Walpurgis Night

noun

1. (especially in medieval German folklore) the evening preceding the feast day of St. Walpurgis, when witches congregated, especially on the Brocken.

Walpurgis Night

/ vælˈpʊəɡɪs /

noun

1. the eve of May 1, believed in German folklore to be the night of a witches' sabbath on the Brocken, in the Harz Mountains

Word History and Origins

Origin of Walpurgis Night¹

C19: translation of German Walpurgisnacht, the eve of the feast day of St Walpurga, 8th-century abbess in Germany

Example Sentences

Tens of thousands of people typically travel to the Swedish city of Lund in celebration of Walpurgis Night, a festival that also sees parties and bonfires scattered across Europe.

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Tens of thousands of people usually descend on southern city to celebrate Walpurgis Night, which is marked across Scandinavia.

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Walpurgis Night, celebrated on 30 April, is widely marked across central and northern Europe with parties and bonfires.

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A life-size marble sculpture called Witch Doing Her Toilette on Walpurgis Night caused a sensation when first exhibited in Vienna in 1896.

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Also on the program, titled “Mischief, Mischief and More Mischief,” is the decadent “Walpurgis Night” and “Harlequinade,” a comedic romp starring sly commedia dell’arte characters.

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