This rite for the Fire Festival of Beltaine was put together by Llyn Hydd Grove in Pennsylvannia.
OPENING
HERALD: By the power of star and stone,
By the power of the land within and without,
By all that is fair and free,
All are welcomed to this Rite of Beltane
In the LlynHydd Grove.
WEST: We have come from the East and the West, the North and the South, to be here together.
LEADER 1: Let us take three breaths:
Together with the Earth beneath us;
Together with the Sky above us;
Together with the Sea around us.
NORTH: With the Blessing of Earth, Sea, and Sky, may our rite begin!
LEADER 1: (Saluting the East and facing outwards) O Gods and Goddesses, Spirits of this wide land, we greet and honor you, and ask for your blessings. (Turns inward) O Spirits of LlynHydd Grove and of this circle, we greet and honor you, and ask for your blessings.
LEADER 2: Let us begin by offering peace to the four Quarters, for without peace can no work be.
EAST: May there be peace in the East.
SOUTH: May there be peace in the South.
WEST: May there be peace in the West.
NORTH: May there be peace in the North.
ALL: May there be peace throughout the whole world.
LEADER 1: Let us join in the words that unite all Druids.
ALL: Grant, O (Spirit), thy protection
and in protection, strength
and in strength, understanding
and in understanding, knowledge
and in knowledge, the knowledge of justice
and in the knowledge of justice, the love of it
and in the love of it, the love of all existences
and in the love of all existences,
the love of (Spirit) and of all goodness.
SOUTH: (Moves to center, raises incense and censes the sacred center) We consecrate the sacred center of our circle, a circle with one center and no circumference, that it may encompass all the world. May it be blessed with the element of fire. (Returns to circle)
WEST: (Moves to center, raises a bowl of water, and sprinkles the sacred center) We consecrate the sacred center of our circle, a circle with one center and no circumference, that it may encompass all the world. May it be blessed with the element of water. (Returns to circle)
(All turn to face each direction as it is called)
EAST: With the blessing of the Hawk of Dawn soaring in the clear, pure air, we call upon the powers of the East.
SOUTH: With the blessing of the Great Stag in the heat of the chase, and the inner fire of the sun, we call upon the powers of the South.
WEST: With the blessing of the Salmon of Wisdom that swims within the cool waters of the sacred pool, we call upon the powers of the West.
NORTH: With the blessing of the Great Bear of the starry heavens, and the deep and fruitful earth, we call upon the powers of the North.
ALL: May the harmony of our circle be complete.
HERALD: I proclaim the Feast of Beltane!
THE BELTANE CELEBRATION
LEADER 1: As our ancestors have done before us, and our children shall do in times to come, we celebrate the Festival of Beltaine, the coming of Summer when flocks and herds are blessed for travel to summer pastures, when the fertility of the fields begins to unfold, when we pass through the doorway to fruition in our own hearts and lives. Within this circle and the apparent world, we declare the opening of the Festival of Beltaine!
(The Druid takes two crowns of white flowers and walks around the circle, sunwise, while the Herald lights two fires, far enough apart to walk between. When the fires are lit, the Druid says)
LEADER 2: In the center now burn the twin fires of Beltaine. Man and woman, stars and earth, each in each one of us. Let us now witness in our sacred circle, and in the secret of our hearts, the handfasting of these wonders, the Lord and Father of Life, the Lady and Mother of the land. (The Druid chooses a woman in the circle and places a crown upon her head,) Greetings, Queen of the May! (Hands her the other crown) Take this crown, and choose your king!
MAY QUEEN: (Walks sunwise around the circle, chooses a man, and puts the crown upon his head) Greetings, King of the May, come and walk with me through the sacred fires as a symbol of the fertility of our land! (She offers him her hand. They go through the fires and turn and face the center, taking up a container of small crystals, and holding it together.)
MAY KING: The power of Love attends us as the Lady and the Lord. Come, and receive your gifts!
(Beginning in the East, each participant goes around the circle sunwise, then between the fires to the King and Queen of the May. Each woman receives a crystal from the King, each man receives one from the Queen. Each one returns to their place.)
QUEEN: In the deep earth grow stars; light in the dark. Between two fires of Woman and Man stands the Spirit, the Bright One, the Divine Child.
King: Of this the crystal is a true token. Fill each crystal with your prayer and, when the time is right, release your prayer into the universe by returning the crystal to the earth or the sea.
(The King and Queen return to their places.)
LEADER 1: We honor our Mother Earth and bless ourselves with water from a sprig of May.(Travels sunwise around the circle and sprinkles all with water, using s sprig of May — Hawthorn.)
THE MABON: With feet in earth and head in skies, let the Maypole now arise!
(A great cheer goes up. The whole company participate in erecting the Maypole and assigning the ribbons. They dance the Maypole Dance singing:)
Here we come gathering nuts in May,
Nuts in May, nuts in May,
Here we come gathering nuts in May,
On a cold and frosty morning.
Who will you have for nuts in May,
Nuts in May, nuts in May,
Who will you have for nuts in May,
On a cold and frosty morning.
We’ll have (name of Queen) for nuts in May,
Nuts in May, nuts in May,
We’ll have (name of Queen) for nuts in May,
On a cold and frosty morning.
Who will you have to fetch her away,
Fetch her away, fetch her away,
Who will you have to fetch her away
On a cold and frosty morning.
We’ll have (name of King) to fetch her away,
Fetch her away, fetch her away,
We’ll have (name of King) to fetch her away,
On a cold and frosty morning.
CLOSING
LEADER 1: It is the hour of recall. (Extinguishes any flames at the center). As the fire of celebration dies down, may it be rekindled in our hearts. May our memories hold what our eyes and ears have gained.
(All hold hands in the circle, and led by Leader 2 say)
WE SWEAR by peace and love to stand,
Heart to heart, and hand in hand;
Mark, O Spirit, hear us now,
Confirming this, our sacred vow. (Three times)
ALL : (chant) AWEN. AWEN. AWEN.
SOUTH: Let the spirits of the four directions be thanked for their blessings.
NORTH: In the name of the Great Bear and the element of Earth, we give thanks to the North.
WEST: In the name of the Salmon of Wisdom and the element of Water, we give thanks to the West.
SOUTH: In the name of the Great Stag and the element of fire, we give thanks to the South.
EAST: In the name of the Hawk of Dawn and the element of air, we give thanks to the East.
ALL: May the harmony of all lands be complete.
HERALD: Let us all radiate light in our hearts, by our hands, and in our lives. We now declare this Festival of Beltane closed, and the ritual ended in the apparent world. May its inspiration continue within our hearts.
WEST: The rite is ended.
EAST: Nothing ends!
ALL: So may it be.