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Occultwiki (talk | contribs) (Created page with "400px|thumb|A ''Walpurgisnacht'' fire in Eibergen, Netherlands '''''Walpurgisnacht''''' (English: '''Walpurgis Night'''), an abbreviation of '...") |
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==Folklore== | ==Folklore== | ||
[[File:Statue of St Walpurga.jpg|400px|thumb|Statue of Saint Walpurga outside Walburgis Kapelle in Kirchehrenbach, Germany]] | [[File:Statue of St Walpurga.jpg|400px|thumb|Statue of Saint Walpurga outside Walburgis Kapelle in Kirchehrenbach, Germany]] | ||
In modern times, many Christians continue to make religious pilgrimages to Saint Walburga's tomb in Eichstätt on Saint Walburga's Day; in the 19th century, the number of pilgrims travelling to the Church of St. Walpurgis was described as "many thousand." Due to 1 May the date of Saint Walpurga's feast, it has become associated with other May Day celebrations and regional traditions, especially in Finland and Sweden. Given that the intercession of Saint Walpurga was believed to be efficacious against [[black magic|evil magic]], medieval and Renaissance tradition held that, during Walpurgis Night, [[witch]]es celebrated a [[ | In modern times, many Christians continue to make religious pilgrimages to Saint Walburga's tomb in Eichstätt on Saint Walburga's Day; in the 19th century, the number of pilgrims travelling to the Church of St. Walpurgis was described as "many thousand." Due to 1 May the date of Saint Walpurga's feast, it has become associated with other May Day celebrations and regional traditions, especially in Finland and Sweden. Given that the intercession of Saint Walpurga was believed to be efficacious against [[black magic|evil magic]], medieval and Renaissance tradition held that, during Walpurgis Night, [[witch]]es celebrated a [[sabbat]]h and evil powers were at their strongest. | ||
In German folklore, Walpurgis Night was believed to be the night of a witches' meeting on the Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, a range of wooded hills in central Germany. To ward off evil and protect themselves and their livestock, people would traditionally light fires on the hillsides, a tradition that continues in some regions today. In Bavaria, the feast day is sometimes called ''Hexennacht'' (Dutch: ''heksennacht''), literally "Witches' Night," on which revelers dress as witches and [[demon]]s, set off fireworks, dance and play loud music, which is said to drive the witches and winter spirits away. | In German folklore, Walpurgis Night was believed to be the night of a witches' meeting on the Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, a range of wooded hills in central Germany. To ward off evil and protect themselves and their livestock, people would traditionally light fires on the hillsides, a tradition that continues in some regions today. In Bavaria, the feast day is sometimes called ''Hexennacht'' (Dutch: ''heksennacht''), literally "Witches' Night," on which revelers dress as witches and [[demon]]s, set off fireworks, dance and play loud music, which is said to drive the witches and winter spirits away. | ||