May

May is the fifth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and is the third of seven months to have a length of 31 days.

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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 Labor 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).

Mayapples blooming. Common name given due to the plant's tendency to bloom in the month of May.
Special devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary take place in May

Mayovka, in the context of the late Russian Empire, was a picnic in the countryside or in a park in the early days of May, hence the name. Eventually, "mayovka" (specifically, "proletarian mayovka") came to mean an illegal celebration of May 1 by revolutionary public, typically presented as an innocent picnic.[1]

Special devotions to the Virgin Mary take place in May. See May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

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 (festival) fell on 9,11, and 13 May under the Julian calendar. The College of Aesculapius and Hygia celebrated two festivals of Rosalia (festival), 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 on 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.

May symbols
  • Emerald brooch
    May's birthstone is the emerald which is emblematic of love and success.
The Lily of the Valley
Crataegus monogyna
  • The May birth flowers are the Lily of the Valley and the Crataegus monogyna.[2] 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.
Mayflowers
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 for the month of May are Taurus (until May 19) and Gemini (May 20 onwards).[3][4]

May observances

Month-long observances

United States
  • Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
  • National ALS Awareness Month
  • Bicycle Month
  • National Brain Tumor Awareness Month [15]
  • National Burger Month [16][17]
  • Community Action Awareness Month (North Dakota)[18]
  • National Electrical Safety Month[19]
  • National Foster Care Month[20]
  • National Golf Month [21]
  • Jewish American Heritage Month
  • Haitian Heritage Month
  • Hepatitis Awareness Month[22]
  • Mental Health Awareness Month
  • National Military Appreciation Month[23]
  • National Moving Month [24]
  • National Osteoporosis Month [25]
  • National Stroke Awareness Month[26]
  • National Water Safety Month [27]
  • Older Americans Month [28]

Non-Gregorian observances, 2020

(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.)

  • List of observances set by the Bahá'í calendar
  • List of observances set by the Chinese calendar
  • List of observances set by the Hebrew calendar
  • List of observances set by the Islamic calendar
  • List of observances set by the Solar Hijri calendar

Movable observances, 2020

Movable Western Christian observances, 2020 dates

Sunday after Divine Mercy Sunday: May 5

  • Jubilate Sunday

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

Fourth Sunday after Easter: May 12

  • Cantate Sunday
  • Good Shepherd Sunday

Fourth Friday after Easter: May 17

Third Sunday of May: May 19

  • Feast of Our Lady of the Audience

Sunday preceding the Rogation days: May 26

  • Rogation Sunday

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

  • Minor Rogation days

39 days after Easter: May 30

  • Feast of the Ascension
    • Father's Day (Germany)
    • Festa della Sensa (Venice)
    • Global Day of Prayer
    • Sheep Festival (Cameroon)

Movable Eastern Christian observances, 2020 dates

Wednesday after Pascha: May 1

  • Bright Wednesday

Thursday after Pascha: May 2

  • Bright Thursday

Friday after Pascha: May 3

  • Bright Friday

Saturday after Pascha: May 4

  • Bright Saturday

8th day after Pascha: May 5

  • Thomas Sunday

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

  • Radonitsa (Russian Orthodox)

2nd Sunday following Pascha: May 12

  • Sunday of the Myrrhbearers

4th Sunday of Pascha: May 26

  • Sunday of the Paralytic

Wednesday after the Sunday of the Paralytic: May 29

  • Mid-Pentecost

Last Friday in April to the first Sunday in May: April 26 – May 5

First Thursday: May 2

First Saturday: May 4
First Sunday: May 5

First full week: May 5–11
  • National Teacher Appreciation Week (United States)
  • North American Occupational Safety and Health Week
Tuesday of First full week: May 4
Wednesday of first full week: May 8
  • Occupational Safety and Health Professional Day

Second week in May: May 5–11

First Tuesday: May 7
  • World Asthma Day

Friday preceding Second Sunday in May: May 10
  • Military Spouse Day (United States)
  • National Public Gardens Day (United States)

Saturday closest to May 10: May 11

Second Saturday: May 8
  • International Migratory Bird Day (Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean)
  • National Tree Planting Day (Mongolia)

Second Weekend: May 11–12

Second Sunday: May 9
  • National Nursing Home Week (United States)
  • Children's Day (Spain)
  • Father's Day (Romania)
  • Mother's Day (Anguilla, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Croatia, Curaçao, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Latvia, Malta, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zimbabwe)
  • State Flag and State Emblem Day (Belarus)
  • World Fair Trade Day

Week of May 12: May 6-12
  • National Nursing Week (United States)

Third Weekend, including Friday: May 14-16

Third Friday: May 21

Third Saturday: May 15
  • The Preakness Stakes is run, second jewel in the triple crown of horse racing.
  • Armed Forces Day (United States)
  • Culture Freedom Day
  • Sanja Matsuri
  • World Whisky Day

