Beltaine.. Valborg .... Valpurgis .. Full Moon ... Wesak .....May Day ... Rites of Spring .. blessed be.

See you later
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Today is , sort of , an unofficial holiday here in Sweden. Many take the day off as 1st of May is a public holiday. Valborg , ( Walpurgis night ) like Halloween, has its roots in ancient pagan customs and superstitions.

At this time of year, the Vikings participated in a ritual that they hoped would hasten the arrival of Spring weather and ensure fertility for their crops and livestock. They would light huge bonfires in hopes of scaring away evil spirits.

Bonfires are still lit here and there's quite a bit of eating drinking and making merry that goes along with all that. It's also a good opportunity to get rid of rubbish that has acculmilated over the winte.

Some of the celebrating unfortunately gets out of hand , there are fights and brawls and hospitals have a hard time coping.

As with most other pagan festival's the Christian version is to celebrate

" Saint Walpurga (variants include Walpurgis, Valborg, Walburge, Wealdburg, Valderburger, Vappu), born in Wessex, ca. 710, died at Heidenheim, 25 February 779 was an English missionary in Germany. She was canonized on 1 May of ca. 870 by Pope Adrian II.

Together with her brothers, Saint Willibald and Saint Winibald, she travelled to Württemberg to assist Saint Boniface. She became a nun and lived in the convent of Heidenheim near Eichstätt, which was founded by Winibald. Walpurga died on 25 February 779 and that day still carries her name in the Catholic calendar, but for example in the Finnish, German and Swedish calendar, her feast day is 1 May, the date of Walpurgis Night. "

Apperently , Walpurga is the patroness of Eichstätt, Antwerp and other towns. I was in Antwerp only a couple of months ago and remember feeling power spots everywhere. I often wonder if the reason for us visiting certain towns and places in this life time is somehow linked to past lives.

In university towns like Uppsala and Lund, the traditions surrounding Walpurgis Night are strong and include choral singing, speeches and wearing white-topped graduation caps.