Its ancient name – the Month of Pentecost – derives from the most important holiday of the month. The first day of the month is an ancient spring holiday, the day of the May feast, and Maypole elevation. In the old days, this beautifully decorated slender tree was raised by boys for the girl they pleased or wanted to pay court to.
May 4 is St. Florian's Day. The statue of the patron saint of firefighters and chimney sweeps can be found in many villages in Rye Island. The belief holds that beans or peas planted at Florian’s time do not bear fruit. The corn planted on this day however, grows abundantly.
In May, the so-called Ice Saints line up one after the other, what most often results in unusually cold May days. Their line is be opened by Pongrác on May 12 (St. Pancras), followed by Szervác (St. Servatius), Bonifác (St. Mamertus or, in some countries, St. Boniface of Tarsus) and the only woman, Zsófia (St. Sophia). The period closes on May 25 with Orbán (St. Urban), the patron of grapes.
The Feast of Pentecost falls on the fiftieth day after Easter. According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit descended on this day to the believers in Jerusalem to fill them with the power of God. Pentecost was one of the most significant spring holidays in the Hungarian folk tradition. On Rye Island, the walk of the Queen of Pentecost and the custom of the Pentecost feast were connected to it. At this time of the year, girls dressed in white, and visited the village with a puppet which they named as queen, and they sang and danced, while collecting donations.
King of Pentecost competitions were common in many parts of Europe. The bachelor, who had stood and won the different skill tests, was chosen as king on Rye Island as well, and his kingdom lasted for a whole standing year. During this time, no punishment could be imposed on him, and as the leader or judge of bachelors, he was invited to all parties.