Third Sunday: May 16
  • Commemoration Day of Fallen Soldiers
  • Father's Day (Tonga)
  • Feast of Our Lady of the Audience
  • Sanja Matsuri (Tokyo, Japan)

Monday on or before May 24: May 24
  • Victoria Day (Scotland)

Third Monday: May 17

Monday on or before May 25: May 24
  • National Patriots' Day (Quebec)

Last Monday preceding May 25: May 24

May 24, or the nearest weekday if May 24 falls on a weekend: May 24
  • Bermuda Day (Bermuda)

Saturday closest to May 30: May 29
  • Armed Forces Day (Spain)

Last Weekend: May 29–30

Last Sunday: May 30
  • Arbor Day (Venezuela)
  • Children's Day (Hungary)
  • Mother's Day (Algeria, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mauritius, Morocco, Sweden, Tunisia)
  • Turkmen Carpet Day (Turkmenistan)

Last Monday: May 31
  • Heroes' Day (Turks and Caicos Islands)
  • Memorial Day (United States), a public holiday, is on May 30, but observed on the last Monday in May.
  • Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Day (Fiji), removed as a national holiday in 2010.

Last Wednesday: May 26
  • World Multiple Sclerosis Day

Last Thursday: May 27
  • Take a Girl Child to Work Day (South Africa)

