Bealteinne

Notes on Bealteinne by Philip Carr-Gomm from http://www.druidry.org/obod/text/lewes/druid-path/eight-foldyear.html

"Time moves on, and in a short while we come to the Spring Equinox, the time of equality of day and night, when the forces of light are on the increase. At the centre of the trio of Spring Festas, Alban Eilir [the Light of the Earth] marks the more recognisable beginnings of Spring, when the flowers are beginning to appear and when the sowing begins in earnest. As the point of psychological development in our lives it marks the time of late childhood to, say, 14 years - Imbolc marking the time of early childhood [say to 7 years]. We are in the Spring of our lives - the seeds that are planted in our childhood time of Imbolc and Alban Eilir will flower from the Beltane time of adolescence onwards as capacities and powers that will help us to negotiate our lives with skill and accomplishment." -- Philip Carr-Gomm

"Beltane, on May 1st, marks the time of our adolescence and early wo/manhood. Spring is in full bloom, and twin fires would be lit at this time, through which would be passed the cattle after their long winter confinement, or over which those hoping for a child or good fortune would jump.
We see traces of the Beltane celebrations on May Day, when dancing round the maypole celebrates the fertility of the land and creates an echo of the ritual circle dances that must have been enacted in stone circles throughout the country." -- Philip Carr-Gomm

Beltane from OBOD Site

Beltane (Beltaine, Belltaine, Bealtaine, Beltain, Beltine, Bealteine, Bealtuinn, Boaldyn), meaning 'bright fire' or 'lucky fire' is held on May 1st (May 15th in Scotland) and celebrates the start of summer, the crop and pasturing season. Although scholars are non-committal, many of us believe Beltane honors the ancient continental Celtic sun and healer God, Belenus.

Father Sun shines brightly
Warming mother Earth
Joining in creation
Nurturing growth

   At Beltane, we open to the God and Goddess of Youth. However old we are, Spring makes us feel young again, and at Beltane we jump over the fires of vitality and youth and allow that vitality to enliven and heal us. When young we might use this time as an opportunity to connect to our sensuality in a positive creative way, and when older the mating that we seek might well be one of the feminine and masculine sides of our nature. Integration of the male and female aspects of the Self has long been seen as one of the prime goals of spiritual and psychotherapeutic work, and Beltane represents the time when we can open to this work fully, allowing the natural union of polarities that occurs in nature at this time the opportunity to help us in our work - a work that is essentially alchemical.

For an excellent discussion of Beltane see The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain by Ronald Hutton.

And some preliminary and exploratory notes-in-process by Ovate Padraig on the Christian parallels with Bealteinne:

Most commentators link the Christian festival of the Resurrection with the Spring Equinox. There is certainly good reason for this, since the very names for the Feast used in both Western and Eastern Christianity suggest the link. Among Western Christians the Feast is called "Easter" after the Goddess Eastre or Ostara, and among Eastern, especially Byzantine [Eastern Orthodox & Byzantine Catholics] Christians "Pascha" from the Hebrew "Pesach" or Passover. 

In the previous essay in this series, on Alban Eilir, we examined the Druid / Celtic and Christian feasts surrounding the time of the Spring Equinox. Although the name of Easter / Pascha does strong suggest a linkage to Alban Eilir and the Equinox, I have experienced that there is a stronger thematic connection to Bealteinne which is particularly evident in the practice of that form of Christianity which arose in the ancient ancestral lands of the Celts: the Balkans and Caucasus Mountains: Byzantine Christianity.

The Date of Pascha

The calculations of Easter / Pascha begin to give us the clues that, although the Christian Pascha is closely associated with the Spring Equinox, it is now a distinct festival more in spirit with Bealteinne. Festivals and practice evolve: the history of this Christian feast gives evidence of this shift.

