Origins of May Day
An international working class holiday, it originated in Pagan Europe where it was used to celebrate the first Spring planting. The ancient Celts and Saxons celebrated it as "Beltane" or the "Day of Fire" (Bel was the Celtic god of the sun).
The Saxons began their May Day celebrations on April 30 with an evening of games and feasting that marked the end of Winter and the return of the sun. Torch-bearing peasants would roll burning wooden wheels down into the fields.
These festivities were eventually outlawed by the Catholic church but were still held by peasants until the late 1700's. While many shied away from joining in the celebrations, those less afraid of papal authority would don animal masks and various costumes and continue in secret.
The Celtic tradition of May Day in Britain was celebrated throughout the Middle Ages but the rites were eventually absorbed by the church to win over converts from the Pagan religions. The church couldn't eliminate many of their traditional feast and holy days so they were transformed into Saint Days.
Nonetheless, the Pagan vitality survived and May Day continued remained an irreverent, often raucous occasion. Many communities would elect a "Queen of the May" from their eligible young women to rule the crops until Harvest. They would also raise a "May Pole", a phallic symbol around which young single men and women would dance, holding on to the ribbons until they became entwined.
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