Fixed observances in May
May, from the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
May, Leandro Bassano
Rosa chinensis, the flower symbol of May
  • April 29 to May 5 in Japan, which includes four different holidays, is called "Golden Week". Many workers have up to 10 days off. There is also 'May sickness', where new students or workers start to be tired of their new routine. (In Japan the school year and fiscal year start on April 1.)
  • May 1
  • May 2
    • Anniversary of the Dos de Mayo Uprising (Community of Madrid, Spain)
    • Birth Anniversary of Third Druk Gyalpo (Bhutan)
    • Flag Day (Poland)
    • Indonesia National Education Day
  • May 3
    • Constitution Day (Poland)
    • Constitution Memorial Day (Japan)
    • Roodmas
    • Sun Day (International)
    • World Press Freedom Day
  • May 4
    • Anti-Bullying Day (United Nations)
    • Bird Day (United States)
    • Cassinga Day (Namibia)
    • Death of Milan Rastislav Štefánik Day (Slovakia)
    • Greenery Day (Japan)
    • International Firefighters' Day
    • May Fourth Movement commemorations:
      • Literary Day (Taiwan)
      • Youth Day (China)
    • Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled (Afghanistan)
    • Remembrance of the Dead (Netherlands)
    • Restoration of Independence day (Latvia)
    • Star Wars Day (International observance)
    • World Give Day
    • Youth Day (Fiji)
  • May 5
  • May 6
    • Martyrs' Day (Gabon)
    • Martyrs' Day (Lebanon and Syria)
    • International No Diet Day
    • Teachers' Day (Jamaica)
    • The first day of Hıdırellez (Turkey)
    • St George's Day related observances (Eastern Orthodox Church):
      • Day of Bravery, also known as Gergyovden (Bulgaria)
      • Đurđevdan (Gorani, Roma)
      • Police Day (Georgia)
      • Yuri's Day (Russian Orthodox Church)
  • May 7
    • Defender of the Fatherland Day (Kazakhstan)
    • Dien Bien Phu Victory Day (Vietnam)
    • Radio Day (Russia, Bulgaria)
  • May 8
    • Miguel Hidalgo's birthday (Mexico)
    • Parents' Day (South Korea)
    • Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War, continues to May 9
    • Truman Day (Missouri, United States)
    • White Lotus Day (Theosophy)
    • World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
    • Veterans Day (Norway)
    • VE Day in Western Europe. In Eastern Europe it is celebrated on May 9.
  • May 9
    • Anniversary of Dianetics (Church of Scientology)
    • Europe Day (European Union)
    • Liberation Day (Guernsey), commemorating the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II.
    • Liberation Day (Jersey), commemorating the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II.
    • Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War, continued from May 8.
    • Victory Day observances, celebration of the Soviet Union victory over Nazi Germany (Soviet Union, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan)
    • Victory Day over Nazism in World War II (Ukraine)
    • Victory and Peace Day (Armenia) marks both the capture of Shusha (1992) in the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, and the end of World War II.
  • May 10
    • Children's Day (Maldives)
    • Confederate Memorial Day (North Carolina and South Carolina)
    • Constitution Day (Federated States of Micronesia)
    • Golden Spike Day (1869 – Completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad – Promontory Summit, Utah)[38]
    • Independence Day (Romania), celebrating the declaration of independence of Romania from the Ottoman Empire in 1877.
    • Liberation Day (Sark), commemorating the end of the German occupation of the Channel Islands during World War II.
  • May 11
  • May 12
  • May 13
    • Abbotsbury Garland Day (Dorset, England)
    • Heroes' Day (Romania)
    • Rotuma Day (Rotuma, Fiji)
  • May 14
    • Hastings Banda's Birthday (Malawi)
    • First day of Izumo-taisha Shrine Grand Festival. (Izumo-taisha, Japan)
    • National Unification Day (Liberia)
  • May 15
    • Beginning of Tourette Syndrome awareness month. It ends on June 15
    • Army Day (Slovenia)
    • Constituent Assembly Day (Lithuania)
    • Independence Day (Paraguay)
    • International Day of Families
    • Nakba Day (Palestinian communities)
    • Peace Officers Memorial Day (United States)
    • Republic Day (Lithuania)
    • Saint Ubaldo Day
    • Teachers' Day (Colombia, Mexico, South Korea)
  • May 16
  • May 17
    • National Day Against Homophobia (Canada)
    • International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, also known as IDAHOT[39]
    • Birthday of the Raja (Perlis)
    • Children's Day (Norway)
    • Constitution Day (Nauru)
    • Galician Literature Day (Galicia (Spain))
    • World Hypertension Day
    • World Information Society Day
    • Liberation Day (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
    • Navy Day (Argentina)
    • Norwegian Constitution Day
  • May 18
    • Baltic Fleet Day (Russia)
    • Battle of Las Piedras Day (Uruguay)
    • Day of Remembrance of Crimean Tatar genocide (Ukraine)
    • Flag and Universities Day (Haiti)
    • Independence Day (Somaliland) (unrecognized)
    • International Museum Day
    • Mullivaikkal Remembrance Day (Sri Lankan Tamils)
    • Revival, Unity, and Poetry of Magtymguly Day (Turkmenistan)
    • Teacher's Day (Syria)
    • Victory Day (Sri Lanka)
    • World AIDS Vaccine Day
  • May 19
    • Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day (Turkey, Northern Cyprus)
    • Greek Genocide Remembrance Day (Greece)
    • Hồ Chí Minh's Birthday (Vietnam)
    • Malcolm X Day (United States of America)
    • National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
    • Hepatitis Testing Day (United States)
  • May 20
    • Day of Remembrance (Cambodia)
    • Emancipation Day (Florida)
    • European Maritime Day (European Council)
    • Independence Day (Cuba)
    • Independence Day, East Timor
    • Josephine Baker Day (NAACP)
    • National Awakening Day (Indonesia)
    • National Day (Cameroon)
    • World Metrology Day
  • May 21
    • Afro-Colombian Day (Colombia)
    • Circassian Day of Mourning (Circassians)
    • Day of Patriots and Military (Hungary)
    • Navy Day (Chile)
    • Saint Helena Day, celebrates the discovery of Saint Helena in 1502.
    • World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (International)
    • One of the three festivals of Vejovis (Roman Empire)
  • May 22
    • Abolition Day (Martinique)
    • Harvey Milk Day (California)
    • International Day for Biological Diversity (International)
    • National Maritime Day (United States)
    • National Sovereignty Day (Haiti)
    • Republic Day (Sri Lanka)
    • Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas from Myra to Bari (Ukraine)
    • Unity Day (Yemen)
    • World Goth Day
  • May 23
  • May 24
    • Feast of Mary Help of Christians (Roman Catholicism)
    • Aldersgate Day/Wesley Day (Methodism)
    • Battle of Pichincha Day (Ecuador)
    • Commonwealth Day (Belize)
    • Independence Day (Eritrea)
    • Lubiri Memorial Day (Buganda)
    • Saints Cyril and Methodius Day (Eastern Orthodox Church) and its related observance:
      • Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavonic Literature Day (Bulgaria)
      • Saints Cyril and Methodius, Slavonic Enlighteners' Day (North Macedonia)
  • May 25
    • Africa Day (African Union)
    • African Liberation Day (African Union)
    • Day of Youth
    • Geek Pride Day
    • Independence Day (Jordan)
    • Liberation Day (Lebanon)
    • May Revolution (or Revolución de Mayo), a national holiday in Argentina
    • International Missing Children's Day
    • Last bell (Russia, post-Soviet countries)
    • Liberation Day (Lebanon)
    • National Day (Argentina)
    • National Missing Children's Day (United States)
    • National Tap Dance Day (United States)
    • Towel Day
  • May 26
    • Crown Prince's Birthday (Denmark)
    • Independence Day (Guyana)
    • Independence Day (Georgia)
    • Mother's Day (Poland)
    • National Day of Healing (Australia)
    • National Paper Airplane Day (United States)
  • May 27
  • May 28
    • Armed Forces Day (Croatia)
    • Downfall of the Derg Day (Ethiopia)
    • Flag Day (Philippines) (Display of the flag in all places until June 12 is encouraged)
    • Independence Day (Armenia)
    • Republic Day (Nepal)
    • TDFR Republic Day
    • Youm-e-Takbir (Pakistan)
  • May 29
    • Army Day (Argentina)
    • International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers (International)
    • Oak Apple Day (England), and its related observance:
      • Castleton Garland Day (Castleton)
    • Statehood Day (Rhode Island and Wisconsin)
    • Veterans Day (Sweden)
    • World Digestive Health Day
  • May 30
    • Anguilla Day (Anguilla)
    • Canary Islands Day (Spain)
    • Indian Arrival Day (Trinidad and Tobago)
    • Lod Massacre Remembrance Day (Puerto Rico)
    • Mother's Day (Nicaragua)
    • Parliament Day (Croatia)
  • May 31