In the New Testament accounts, the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) indicate that the Seder Passover meal ("The Last Supper") celebrated by The Christ and His Disciples took place on Thursday (Holy / Great / Maundy Thursday), the actual date of Passover in the Jewish Calendar: 14 Nisan. John's Gospel, however, puts the Crucifixion (Good / Great Friday) on that date, more exactly identifying the self-sacrifice of The Christ with the Passover Lamb. As the Byzantine Liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil say: "He offered Himself up for the Life of the World." Pagans will also notice a parallel with Odin's sacrifice of himself to himself, hung on the World-Tree Yggsdrasil.

All four Gospel accounts, however, maintain the weekday chronology of Great Thursday = Seder Meal; Great Friday = Crucifixion; Great Saturday = the Harrowing of Hell; Sunday = The Resurrection. In Byzantine theology, Pascha is called the Eighth Day of Creation: the Gospel proclaimed at the Paschal Divine Liturgy is not one of the Resurrection accounts, but rather the Mystic Creational Prologue of John's Gospel ("In the Beginning was The Word...").

Very ancient Christian practice in Syria and the Celtic lands of Eire and Britain celebrated The Christ's Resurrection on the actual Passover date, 14 Nisan. Because the Jewish Calendar is lunar, 14 Nisan moves relative to the Solar Calendar, and thus the festival would move not only its Solar Date, but also its weekday, not always falling on Sunday. 

Very quickly, this usage became controversial even in the highly multi-cultural ancient Christian world. In the year 325 of the Christian era, a General Christian Council of Bishops and other leaders was convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine in the Constantinopolitan suburb of Nicaea. Among other decisions, the date for the celebration of the Christian Pasch was set as "the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox." Thus the Paschal celebrations are tied to the Vernal Equinox, but now established as distinct and not identical to it. 

Later, the Western Churches would use this formula independent of the Jewish Passover, forgetting -- as the Eastern Churches did not -- that the Council of Nicaea also decided that after applying the Nicaean calculation, the Christian Pascha must fall after the eight days of the Jewish Pesach, and so can be moved later to make that accommodation, since the Passover of the Old Law must be completed properly before the Passover of the New Law is realized. That is why the date of Eastern and Western Easters / Paschas usually differ today. For the complex but fascinating mathematics with which one determines the dates of Passover and Pascha, click here.

Tragically, the Syrian and Celtic usage was labeled as a heresy ("Quartodeciman") for which they were persecuted. The Celtic Church maintained its 14 Nisan Paschal usage until its "hostile takeover" by the alliance of the Church of Rome with the Anglo-Saxons at the Council of Whitby in 664 CE. 

Nevertheless, both the use of the Jewish Passover (14 Nisan -- always following the first Full Moon after the Spring Equinox) and the Nicaean Paschal formulation both link and distinguish Alban Eilir and Pascha. As tragically misguided and wrong as the forced imposition of the Nicaean formula of the Paschal Sunday observance was, its usage in Eastern Byzantine Christianity may point out the evolving understanding of this Festival and its relationship to the themes of Bealteinne. Naturally, the two usages, Quartodeciman and Nicaean should have been allowed to co-exist, emphasizing the diversity of ways of celebration, just as Bealteinne is celebrated in most places on or about May 1, while in Scotland on May 15. 

Pascha and Bealteinne

The later date of the Eastern Pascha (usually in mid-to late April, it can fall as late as May 8!) makes the Bealteinne quality of the Feast more evident. In 2002, the Eastern Christian Pascha will be celebrated on May 5. Here are some preliminary thoughts on some of the parallels in (especially Byzantine) Christianity, offered for your reflection:

The Day of the Sun. the identification of the Christian Pascha with Sunday is highly suggestive. This is a Fire Feast par excellence, celebrating the raging and uncontainable power of the Living Fire in the Risen Sun / Son, as is Bealteinne. The imagery of Great Saturday, the Harrowing of Hell, is that of the Fire of Divinity sweeping through the Underworld in a heroic mythic journey of liberation: "[Hades] took a body and, face to face, met God! It took earth and encountered heaven" [Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom]. 

