May -- Maia's month

DATE	HOLIDAY	DESCRIPTION
May 1	Beltane	Wicca celebration of the conjoining of the goddess with the energy of the god in the sacred marriage which is the basis of all creation. "The Fires of Bel." This celebration marks the beginning of the warm half of the year, and the time to plant crops and send sheep and cattle to the pastures. To celebrate they would dance around a tree while weaving ribbons around it. This is still the best known ceremony of May Day. fire and fertility ceremony begins the "light half" of cult year from Celtic religion) Coven initiations
May 1	Walpurgis Day	February 25 and May 1. Daughter of St Richard, a Saxon Prince in Wessex. She died in the year 776 as Abbess of Heidenheim. Protectress against magic arts. See also Walpurgis Night. fire and fertility ceremony begins the "light half" of cult year from Celtic religion) Coven initiations
May 2	Mawlid el-Nabi Islam Ridvan ends	Islamic commemoration of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam, in about 570 c.e. Not universally observed. The prophet's teachings are read and religious meetings are held. Baha'i commemoration of the twelve day period in 1863 when Baha'u'llah declared that he was God's messenger for this age. Work is to be suspended on days 1, 9, and 12 of the festival
May 3	Feast of the Finding of the Holy Cross	Helena traveled to Palestine in search of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. Three potential crosses were found, so each were put to the test by being touched to a sick woman. She was reportedly healed by one true cross on this day in 326. Same as Mexico's Holy Cross Day.
May	Vesak Visakha Puja	Buddhist marking of the birth, enlightenment and death (attainment of Nirvana) of Lord Buddha.
May 5	Cinco de Mayo	Name is Spanish for "fifth of May". Celebrates the Battle of Puebla in 1867 when the French were defeated. The Mexican-American War of 1846-48, and Mexico's Civil War had left Mexico devastated and bankrupt. On July 17, 1861, President Juarez declared that all foreign debt payments would be suspended for two years, after which payments were promised to resume. In response, the English, Spanish and French invaded Mexico in order to collect. The Spanish and English eventually withdrew, but the French remained, possibly due to an ulterior motive to extend their empire. On the fifth of May, five thousand poorly equipped Mestizo and Zapotec Indians under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated the French in the Battle of Puebla. The Cinco de Mayo celebrations are even more popular with Mexican-Americans in the United States than in Mexico.
May 5	Battle of Puebla Day Old Beltane - May Day	(Mexico)
May 8	Feast of the Apparition of St Michael	Lucifer leaves heaven Christian celebration of angels as companions who help fight off the power of evil and who are present at the hour of death.
May 8	V-E Day	Commemorates Victory in Europe acheived when the Germans signed an unconditional surrender in 1945, thus ending World War II. In France, Armistice Day is observed on this day. (Armed Forces Day) (US)
May	Mother's Day	second Sunday in May (May 9, 2004). This is a day for honoring mothers. It was first suggested by Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia, and celebrated in the churches of that city on May 10, 1908. In 1914, the year following a resolution by Congress commending observance of Mother's Day, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation directing that the flag should be displayed on all public buildings on the second Sunday in May in observance of Mother's Day. Observance of Mother's Day has spred worldwide to England, Sweden, Denmark, India, China, Mexico, and other countries. The predecessor for Mother's Day was the old English custom of observing Mothering Sunday.
May	Lag ba'Omer	Jewish observation of the counting of the day - the link - between Pesach and Shavout. Also known as the Feast of Scholars.
May 9, 11, 13	Lumeria	(3 days Roman All Souls)
May 10	Confederate Memorial Day	(North and South Carolina)
May 14	Israel a nation, 1948	(United Nations) / British mandate ended; Israel declares its independence
May	Ascension Day Holy Thursday	Christian recognition of the departure of Jesus from earth after the resurrection. It is perhaps the earliest observed celebration in Christianity. It is observed with worship including prayers and music ten days before Pentecost (40 days after Easter Sunday) Christian
May 15	Feast of Saint Dympna	Patron saint of the insane. The story of her life may be a complete folktale that evolved when the bodies of an unidentified couple were found in Gheel next to an inscription of the name Dympna. Her legend is told in The Book of Saints: Dympna, the daughter of a Pagan Irish chieftain, but herself secretly a Christian, was forced to fly her country in order to escape the guilty love of her unnatural parent. She settled at Gheel [in Belgium], and devoted herself to works of charity. Her father pursued her and murdered both the Saint and the old priest who had advised and accompanied her. At her shrine lunatics and those possessed by devils were often miraculously cured; and in art she is frequently represented as dragging away a devil. As word of the miraculous cures spred, more and more of the mentally ill made pilgrimages to Gheel. When the sick-room next to the church became inadequate, the townsfolk opened their doors to the pilgrims. In 1850, this was formally organized into a system of outpatient care with medical supervision, and is now one of the most effective programs for the mentally ill. Quite an accomplishment by a saint who may never have existed.
May 23	Declaration of the Bab	Anniversary of the declaration Bab made in 1844. This was in the form of a letter to Baha'u'llah informing him of the new Revelation.
May	Armed Forces Day	third Saturday of May (May 15, 2004). Consolodates Army Day (April 6), Air Forces Day, and Navy
May 24	Victoria Day	(Canada)
May	Shavuot begins	The Jewish Feast of Weeks Celebrates Moses's reception of the Tablets Jewish African Freedom Day
May	Shavuot ends	Jewish
May 29	Ascension of Baha'u'llah	Baha'i recollection of the death of Mirza Husayn Ali. Observed by prayers and readings. Work is suspended.
May	Pentecost aka Whitsunday	Christian observation of the day when the God the Holy Spirit came to the disciples in the forms of tongues of fire and rushing wind. It is a traditional day for baptism and confirmation of new Christians. Alternate name for Pentecost, the Christian celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the community of the faithful. Also known as Whitsunday, meaning "white Sunday", probably due to the white baptismal robes worn on that day. The origins are linked to the ancient Roman festival of Floralia. (seventh Sunday after Easter Sunday)
May 30	Feast of Saint Joan of Arc	Patron saint of France. In her day, the English were allied with the Burgundians in a war against the rest of France. Joan was compelled by voices of her favorite saints to take up arms in defence of her country. Dressed in a suit of white armor, she led the French in battle against the English, who retreated, believing that she was in league with the devil. She continued to battle against the English, with dwindling support, until she was eventually captured and tried as a witch. She was found guilty and at the scaffold she pleaded guilty in exchange for a pardon from the Church. However, since the English had no intention of releasing her from prison, she quickly renounced her confession and resumed wearing men's clothing. For this they publicly burned her at the stake for witchcraft and heresy. The Church reversed its decision in 1455, and she was canonized in 1920.
May 30	Confederate Memorial Day	Virginia
May 30	Memoral Day / Decoration Day	(Northern States)
May 31	Memorial Day oberved	(US)

Holidays and Festivals - Encyclopedia of Days
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