no longer to be feared. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #May 11 #May 12 #May 13 #SaintMamer #SaintPancrace #SaintServais
12May 12, 2024
13May 13, 2024
14May 14, 2024●(1 event)
Reisai
May 14, 2024
Today, the Japanese of Izuma celebrate Reisai in one of the oldest Shinto temples in Japan, Izumo-taisha. It is dedicated to the god Ōkuninushi, famous as a Shinto divinity of marriage, and to Kotoamatsukami, distinguishing the celestial kami. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #May 14 #Japan #IzumoTaisha #Reisai
15May 15, 2024●●(3 events)
Aoi Matsuri
May 15, 2024
Today, the Japanese celebrate Aoi Matsuri in Kyoto. The origin of the festival dates back to the period of Emperor Kimmei (5th century CE). The harvests were not satisfactory, and this was experienced as a curse from the Kamo spirit. A horse was equipped to run with bells and the harvests were plentiful. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #May 15 #AoiMatsuri #kyoto
Kanda Matsuri
May 15, 2024
The weekend closest to May 15 takes place Kanda Matsuri in Japan, in Tokyo. The festival began in the early 17th century to celebrate Tokugawa Ieyasu's decisive victory at the Battle of Sekigahara and continued as a demonstration of the prosperity of the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period. Additionally, the current form of the festival is also held in honor of Kanda Myōjin's kami. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #May 15 #KandaMatsuri #Japan #Tokyo
Mercuralia
May 15, 2024
On this day, the Romans celebrated the Mercuralia. Mercury is the god of merchants and commerce. Merchants sprinkled their heads, their ships, their goods and their businesses with water taken from the well of Porta Capena. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #rome #May 15 #mercuralia
16May 16, 2024
17May 17, 2024●(1 event)
sanjamatsuri
May 17, 2024
Today, the Japanese celebrate Sanja matsuri, one of Tokyo's three major festivals. The festival is held in honor of Hinokuma Hamanari, Hinokuma Takenari and Hajino Nakatomo, the three men who founded Sensō-ji. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #tokyo #japan
18May 18, 2024●(1 event)
Green Week
May 18, 2024
Today, Slavic peoples celebrate Green Week. It is closely linked to the cult of the dead and spring agricultural rites. Some of the Green Week rites, such as making offerings of eggs and garlands, were believed to appease the rusalki (nature spirits) so that they would stay away from the village's agricultural fields during the season and not do no harm. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #GreenWeek #Semik #rusalki
19May 19, 2024
20May 20, 2024
21May 21, 2024●●(2 events)
Agonalia
May 21, 2024
On this day, the Romans celebrate an Agonium. Rites of early Rome, there are few sources describing the customs. Four Agonalia take place during a year. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #9January #21May #17March #11December #agonalia #rome
On this day, the Romans celebrated Vejovis, a god of Etruscan origin. A goat was sacrificed in his Capitol temple to prevent epidemics. There are few sources of early Roman ritual. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #May 21 #Rome #Vejovis #Capitole
22May 22, 2024
23May 23, 2024●●(2 events)
Wallachian Day
May 23, 2024
Today, Vlach Day takes place in Romania. This people, probably of Thracian or Illyrian origin, has been Romanized. This is why they speak a Romance language unlike all neighboring peoples. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #May 23 1TP5Vlach #romania
Tubilustium
May 23, 2024
On this day, the Romans celebrate the Tubilustium. The month of March marked the beginning of the war season. The lustration ceremony accompanied by the sacred trumpets and the Saliens prepared the men and the city for future military campaigns. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #March 23 #May 23 #rome #tubilustrium
Today Latvians celebrate Urbanas Diena. The date was considered the most blessed day for planting oats, barley, flax and cucumbers. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #May 26 #Latvia #UrbanasDiena
27May 27, 2024
28May 28, 2024
29May 29, 2024
30May 30, 2024●(1 event)
Kaamatan
May 30, 2024
Today the Kadazan-Dusuns of Malaysia celebrate Kaamatan. The Harvest Festival falls under what is known as Momolianism. There is a dance show called Sumazau, a singing contest called Sugandoi, a bodybuilding contest, and other arts and crafts shows. #mythology #myth #legend #calendar #May 30 #Kaamatan #Maya
31May 31, 2024
1June 1, 2024●(1 event)
Gawai Dayak
June 1, 2024
Today, the Dayak people of Malaysia and Indonesia celebrate Gawai Dayak. Many religious, family and community rites take place over two days. #mythology #myth #legend #June 1 #dayak