SAINT JOHN'S EVE: FIRES, DANCES & SUMMER SOLSTICE

Bonfire in Inis Meain, Aran Islands, Ireland

When the sun sets on 23 June, Saint John's Eve, is the eve of celebration before the Feast Day of Saint John the Baptist. The Gospel of Luke (Luke 1:36, 56–57) states that John was born about six months before Jesus; therefore, the feast of John the Baptist was fixed on 24 June, six months before Christmas Eve. 

This feast day is one of the very few saints' days which commemorates the anniversary of the birth, rather than the death, of the saint being honored.

The Feast of Saint John closely coincides with the June solstice, also referred to as Midsummer in the Northern hemisphere. The Christian holy day is fixed at 24 June; but in most countries festivities are mostly held the night before, on Saint John's Eve.

More information: Saint John's Eve in Old Ireland

In Croatia, the feast is called Ivanje, Ivan being Croatian for John. It is celebrated on June 23, mostly in rural areas. Festivals celebrating Ivanje are held across the country. According to the tradition, bonfires, Ivanjski krijesovi are built on the shores of lakes, near rivers or on the beaches for the young people to jump over the flames.

Saint John's Eve in Denmark

In Denmark, people meet with family and friends to have dinner together. If the weather is good, they then proceed to a local bonfire venue. Here the bonfire with the effigy of a witch on top is lit around 10 pm. Beforehand, a bonfire speech is often made, at large events normally by a well-known person. According to popular belief, St John’s Eve was charged with a special power where evil forces were also at work. People believed that the witches flew past on their broomsticks on their way to the Brocken. To keep the evil forces away, the bonfires were usually lit on high ground. Placing a witch, made of old clothes stuffed with hay, on the bonfire is a tradition which did not become common until the 20th century.

More information: The Official Website of Denmark

In some rural parts of Ireland, particularly in the north-west, Bonfire Night is held on St. John's Eve, when bonfires are lit on hilltops. Many towns and cities have Midsummer Carnivals, with fairs, concerts and fireworks, around the same time. In County Cork in southwest Ireland the night is commonly referred to as bonfire night and is among the busiest nights of the year for the fire services.

Saint John's Eve in Durro, Alta Ribagorça

In the Catalan and Aranese Countries bonfires are lit and a set of firework displays usually takes place, especially in Catalonia and Valencian Country, where special foods, such as Coca de Sant Joan, are also served on this occasion. One of the centers of the festival is in Ciutadella, Menorca, but many different cities and towns have their own unique traditions associated with the festival. In the Pyrenees, people carries torches across the mountains and held a Bonfire in the squares of every town. This feast is recognized as a UNESCO Intangible cultural heritage. Moreover, a flame is lit in Canigo Mountain and runs across all the Catalan spoken lands. 

More information: Vall de Boí

Science and technology revolutionize our lives, but memory, tradition and myth frame our response. 

Arthur M. Schlesinger