May Explained

May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days.

May is a month of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, May in the Southern Hemisphere is the seasonal equivalent of November in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa. Late May typically marks the start of the summer vacation season in the United States (Memorial Day) and Canada (Victoria Day) that ends on Labour Day, the first Monday of September.

May (in Latin, Maius) was named for the Greek goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility, Bona Dea, whose festival was held in May. Conversely, the Roman poet Ovid provides a second etymology, in which he says that the month of May is named for the maiores, Latin for "elders," and that the following month (June) is named for the iuniores, or "young people" (Fasti VI.88).

Eta Aquariids meteor shower appears in May. It is visible from about April 21 to about May 20 each year with peak activity on or around May 6. The Arietids shower from May 22 – July 2, and peaks on June 7. The Virginids also shower at various dates in May.

Ancient Roman observances

Under the calendar of ancient Rome, the festival of Bona Dea fell on May 1, Argei fell on May 14 or May 15, Agonalia fell on May 21, and Ambarvalia on May 29. Floralia was held April 27 during the Republican era, or April 28 on the Julian calendar, and lasted until May 3. Lemuria fell on 9,11, and 13 May under the Julian calendar. The College of Aesculapius and Hygia celebrated two festivals of Rosalia, one on May 11 and one on May 22. Rosalia was also celebrated at Pergamon on May 24–26. A military Rosalia festival, Rosaliae signorum, also occurred on May 31. Ludi Fabarici was celebrated May 29 – June 1. Mercury would receive a sacrifice on the Ides of May (May 15). Tubilustrium took place on May 23 as well as in March. These dates do not correspond to the modern Gregorian calendar.

Symbols

May's birthstone is the emerald which is emblematic of love and success. Birth flowers are the Lily of the Valley and Crataegus monogyna.[1] Both are native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere in Asia, Europe, and in the southern Appalachian Mountains in the United States, but have been naturalized throughout the temperate climatic world.The "Mayflower" Epigaea repens is a North American harbinger of May, and the floral emblem of both Nova Scotia and Massachusetts. Its native range extends from Newfoundland south to Florida, west to Kentucky in the southern range, and to Northwest Territories in the north. The zodiac signs are Taurus (until May 20) and Gemini (May 21 onward).[2] [3]

Observances

Month-long

United States

Non-Gregorian

(All Baha'i, Islamic, and Jewish observances begin at the sundown prior to the date listed, and end at sundown of the date in question unless otherwise noted.)

Movable, 2019

Western Christian

Labour Day: May 1

Sunday after Divine Mercy Sunday: May 5

Monday and Tuesday in the week following the third Sunday of Easter: May 6–7

Fourth Sunday after Easter: May 12

Fourth Friday after Easter: May 17

Third Sunday of May: May 19

Sunday preceding the Rogation days: May 26

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday preceding Feast of the Ascension: May 27–29

39 days after Easter: May 30

Eastern Christian

Wednesday after Pascha: May 1

Thursday after Pascha: May 2

Friday after Pascha: May 3

Saturday after Pascha: May 4

8th day after Pascha: May 5

2nd Tuesday of Pascha, or 2nd Monday of Pascha, depending on region: May 6 or May 7

