Halloween (Samhain) and Walpurgisnacht, the eve before Beltane, both have origins in pagan celebrations that mark the changing of the seasons....
Halloween (Samhain) and Walpurgisnacht, the eve before Beltane, both have origins in pagan celebrations that mark the changing of the seasons. These days are particularly important because they are when the veil between the spirit world and ours is at its thinnest.
“Walpurgis Night (Walpurgisnacht) was when, according to the belief of millions of people, the devil was abroad — when the graves were opened, and the dead came forth and walked. When all evil things of earth and air and water held revel.”
~ Bram Stoker, “Dracula’s Guest”
The festival is named for Walpurga, a Christian saint, who spent a number of years as a missionary in the Frankish empire. Locals would come together on April 30th to protect themselves from witches. To keep away “evil spirits”, they would make loud noises, light huge bonfires and burn straw men and old belongings for good luck. What had originally been a celebration of spring morphed into a desperate attempt to protect oneself from ‘evil’.
Some of these activities still continue today in modern-day celebrations of Walpurgisnacht in Germany by dressing up in costumes, hanging blessed sprigs of foliage from houses, and leaving offerings of Ankenschnitt (bread with butter and honey) for phantom hounds. (Ironically, the sprigs of foliage were originally hung by pagans as offerings to goddesses.)
Rather than something to be feared, Walpurgisnacht became a lighthearted celebration. The old custom of lighting fires to get rid of evil spirits has transformed into new customs such as the famous Tanz in den Mai (dance into May) — an enormous bonfire, occasionally containing a wooden “witch”, which is lit on April 30th.
When the flames have died down the corn jump takes place. This is where lovers jump over the fire together and the celebration continues with plenty of food and beer.
Be magickal, y’all!