This is an epic combat or quest like that of Gilgamesh, Hercules, Merlin, Parsifal, Galahad, Cuchulain, and the like. Christians have often demonized Death and Hades, but in actuality, The Harrowing of Hell frees Death and Hades to resume their proper place in the Cosmic Order, that of a Gateway rather than a trap or dead end. Death becomes once again "a part of Life," rather than its annihilation.

The Paschal Fire: there is an almost universal practice of lighting the Paschal Fire. In Jerusalem, this is a mystic event shrouded in esoteric symbolism, as evidenced by this account of the event, which is understood to be of heavenly origin. St. Padraig, Equal-to-the-Apostles lit this fire on the Mount of Slane in Eire intentionally with both Paschal and Bealteinne significance.  

In most Christian usages, Eastern and Western, a New Fire is kindled at the beginning of the Paschal Vigil Services. In the West, this is done on Holy Saturday night, while in the East, in the Greek and Arabic usage, it takes place on Great Saturday morning, and in Slavic usage, on Great Saturday night. The Fire is passed to all the participants in the Service, and New Candles, blessed at Imbolc are lit. 

Achieving The Grail: In Byzantine Christian usage, on Great Saturday morning, a most remarkable Liturgy is celebrated, which embodies many Celtic themes, including the Bealteinne element of Faerie healing. Here is a description of this ritual by a modern American practitioner of these Mysteries:

      "But foremost is the very moving Liturgy on the morning of Great and Holy Saturday. We enter into the Mystery of the Harrowing of Hell by the Christ during his three-day burial, and for the only time during the Church year, the Eucharistic Liturgy is celebrated outside the Iconostas. The Tomb of Christ is set up in the center of the Church, the Doors of the Iconostas are opened, and the Otherworld envelops this world as all the realities come together.

       "At first the Ministers and the Church fixings are draped in the purple of Holy Week. We read 15 selections from the Old Testament about the Exodus, (the whole book of) Jonah, etc. Then the people begin to sing "Arise, O God!" and the purple cloths are removed from the Church to reveal the white and gold beneath. The Ministers exchange their purple vestments for white, and sweet smelling herbal incense is used for the first time since the beginning of Great Lent, in the censer with bells!

       "About half way through the Ritual, after the proclamation of the Resurrection Gospel from the Tomb, the clergy return to the Holy Place while the choir sings the very ancient Jerusalem hymn "Let all mortal flesh keep silence." When they have completed this, the Ministers bring the Gifts from the Sanctuary out to the Tomb in total silence: the Chalice of Wine, the Diskos (Plate) with the Bread, the Lance, the Spoon. This is nothing other than the Grail Procession.

       "The more popular and famous Byzantine Paschal Service takes place during the night between Holy Saturday and Pascha/Easter. It is wonderful and has its own Mysteries. But those very few who have the insight to brave this morning Service, all two and one half hours of its Liturgy, are given the most special gift of entering into the Chamber of the Grail (or rather, having the Grail Chamber engulf them in its light, life and love).

      "This year, as I lifted the chalice to my lips at Communion at this Service, in the midst of the Church, I was struck forcefully with the thought from outside / deep within, "I have achieved the Grail." I then with peaceful joy turned to offer the Grail and its life-creating Food and Drink to all those who had achieved this Boon with me. This Grail must be achieved over and over in our lives, and may be achieved in many places and in many Sacred Paths. Each time, it brings us new life, integrating insights and deeper unity in our cosmic diversity."

The Knocking at the Doors: At the beginning of the midnight Paschal Service, after the Procession from the Empty Tomb (and after the Lighting of the New Fire in the Russian usage), the community gathers at the entrance to the Church, and one of the Celebrants pounds on the closed door. A ritual dialogue ensues with a voice from within the Church, using the ancient call and response of Psalm 24: 7-10 : 

Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.

Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!

Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.

Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory!