2nd Sunday following Pascha: May 12

4th Sunday of Pascha: May 26

Wednesday after the Sunday of the Paralytic: May 29

Movable civic

Last Friday in April to the first Sunday in May

First Thursday

First Saturday

First Sunday

First full week

Tuesday of First full week
Wednesday of first full week

Second week in May

First Tuesday

Friday preceding Second Sunday in May

Saturday closest to May 10

Second Saturday

Second Weekend

Second Sunday

Third Weekend, including Friday

Third Friday

Third Saturday

Third Sunday

Monday on or before May 24

Third Monday

Monday on or before May 25

Last Monday preceding May 25

May 24, or the nearest weekday if May 24 falls on a weekend

Saturday closest to May 30

Last Weekend

Last Sunday

Last Monday

Last Wednesday

Last Thursday

Fixed

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: U101 College Search. https://archive.today/20120911093344/http://www.shgresources.com/gems/birthflowers/. dead. 2012-09-11. shgresources.com.
  2. The Earth passed the junction of the signs at 13:49 UT/GMT May 20, 2020, and will pass it again at 19:37 UT/GMT May 20, 2021.
  3. . Signs in UT/GMT for 1950–2030.
  4. Web site: May is Better Hearing & Speech Month. asha.org. 2015-05-11. 2015-05-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20150508235337/http://asha.org/bhsm/. live.
  5. Web site: Raise CF Awareness. cff.org. 2014-04-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20140419025234/https://www.cff.org/GetInvolved/CFAwareness/. 2014-04-19. dead.
  6. Web site: What Can I Do for May Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month?. www.lifewitheds.com. 2016-04-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20160420172932/http://www.lifewitheds.com/2013/03/what-can-i-do-for-may-ehlers-danlos-syndrome-awareness-month.html. 2016-04-20. dead.
  7. Web site: May is Garden for Wildlife Month. nwf.org. 2014-05-28. 2014-06-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20140603211950/http://www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Garden-for-Wildlife/Garden-Month.aspx. dead.
  8. Web site: Raising awareness of Huntington's Disease. 2019-05-02. 2019-05-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20190502093540/https://www.hda.org.uk/get-involved/awareness-month-may-2019. dead.
  9. Web site: International Mediterranean Diet Month. oldwayspt.org. 2014-05-28. 2014-06-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20140624005933/http://oldwayspt.org/programs/mediterranean-foods-alliance/national-mediterranean-diet-month. live.
  10. Web site: NZ Music Month 2015 — Official Site. Cactuslab. nzmusicmonth.co.nz. 2015-05-12. 2012-05-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20120508130816/http://www.nzmusicmonth.co.nz/. live.
  11. Web site: National Pet Month – promoting responsible pet ownership across the UK. nationalpetmonth.org.uk. 2014-05-28. 2014-05-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20140519062311/http://www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk/. live.
  12. Web site: Skin Cancer Awareness Month Reminder. skincancer.org. 2015-05-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20150511012232/http://www.skincancer.org/media-and-press/Press-Release-2011/skin-cancer-awareness-month-reminder. 2015-05-11. dead.
  13. Web site: World Trade Month. 2014-05-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20140721024042/http://www.trade.gov/worldtrademonth/. 2014-07-21. dead.
  14. Web site: Miles for Hope is now Brain Tumor Alliance. Frank Ranieri. milesforhope.org. dead. https://archive.today/20130415093348/http://www.milesforhope.org/. 2013-04-15.
  15. Web site: Hamburgers and Purifiers for All | we really do eat massive hamburgers! . 2014-05-28 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140517184553/https://nationalhamburgermonth.com/ . 2014-05-17 .
  16. Web site: Denver's Best Burgers – Celebrate National Burger Month with the Mile High City's 25 tastiest beef-and-bun combos. . 5280 Magazine . 24 April 2019 . 24 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190424181414/https://www.5280.com/2018/05/denvers-best-burgers/ . live .
  17. Web site: Community Action Awareness Month. nd.gov. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518093816/http://governor.nd.gov/media-center/proclamation/community-action-awareness-month-3. 2015-05-18.
  18. Web site: Electrical Safety Foundation International. esfi.org. 2014-05-28. 2014-05-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20140531180316/http://www.esfi.org/. live.
  19. Web site: National Foster Care Month 2015: Building Blocks Toward Permanent Families. childwelfare.gov. 2014-05-28. 2014-05-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20140517101654/https://www.childwelfare.gov/fostercaremonth/. live.
  20. Web site: National Golf Month at Mipins. nationalgolfmonth.com. 2014-05-28. 2014-06-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20140606192502/http://www.nationalgolfmonth.com/. live.
  21. Web site: May is Hepatitis Awareness Month. cdc.gov. 2 April 2021. 10 September 2017. 11 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170811002612/https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hepawarenessmonth.htm. live.
  22. Web site: NATIONAL MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH 2005. nmam.org. 2009-01-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20080914134615/http://www.nmam.org/cr328.htm. 2008-09-14. dead.
  23. Book: McGuire, Holly . Keil, Kathryn . Chase's 2010 Calendar of Events . McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc . 2010 . 2010-03-31 . 2010-07-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100705124302/http://www.answers.com/topic/national-moving-month . live .
  24. Web site: National Osteoporosis Foundation. nof.org. 2014-05-28. 2014-06-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20140606082124/http://nof.org/. live.
  25. Web site: Stroke Awareness Resource Center. Stroke.org. 2013-05-20. 2013-05-08. https://web.archive.org/web/20130508193054/http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=awareness. live.
  26. Web site: National Water Safety Month. nationalwatersafetymonth.org. 2014-05-28. 2014-05-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20140517192739/http://nationalwatersafetymonth.org/. live.
  27. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/record.xpd?id=109-s20050511-21 GovTrack.us: Tracking the U.S. Congress
  28. Web site: National Small Business Week Virtual Summit. 2021-07-28. National Small Business Week Virtual Summit. en. 2021-07-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20210728041715/https://www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week. live.
  29. Web site: US Department of Commerce. NOAA. Social Media: Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 5-11, 2019. 2021-07-28. www.weather.gov. EN-US. 2021-06-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20210618085548/https://www.weather.gov/wrn/2019-social-media-hpw. live.
  30. Web site: New Zealand Sign Language Week . 2018-05-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180506035838/http://deaf.org.nz/nzslw . 2018-05-06 . dead .
  31. Web site: green office week. 2021-07-28. US Forest Service. en. 2021-10-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20211022033136/https://www.fs.usda.gov/fs-tags/green-office-week. live.
  32. Web site: Walk Safely to School Day, 2020. 2021-07-28. Walking SA. en-US. 2021-07-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20210728172820/https://www.walkingsa.org.au/walk/walk-event/walk-safely-school-day-2020/. live.
  33. Web site: EMS Week. 2021-07-28. www.acep.org. en. 2021-07-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20210729043756/https://www.acep.org/administration/ems-resources/emsweek/. live.
  34. Web site: 2019 Greater Victoria Bike to Work Week. Go By Bike BC. 2019-05-01. 2019-05-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190501123015/https://www.biketowork.ca/victoria/btww-2019. dead.
  35. Web site: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Endangered Species Day. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. fws.gov. 2015-05-15. 2015-05-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20150509114742/http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/esday/. dead.
  36. Web site: NATIONAL PIZZA PARTY DAY – Third Friday in May. National Day Calendar. 4 February 2024. 15 May 2015. 18 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518092044/http://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-pizza-party-day-third-friday-in-may/. live.
  37. Web site: Маевки. homofestivus.ru. 2015-05-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518100624/http://homofestivus.ru/maevki.html. 2015-05-18. dead.
  38. Web site: Ceremony at "Wedding of the Rails," May 10, 1869 at Promontory Point, Utah . . 1869-05-10 . 2013-07-20 . 2013-10-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131018052635/http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11371/ . live .
  39. Web site: IDAHOT Forum 2018 - Lisboa From global to local politics: Equality everywhere, for everyone. www.cig.gov.pt. 10 February 2018. 2019-12-14. 2020-03-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20200307035948/https://www.cig.gov.pt/IDAHOT/. live.

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