May begins with Beltane…..heralded by The May, the flower of the Hawthorn. https://druidry.org/druid-way/teaching-and-practice/druid-tree-lore/hawthorn
We often consider Beltane a festival of fertility and agriculture, particularly the herding of livestock between the Bel fires to ward off disease.
As mentioned by Hannah in the April Intrafaith blog post, the end of April and beginning of May also see the Roman festival of Floralia https://www.pattiwigington.com/floralia-the-roman-may-day-festival/ with some similar associations to some found in modern day Beltane festivals.
There are lots of connections to fertility and agriculture in other faiths as you might expect, given that all our lives are so dependent on being able to eat. A Catholic prayer blessing of fields https://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/english/p01129.htm , Judaism and G-ds gift of Rain, Grain and grass https://www.thetorah.com/article/gods-promise-rain-grain-and-grass , in Zoroastria, Tishtrya protects from the demon of drought https://zoroastrians.net/2023/11/25/homage-to-tishtrya-the-brightest-star/ and in Islam there are lots of references and imagery connected to farming and nature https://hibamagazine.com/farmers-day-the-imagery-and-allegory-of-nature-in-the-quran/
This Beltane I will be attending the launch event of a report, commissioned by the government, looking at the future of Interfaith week. The report draws together the findings of a consultation process during which representatives from faith, belief and worldview communities, education and a range of other interested parties were brought together by the Faiths and Beliefs forum to consider if and how Interfaith week might continue and what future Interfaith week festivals might look like. With such a rich gathering, I am sure you can imagine that the consultation process was fertile with ideas about the future of Interfaith week and the importance of working together, that have fed into the report.
Mike Stygal
Pagan Federation Interfaith Manager
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