EmbRACE Update - Worldwide Festivals 🌍

Each month of the year, we share information on the many celebrated Worldwide Festivals. Developed by our very own EmbRACE Working Group team, have a read of May's update.

 

May 1^st – May Day 2023 – British May Day / Bank holiday – British Tradition

 

May Day, or the first Monday in May, only became a bank holiday in 1978 but its origins as a day of celebration go back over two thousand years! It falls roughly between the Spring equinox and the Summer solstice and Celts celebrated it as the first day of Summer, calling it Beltane.

The Beltane fire festival begins at the moonrise on May Eve (30th April) with bonfires, maypoles, dancing, and lots of good old-fashioned energy. The Byronic and Gaelic Celts  - Welsh, Cornish, Scottish and Irish; honoured the fertility of the gods with gifts and offerings, sometimes including animal or human sacrifice – according to the Romans!

Modern Beltane festivals revive what the Romans and Monks such as Bede described as local traditions of the time, it marks the beginning of summer and cattle are taken out to the summer pastures. Special bonfires are kindled. Their flames, smoke and ashes have protective powers. The cattle are driven through the smoke of the balefires and blessed with health and fertility for the coming year. It’s also beneficial health-wise, as the smoke will have helped to remove any lice or ticks that the cattle may be carrying.

 

May 5^th – Vesak Puja 2023 – Buddhist

 

Vesak Puja is a major Buddhist festival, commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. General Practices: Buddhists often decorate their homes and visit their local temples. Observers are encouraged to refrain from slaughtering and to avoid eating meat on this date. 

 

May 5^th – Guru Amar Das’ Birthday – Sikhism

 

Guru Amar Das Sahib contributed a total of 907 revelatory hymns, that are incorporated in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Gift of the prayer Anand Sahib, which is one of the Five Banis recited daily by devout Sikhs.

 

May 8^th – King's Coronation – British Tradition

 

The Coronation is a solemn religious service, as well as an occasion for celebration and pageantry. Their Majesties, The King and The Queen Consort will arrive at Westminster Abbey in procession from Buckingham Palace, known as 'The King's Procession'. Their Majesties will then be crowned in the Abbey in London in a service that will be conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

 

May 9th – Lag Baomer – Judaism

 

Lag Baomer is a Jewish celebration, celebrated on the 33rd day of the coming of Omer. It is traditional to light bonfires on Lag BaOmer eve. These commemorate the immense light that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai introduced into the world via his teachings.

 

May 18th – Ascension Day – Christianity

 

For 40 days after his resurrection on Easter Sunday, the Bible says that Jesus travelled and preached with his apostles, preparing them for his departure from Earth. Ascension Day marks the moment Jesus literally ascended into heaven before his disciples, in the village of Bethany, near Jerusalem.

 

May 25^th to May 27^th – Shavuot – Judaism

 

The holiday celebrates the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai as well as the grain harvest for the summer. In biblical times, Shavuot was one of three pilgrimage festivals in which all the Jewish men would go to Jerusalem and bring their first fruits as offerings to God.

 

Thank you for reading, we hope you enjoyed this article!

If you have any questions, or additions or would like to know more and become part of the Co-op EmbRACE working group, feel free to email DiversityAndInclusion@Midcounties.coop