While full moons may have been celebrated in ancient times, there is little to no record of a specific festival or observance for these lunar events (unlike Noumenia, etc.)

The traditions, alignments, and recommendations for our Full Moon Festivals come from a variety of places - not all of which are Hellenic in nature. Our Full Moon Festivals are also inspired by the local flora and fauna of South Carolina (where our Temple is located) as well as from other pagan and neo-pagan Full Moon traditions.

The Firefly Moon is named in honor of the Lampyridae (commonly known as fireflies or lightning-bugs), an amazing creature that brings light to the dusk of warm summer nights. Typically appearing from late Heraios to late Ilaios (source: Farmers Almanac), these beetles shine the brightest on warm humid nights. In parts of northern Italy, researchers believe fireflies were seen as a symbol of hope, as well as protection from the dark (source: Owlcation). Every year, Congaree Park in Richland County, South Carolina hosts an event called 'Synchronous Fireflies at Congaree' - where for approximately two weeks park visitors can observe the synchronous flashing of the mating fireflies (source: National Park Service)

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Ilaios is also the month in which we honor Prince Hyacinthus, lover of Lord Apollo. In this, The Firefly Moon reminds us of the beauty of queer love. Amazing strides have been made in queer justice over the past 20 years, but there is still work to be done to create safety and security for LGBTQ+ people (both in the United States and around the world). Queer activism honors Prince Hyacinthus, and June is a perfect month to get out and organize these efforts.