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To Beltaine or not to Beltaine.....
May. 1st, 2003 07:45 amWelcome to Beltaine (bel tan (y)uh, or anglicized as bel tayn), as celebrated by those that are dedicated to the Gregorian Calendar. The Christian Church, in taking over holidays and moving the calendar around from time to time, has adopted much of what is this holiday's good points, with the exception of the planting rituals associated with people... *grin* They also moved the day from when it originally was, because Mother Church based her calendar on the Julian, or Roman one, which has fixed months that don't quite match the universe. Hm...I think I should explain that.
In Celtic tradition, all months were Lunar. This follows the same way as many other cultures, including Hebrew! Each month starts at the Full Moon, and each is a small holiday. Beltaine is a full-moon holiday, so, it is easy to figure out if this is the "RIGHT" day for the great celebrations and dancing. I have looked to the skies, and Google (*HAR*). The answer?
Not yet -- The sun and moon align in particular ways, and Beltaine is a lunar holiday on a solar calendar. 365.24 is not an exact multiple of 29.53 (and, in fact, it's not even CLOSE to being exact), and thus things wander around a bit. This is why Easter is never in the same place two years in a row, for those that are following along in their prayer books.
We take the transition to spring, known as the Vernal Equinox, go past that month (which is its own holiday!) and go to the next. That sets us up for the Time of 20/21/22 April to 19/20/21 May to look for our full moon. This year we'll find it on 16 May at 03:35 (too early). So, by the calendar, you've still got 15 days before things actually kick off.
Not that anyone's gonna wait, mind you. Pope Gregory has so fouled things up that people don't care anymore where the moon is. And, that's kinda sad, really, because part of the mystical nature of holidays like this is the connection of the celestial to the physical world around us, and what those connections mean.
So, I propose that Beltaine this year be from 30April to the afternoon of 16May, and let's just have a longer celebration! And, don't worry about Easter and Beltaine falling on the same day -- the rules for Easter state that it CAN'T be on a Full Moon, so we get double holidays! It's fun to play in both systems, I think.
I wish you all the best on this festival season, and I hope you go enjoy the rituals of the day (go light a fire of SOME kind, with someone you love).
In Celtic tradition, all months were Lunar. This follows the same way as many other cultures, including Hebrew! Each month starts at the Full Moon, and each is a small holiday. Beltaine is a full-moon holiday, so, it is easy to figure out if this is the "RIGHT" day for the great celebrations and dancing. I have looked to the skies, and Google (*HAR*). The answer?
Not yet -- The sun and moon align in particular ways, and Beltaine is a lunar holiday on a solar calendar. 365.24 is not an exact multiple of 29.53 (and, in fact, it's not even CLOSE to being exact), and thus things wander around a bit. This is why Easter is never in the same place two years in a row, for those that are following along in their prayer books.
We take the transition to spring, known as the Vernal Equinox, go past that month (which is its own holiday!) and go to the next. That sets us up for the Time of 20/21/22 April to 19/20/21 May to look for our full moon. This year we'll find it on 16 May at 03:35 (too early). So, by the calendar, you've still got 15 days before things actually kick off.
Not that anyone's gonna wait, mind you. Pope Gregory has so fouled things up that people don't care anymore where the moon is. And, that's kinda sad, really, because part of the mystical nature of holidays like this is the connection of the celestial to the physical world around us, and what those connections mean.
So, I propose that Beltaine this year be from 30April to the afternoon of 16May, and let's just have a longer celebration! And, don't worry about Easter and Beltaine falling on the same day -- the rules for Easter state that it CAN'T be on a Full Moon, so we get double holidays! It's fun to play in both systems, I think.
I wish you all the best on this festival season, and I hope you go enjoy the rituals of the day (go light a fire of SOME kind, with someone you love).