This clearly is the culmination a mythic triumph narrative, with the return of the Hero, such as Odysseus. Not coincidentally, Psalm 24 was the song of entrance sung by the people as the Ark of the Covenant was first brought inside the Walls of Jerusalem, and it is also the Psalm chanted while the body is being lowered into the Grave in the Byzantine Christian interment Service. 

We can see in all these instances the triumph of the Holy Fire, and not as something outside of the participants, but for these Christians, those who understand that they have "drawn down the Sun" into themselves by the identifying themselves with this Fiery Word through the Initiation of Holy Illumination, they embody this heroic journey as well.

Vestments of Solar and Fire Colors: For the Vestments of the Ministers, and all the Church appointments, the Solar colors of White and Gold are used for the whole Paschal time. Interestingly enough, Red, color of Fire and the South is used in the Muscovite Eastern Christian practice. 

The Mystic and Triumphant Troparion of Pascha -- The theme prayer of Pascha, repeated over and over during the Services, is at once mystical and celebratory: "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down Death by Death, and upon those in the Tombs bestowing Life. In the Greek version, the mystical, transcendent nature of the Mystery is emphasized, while in the following from other cultures, it is the heroic, powerful and Fiery which predominate: Arabic, Arabic Tone in English, Slavonic, Slavonic .

Shouting and Revelry at the Paschal Matins: Far from being staid and dignified, the Byzantine Paschal celebrations are exuberant revels. During the singing of the Paschal Canon (here in Slavonic), the Ministers come from the Holy Place into the body of the Church, vigorously incensing all with the bell-laden censer and shouting at will, "Christ is Risen!" in many languages, to which the community responds lustily, "Indeed He is Risen!" This is not done in an orderly or carefully orchestrated way, but with true joyful abandon. Then during the singing of the Aposticha, the whole community exchanges the Kiss of Peace with loud shouts of "Christ is Risen!"

Feminine aspects of Divinization at Pascha: Ever present throughout the celebrations are the God-Bearer Mary, whose Hirmos, The Angel Cried is one of the highest moments of both the Matins and Divine Liturgy, and Mary Magdalene ("Equal-to-the-Apostles") and the Myrrhbearing Women, who are the first to experience the Resurrection, and the first to proclaim it. At the Great Saturday morning Liturgy, it is Mary Magdalene and the Myrrhbearers who are  the community's primary Icons of discipleship, and they are ubiquitous throughout the Midnight Vigil as well, suggesting the Bealteinne balance between the masculine and feminine.

Red eggs, particularly sacred not only to Ostara but also to Mary Magdalene are blessed, given and ritually broken and eaten in the partying after the Rituals. The Red must be a reminder of the power of this Fire Festival, combined with the egg of Cosmic Completeness and New Life.

A Cross-Procession honoring the Directions takes place in many Byzantine Churches during "Bright Week" following Pascha. A Procession around the Church grounds or the Church building goes to North, South, East and West, and th4e community reads Gospel passages concerning the Resurrection and sings the Paschal Troparion in each direction. The Cross itself, carried in this procession, completes the directional matrix by representing Above, Below and Center. 

Ten days after Pascha, on the Tuesday following Thomas Sunday (the Sunday after Pascha), the community gathers at the Graves of the departed in a similar Procession for the celebration of "Radonitsa," the Day of Rejoicing, bringing the Fire of the Upper World, now enflaming Middle-Earth, to be joined to the Underworld as well. 

Conclusion

All in all, the details of (Byzantine) Christian practice suggest some parallels with Bealteinne, but more importantly, it is the exuberance, revelry and embodiment of the Fiery One Life which strike me as very much in the spirit of Bealteinne. 

I suggest then, that for both Druids and Byzantine Christians, this is the celebration of the irrepressible, unstoppable and every present force of Life in all its forms and manifestations. Each part of the Cosmos is invited to "draw down" this One Life into themselves, fulfilling their nature as expressions of this One Existence is its multitudinous forms and figures. Light, Life and Love rule, and we rejoice!


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