Q 01/05

May Day, 1 May, falls roughly halfway between which two points of the year?

A) Winter solstice and spring equinox

B) Autumn equinox and winter solstice

C) Midsummer solstice and autumn equinox

D) Spring equinox and midsummer solstice

Answer · why

D) Spring equinox and midsummer solstice

That is why the old European festivals treated it as the first day of summer, not the middle of spring.

Q 02/05

The earliest known May celebrations were the Floralia, a Roman festival honouring Flora, goddess of what?

A) The harvest

B) The hearth

C) Wine

D) Flowers

Answer · why

D) Flowers

Ovid records that hares and goats were released during the festivities, which ran from 27 April to 3 May.

Q 03/05

At Beltane on 1 May, cattle were driven between two bonfires before being sent where?

A) To market

B) To the lord's estate

C) To the slaughterhouse

D) To summer pastures

Answer · why

D) To summer pastures

People also walked between the fires or leapt the embers for protection and luck.

Q 04/05

Walpurgis Night on 30 April commemorates the canonisation of Saint Walpurga in which year?

A) 870

B) 970

C) 1070

D) 1170

Answer · why

A) 870

Her relics were moved to Eichstätt on the same day, and pilgrims still collect vials of 'Saint Walpurga's oil' there.

Q 05/05

In parts of Europe, bonfires are lit on Walpurgis Night to ward off what?

A) Wolves

B) Plague

C) Frost

D) Witches

Answer · why

D) Witches

Saint Walpurga was invoked against 'pest, rabies, and whooping cough, as well as against witchcraft'.