Walpurgisnacht in 2025 — the history and traditions of the Witches' Festival

In late April and early May, residents of some European countries celebrate Walpurgisnacht, a national holiday associated with the arrival of spring. According to beliefs, witches gather for sabbaths on this day, medicinal herbs gain special power, and people have prophetic dreams. Izvestia tells us where the name "Walpurgisnacht" came from and how it is greeted by representatives of different nations.

Walpurgisnacht in 2025 — what date

Walpurgisnacht traditionally runs from the evening of April 30th to the morning of May 1st. It is celebrated in Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Scotland, Finland and Sweden, as well as in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Estonia and some other countries.

Walpurgisnacht is not very popular in Russia, as it has no historical traditions of celebration. In addition, in terms of meaning, it largely echoes Ivan Kupala, a Slavic celebration in honor of the summer solstice and the flourishing of nature, which has received much greater recognition among Russians.

Walpurgisnacht in 2025 — the story

Even in pre-Christian times, May 1 was considered a special day. The ancient Celts celebrated Beltane at this time — one of the main holidays of the year, marking the arrival of summer, the flowering of vitality and victory over death. He was opposed to Samhain (the night from October 31 to November 1), the celebration of winter, timelessness and withering. On the night of May 1, the Germanic peoples lit bonfires and danced around the "maypole" decorated with ribbons. This was how people met the long-awaited warmth and the final awakening of nature.

After the establishment of Christianity, pagan traditions were banned or transformed, becoming part of church celebrations. However, the clergy failed to completely eradicate folk beliefs. Villagers continued to celebrate the blossoming of spring with noisy celebrations and high bonfires.

At the same time, various superstitions related to the May rampage of evil spirits persisted. In many European countries, this month was considered the time of witches, the moment when the servants of evil come together to report to the devil on the work done and commit as many atrocities as possible. Such gatherings were called sabbaths. To protect themselves from negative influences, people resorted not only to prayers, but also to various folk remedies. For example, after dark, salt or sand was poured in front of the threshold. It was believed that the witch would not be able to enter the house until she counted all the grains. Dawn should find her doing this, which will drive the witch away.

Walpurgisnacht arose as a result of the mixing of Christian and pagan traditions. The name of the holiday is due to a Catholic saint who lived in the 8th century. Walburga (Walpurgis) was the daughter of King Richard of West Saxony. From the age of 11, she was educated at the Wimborne Monastery, where she took vows. Subsequently, the girl went to Germany, founded several monasteries there and received the rank of abbess.

Walburga died in February 777 or 779. She was buried in the Heidenheim Monastery, which the saint led in the last years of her life. According to legend, 100 years later, workers working on the restoration of the monastery accidentally desecrated her grave. That same night, the shadow of the angry abbess appeared to the bishop and demanded that the mistake be corrected. In 870, her remains were moved to Einstadt and buried with honors in one of the rocks. After a while, the healing oil began to flow out. The Catholic Church recognized this as a miracle, and the nun was canonized.

Since then, on May 1, Catholics have celebrated the transfer of the relics of Saint Walburga. The celebration coincided with pagan celebrations, and as a result, a kind of national holiday was formed — Walpurgisnacht.

Walpurgisnacht in 2025 — traditions

One of the most famous traditions of Walpurgisnacht is the Witches' sabbath. Legends about witch gatherings existed in many European countries. For example, in Germany, people believed that on May 1, sorcerers and witches gather on Brocken Mountain, where they arrange insane feasts with other representatives of evil spirits. To protect themselves from evil, residents of towns and villages sang, set off firecrackers and lit bonfires, which sometimes burned effigies of witches. It was believed that noise and light scared away otherworldly guests.

Similar legends existed in Russia. For example, Alexander Afanasyev, a literary critic and collector of folk tales, mentioned the legends associated with Bald Mountain. On the first day of May, witches allegedly flew there to report to Satan on the atrocities committed during the year. After that, the evil spirits staged a grand feast with dancing and demonic chants.

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Another tradition of Walpurgisnacht is the collection of medicinal herbs. In many countries, people believed that the beneficial properties of plants increased many times during the holiday, so medicines made from them would be more effective.

In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, on Walpurgisnacht, it was customary to decorate a "maypole" — a spruce or fir peeled from the bark, on which ribbons were tied and treats were attached. People sang round dances around him. A similar custom existed in Scotland and other European countries, but instead of a tree, they often used a tall pole with ribbons tied to the top.

In Italy, the night of May 1 was a time of youth. The boys and girls went house to house with "May greens" — a tree branch with a ribbon tied around it. They sang and danced, receiving treats from the hosts in return.

Today, Walpurgisnacht is celebrated mainly in Western countries. People decorate their homes with figurines of witches and bundles of magical plants, do fortune-telling, light bonfires and take to the streets to participate in festivities.