On the night of April 30th, people in northern and central Europe will be celebrating Walpurgisnacht. Also known as Walpurgis Night, Saint Walpurgis Eve, Vappu, etc. Walpurgisnacht is a Christian holiday celebrated once a year, but this might be the first time you’ve heard of this. So, what is it?
Walpurgisnacht is celebrated on the eve of the Christian feast day of Saint Walpurga, who lived in Francia in the 18th century. It is celebrated on the night of April 30th and the first day of May. The feast commemorates the canonization (the declaration of a deceased person as an official saint) of Saint Walpurga, and the movement of her relics to Eichstätt, a town in Bavaria, Germany. Another occurrence during Walpurgisnacht is when witches would come together and cause chaos to mark the end of winter. Because of this, people began to perform rituals to keep them at bay.
During Walpurgis Night, people will light bonfires to symbolize the coming of spring, as well as sing traditional folk songs, and dance to ward off sicknesses and witches. In Germany, people dress in costumes, prank each other, and make lots of noise to drive away evil spirits. Walpurgisnacht is celebrated in northern and central European countries, including Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and many more.
Although Walpurgisnacht used to be more serious, it has become a lighthearted tradition and even shares similarities with Halloween. Once April 30th rolls around, you can try celebrating the holiday with your friends and family!