See also
  • List of historical anniversaries
  • May travel guide from Wikivoyage

References
Wikiquote has quotations related to May.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to May.
Look up May in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
  1. "Маевки". homofestivus.ru. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2015-05-15.
  2. "U101 College Search". shgresources.com. Archived from the original on 2012-09-11.
  3. 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.
  4. "Astrology Calendar", yourzodiacsign. Signs in UT/GMT for 1950–2030.
  5. "May is Better Hearing & Speech Month". asha.org.
  6. "Raise CF Awareness". cff.org. Archived from the original on 2014-04-19. Retrieved 2014-04-18.
  7. "What Can I Do for May Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month?". www.lifewitheds.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-20. Retrieved 2016-04-30.
  8. "May is Garden for Wildlife Month". nwf.org.
  9. "Raising awareness of Huntington's Disease".
  10. "International Mediterranean Diet Month". oldwayspt.org.
  11. Cactuslab. "NZ Music Month 2015 — Official Site". nzmusicmonth.co.nz.
  12. "National Pet Month – promoting responsible pet ownership across the UK". nationalpetmonth.org.uk.
  13. "Skin Cancer Awareness Month Reminder". skincancer.org. Archived from the original on 2015-05-11. Retrieved 2015-05-11.
  14. "World Trade Month". Archived from the original on 2014-07-21. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  15. Frank Ranieri. "Miles for Hope is now Brain Tumor Alliance". milesforhope.org. Archived from the original on 2013-04-15.
  16. "Hamburgers and Purifiers for All | we really do eat massive hamburgers!". Archived from the original on 2014-05-17. Retrieved 2014-05-28.
  17. "Denver's Best Burgers – Celebrate National Burger Month with the Mile High City's 25 tastiest beef-and-bun combos". 5280 Magazine. 5280 Magazine. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  18. "Community Action Awareness Month". nd.gov. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18.
  19. "Electrical Safety Foundation International". esfi.org.
  20. "National Foster Care Month 2015: Building Blocks Toward Permanent Families". childwelfare.gov.
  21. "National Golf Month at Mipins". nationalgolfmonth.com.
  22. "May is Hepatitis Awareness Month". cdc.gov. 2 April 2021.
  23. "NATIONAL MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH 2005". nmam.org. Archived from the original on 2008-09-14. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  24. McGuire, Holly; Keil, Kathryn (2010). Chase's 2010 Calendar of Events. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
  25. "National Osteoporosis Foundation". nof.org.
  26. "Stroke Awareness Resource Center". Stroke.org.
  27. "National Water Safety Month". nationalwatersafetymonth.org.
  28. GovTrack.us: Tracking the U.S. Congress
  29. "National Small Business Week Virtual Summit". National Small Business Week Virtual Summit. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  30. US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Social Media: Hurricane Preparedness Week, May 5-11, 2019". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  31. "New Zealand Sign Language Week". Archived from the original on 2018-05-06. Retrieved 2018-05-05.
  32. "green office week". US Forest Service. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  33. "Walk Safely to School Day, 2020". Walking SA. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  34. "EMS Week". www.acep.org. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  35. "2019 Greater Victoria Bike to Work Week". Go By Bike BC. Archived from the original on 2019-05-01. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  36. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Endangered Species Day". fws.gov. Archived from the original on 2015-05-09. Retrieved 2015-05-15.
  37. "NATIONAL PIZZA PARTY DAY – Third Friday in May". National Day Calendar.
  38. "Ceremony at "Wedding of the Rails," May 10, 1869 at Promontory Point, Utah". World Digital Library. 1869-05-10. Retrieved 2013-07-20.
  39. "IDAHOT Forum 2018 - Lisboa | From global to local politics: Equality everywhere, for everyone". www.cig.gov.pt. 10 February 2018. Retrieved 2019-12-14.
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