Summer Solstice Celebrations in the Baltics and Nordics
St John's Day in Northern Europe
As June draws on and the days get longer, we feel the summer solstice fast approaching. While the longest day and shortest night of the year are noted worldwide, in both the Baltics and Nordics, this time of year has a special significance. In fact, the midsummer rituals performed across northern Europe as part of St John's Day, on the 24th of June, make the day the second most important celebration after Christmas in the region, appealing to participants young and old in ancient summer solstice rituals with pagan roots that have morphed, changed, and developed into the well-loved celebration that can be witnessed today.
Want to find out more about St John's Day summer solstice celebrations? Then read on!
The Origins of St John the Baptist's Saint Day
Though each has its own traditions, similarities can be traced to how St John the Baptist's Saint Day is observed across the countries on Europe's northern edge. Originally pagan festivals held to mark the break between spring sowing and summer haymaking, in which rituals were performed to ensure bounteous crops, prosperity, and even fertility, these pagan summer solstice traditions had to be adapted when Christianity was adopted in the countries. As St John's Day falls only days from the summer solstice, the celebrations were held under his name and have endured to this day. Nowadays, several countries – Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, and Sweden – have a bank holiday to mark the occasion, while others – Denmark, Iceland, and Norway – hold celebrations on Saint John's Eve. Bonfires, garlands, and superstitions are central to modern-day festivities, most often held in the countryside. However, each country has its own unique way of marking the occasion.
St John's Day in the Baltics
A day filled with ancient beliefs, St John's Day in the Baltics was initially celebrated in many ways. From dancing around and even jumping over bonfires to fortune-telling rituals and practices to both bring good fortune and protect the year's harvest from "evil souls" and disastrous weather, the midsummer festivities were known as Rasos in Lithuania – the feast of the dews. And, in fact, dew played a central role in celebrations, used by farmers to brush the soil for good luck, to wash maiden's faces as they hoped to dream of their future husbands, and even to water cows to increase milk production. A significant time for unmarried women, they could be found throwing flower garlands (made up of at least 9 different flowers) at trees to predict when they would marry and even going in search of the elusive "fern flower," which was said to only bloom on St John's Eve.
Joninės in Lithuania
Modern-day summer solstice celebrations in Lithuania are still largely based on the original Rasos rituals, including making flower crowns, huge bonfires, folk dancing, and bidding farewell to the sun as it dips behind the horizon, torches in hand to the tune of traditional folklore music.
Līgo and Jāņi in Latvia
Latvia's summer solstice celebration is held over two bank holidays: Līgo, or midsummer night, on the 23rd of June, and Jāņi, or St John's Day in Latvian, on the 24th. Countless Latvian folksongs are linked to these two special days, as are myths involving witches coming alive and the importance of decorating themselves, their homes and even livestock in wreaths woven from seasonal flowers, nettles, and thistles. The only day of the year when boys could mingle with girls in the strict 18th and 19th centuries, today, Līgo is celebrated by eating and drinking, singing, and dancing around a bonfire and – crucially – staying awake all night, as superstition says that if you go to sleep before sunrise, you will sleep all summer long.
Jaanipäev in Estonia
In Estonia, St John's Day, or Jaanipäev, celebrations are actually considered more important than Christmas, having merged with Võidupüha (Victory Day), which marks the defeat of the German troops by Estonian forces during the War of Independence on the 23rd of June 1919. Also celebrated with bonfires, flower garlands, a search for the fern flower (as well as fireflies), lots of food and drink, and even saunas, the Estonian celebration hails the coming of summer while also being linked to the ideals of independence and freedom.
Summer Solstice in the Nordics
Much like the ancient summer solstice rituals in the Baltics, Scandinavians have been known to light fires to heal their pain and protect their souls on midsummer's eve for centuries. Though the day is no longer a bank holiday in Norway, Denmark, or Iceland, it certainly doesn't go uncelebrated, with bonfires, singing, eating, and drinking held on the 23rd of June or St John's Eve.
This is true of Danish Sankt Hans Aften, which involves burning paper witches on bonfires, and the Norwegian celebration, in which an old boat filled with burning materials is set on fire. Icelandic Jónsmessa is closely linked to superstitions, including that on this particular day, cows can talk, seals turn into humans, and magical stones are just waiting to be found, not to mention that rolling around in the dew naked will bring you good fortune – a practice that can still be observed to this day.
Finnish Juhannus
Finnish Juhannus has historically been held in honour of Ukko, the god of the sky, weather, harvest and thunder, for whom huge bonfires are burnt at lakesides, riversides, and by the sea. Observed on a Saturday between the 20th and 26th of June, the Finnish celebration also involves unmarried women, who may place seven flowers under their pillows to dream of their future husbands.
Midsommar in Sweden
Last but not least, the Swedish "Midsommar" festival of fertility and light defeating darkness is entirely different, held on a Friday between the 19th and 25th of June and involving a maypole. Rather than a nighttime celebration, Swedes prefer a long lunch with pickled herring with new potatoes, chives, and sour cream, followed by lots of schnapps and dancing.
Observed across the Baltics and Nordics, St John's Day is certainly not to be missed in all its dimensions, so wherever you may be celebrating, a very happy St John’s Day or Eve, and may your summer be filled with joy and happiness!