Belanus

The word Bel means “to shine” or “brilliant”; Belanus is represented as a sun god, and would have been invoked during times of war to insure that the fiercest, bravest battles fought were also won. Battle was the equivalent of a warrior’s greatest and most “shining” moment, so out of all the Celtic gods and goddesses Belanus would likely be one of the most revered. He would be called upon to fight at a warrior’s side – passing his god strength on to the warrior until victory was achieved. There are also some schools of thought that Belanus was also a god of higher reasoning. The translation of the name Belanus (shining or to shine) gives rise to the belief that this god may bring about enlightenment if called upon. More likely, the shine of this god was seen in the height of tribal warfare when Celtic warriors were enmeshed in battle-frenzied combat.