In the beginning of May took place the Celtic festival of Beltane ! Yeah ok, I already hear you asking in chorus way : "Iasfy, what is Beltaine ? Fortunately for you I can try to answer of your question since I'm an Occult Sciences Student and since I participate at the excellent and sooooo interesting class taught by Tamlord, our Professor (a talented and so cute Professor) and because Wikipedia helped me too !
So, .Beltane (Bealtaine, Beltane or Beilteine, Beltan in Breton, Cornish and Welsh) is the third of the four major religious festivals of the Celtic year proto, celebrated on May 1st. It comes after Samhain and Imbolc and marks the end of the dark season and the start of the season clear. It is related Belenos, Lug and Belisama. The main ritual consists of Beltaine fires lit by the druids where cattle going deserves protection epidemics in the coming year.
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| Tamlord, Priest of Beltane ceremony and also our class Professor |
It marks the beginning of the summer season and takes place on the full moon of May. Unlike Samhain, Beltane is not a party of the three functions of Celtic society. It is a priestly party, Gaul is related Belenos (avatar of the god Lug primordial form of light) and Belisama (the "Very Bright" consort of the former) and whose meaning is "fire of Bel" . In Ireland, this is the date that arrived the various occupants of the island, if one refers to the Lebor Gabála Érenn (the Books of the conquests of Ireland). It is a renewal of party.
Beltane marks a break in the year, going from the dark season to season clear, bright, but also a change of life because it is the opening of daytime activities: resumption of whaling, war, raids, conquests for warriors, early agrarian and field work for farmers and ranchers. In this sense, it is the complete antithesis of the feast of Samhain. Beltaine is the preferred time for rites of passage between the cold and warm periods, between darkness and light, between symbolic psychic death and spiritual rebirth. Generally, Beltane is a celebration of change of lifestyle. Rhythm of winter, we go to summer pace. The holiday marks the passage physically and spiritually. The ancient rites of confinement in the dolmens of the rooms were going perhaps overnight Beltaine.
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| Me and Elror (my cute and beloved Elf !) during the Beltane ceremony |
The stories emphasize the fires lit by the druids, uttering magical incantations while passing the cattle between the fires to protect the epidemics throughout the year. The "fire of Bel" (Belemos) is a fiery purification beneficial that the Druids were supposed to create their magic and incantations. The Beltane Fire is powerful, holy and strong, he who lights must be a person of authority. Beltaine is the exaltation of the fire, druidic element par excellence. Assume that the Druids' meeting in the forest of Carnutes, attested by Caesar in the Gallic war, stood at the time of Beltane. Animal sacrifices took place at the time of Beltane to Samhain as they were offered as an offering to the gods.
