Saint John festivity
The Fiesta de San Juan, also called Vespera de San Juan or Night of San Juan, is the eve of the celebration prior to the Christian festival of the birth of Saint John the Baptist on June 24. Some link the festivity or some of its celebrations to rites of pagan origin prior to or alien to Christianity (Litha), reminiscent of human sacrifices. In European-Mediterranean countries, bonfires are usually a common element.
This celebration of Saint John the Baptist occurs because he is the saint who is next to the baby Jesus and the only one whose birth is celebrated, during the night of the 23rd you can see beautiful altars where they show the saint and accompanied by many drumbeats and spirits they start the festivity. On the morning of the 24th, the saint is taken from the place where he was kept for a year and is carried on the head or on the shoulders of the person who is named his guardian, who in this case is the owner of the place where he was kept, it is a journey that is done throughout the town or community where they hold the celebration until they reach the church where they culminate with the celebration of a mass and the fabulous beating of the drums. The faithful wait at nightfall to perform some rituals that give prominence to the day, one of them is to cut their hair so that it grows stronger, another is to place an egg in a glass of water and thus have knowledge of their future. It is also said that on that day the water acquires beneficial properties, the plants miraculous and healing qualities and as well as other ceremonies that are performed by believers with great faith, then the saint is left in the church and the people dedicate themselves to celebrating the whole night under the beat of drums.
Another celebration is that of San Juan Congo despite not being registered in the calendar of Catholic festivities eight days after the feast of San Juan, In some communities they celebrate the day of the also known San Juan Guaricongo. His well-known couplet: San Juan Guaricongo, head, take off your cap, go dance.
The arrival of the summer solstice is celebrated throughout the Spanish geography with ancestral rites and traditions. Some think that San Juan is the shortest night of the year (in the northern hemisphere) or the longest (in the south); although this usually happens on June 21; The party stretched out in cities until dawn. The night of San Juan has acquired the magic of the ancient pagan festivals that were organized with the summer solstice.
The origin of this custom is associated with the celebrations in which the arrival of the summer solstice was celebrated, on June 21 in the northern hemisphere, whose main rite consists of lighting a bonfire. The purpose of this rite was to "give more strength to the sun", which from those days was becoming "weaker" “The days are getting shorter until the winter solstice. Symbolically, fire also has a "purifying" on the people who were looking at it.
It is celebrated in many parts of Europe, although it is especially rooted in England (Midsummer or St. John's Eve), Ireland, Spain, Portugal (fogueiras de São João), Norway (Jonsok), Denmark (Sankthans), Sweden (Midsommar), Finland (Juhannus), Estonia (Jaanipäev). In South America (where it approaches the winter solstice) it is celebrated especially in the northeast of Argentina, Brazil (it has Festas Juninas), Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, where the night of San Juan is likewise related to ancient Spanish traditions and legends such as the Legend of the Enchanted.
The Christian feast of Saint John is on June 24, six months before the eve of Jesus' birth, which is December 24. These six months are the difference that the gospels indicate between one birth and another. However, three days apart from both dates with both solstices makes it unreasonable to assign this festival to the solstice, and scholars favor the fact that December 25, the birth of Jesus, is more reasonably associated with the celebration. Jewish Hanukkah or dedication of the Temple (Jesus was the new Temple for Christians). According to this reasoning, the feast of San Juan would have nothing to do with the pagan celebrations of the summer solstice. A difference of 3 days is too much margin for the astronomical knowledge of any time that we consider.
In many places there is no doubt that current celebrations have a direct connection with ancient celebrations linked to the summer solstice, influenced by pre-Christian rites or simply linked to the cycles of nature. However, in other places (for example, Spain and Portugal) the existence of a link between the celebrations of the summer solstice (in the northern hemisphere) that takes place on June 20-21 and the celebrations of the day of San Juan (on June 24) vary depending on the dates, the discontinuity in the celebration, the traditions and customs or the break with the pre-Christian past that was the long period of Muslim domination in the Iberian Peninsula, which would make any link with pagan cults impossible. of a holiday linked to Christianity. Despite this, common elements are observed, such as the making of bonfires in the streets and squares of the towns where family and friends gather.
The linking of the rites linked to the summer solstice with another popular and fairly widespread celebration of the month of June, the "verbenas de San Pedro" (June 29, the day that the Christian saints give to the first pope), is even less clear.
Dispute over date
In those places where the celebration is linked to the feast of San Juan (June 24) and not to the astronomical ephemeris of the summer solstice (June 21-22) there is a dispute about which is the authentic "night of San Juan". Although it is possible to understand that from 0:00 hours it is already the 'day of San Juan' and, therefore (since it is night in areas far from the arctic polar circle) those first hours can be longer than usual is to understand that the night of a certain day does not refer to the first hours of it, but to the last, once the Sun has set. This is also reinforced by the traditional use of the concept of "night" where "Monday night" It is the one that goes from Monday to Tuesday and not the one from Sunday to Monday. This different interpretation means that in some regions (eg Almería, La Coruña or Barcelona) the celebrations take place on the night of June 23 to 24, while others on the night of 24 to 25 (eg Alicante Bonfires).. On the other hand, it is not surprising that in some parts the celebration extends to two nights depending on the festive spirit of each site and place in the jungle. On the night of San Juan, Satanic rituals are performed.
Spain
Andalusia
In some cities in the province of Cádiz, rag dolls called juanes are burned. Bonfires are also made on the beaches, fireworks are thrown and festivals are set up during part of the night.
In Isla Cristina and other points along the Huelva coast, this festival is celebrated with the more common name of San Juan bonfires.
In Almería, the day after the night of San Juan is a local holiday, and as in Malaga, it consists of a very popular festival that is celebrated with moragas, stoves and bonfires on the beach All night long. It has also become a tradition to bathe on the beach or at least wet your face, eyes, feet and hands when it strikes midnight, hoping to wake up more beautiful the next day. In addition, in Malaga, rag dolls called júas are burned.
The Water and Ham Festival (celebrated on June 24) is the main festival in Lanjarón (Granada) and takes place every year on the weekend closest to June 24 and lasts about 5 or 6 days, depending on the planned activities. The central events, however, are two: the so-called Carrera del Agua and La Pública.
The Water Race takes place at midnight in San Juan, from 0:00 to 1:00, and it is when all the inhabitants and visitors of the town walk a kilometer and a half of its streets, getting wet with whatever they find: buckets, hoses, water pistols, etc., in addition to the water that rains on them from the balconies and roofs thrown by the neighbors who do not participate in the race itself.
In Motril and Salobreña, bonfires are lit on the beach and camping is allowed, 3 wishes are made written on paper over the fire and 3 negative things are thrown into the sea so that the tide will carry them away. The women wash their faces with sea water and rose petals in the morning to be more beautiful the rest of the year.
In Algeciras, it has been a tradition for years to go to the beaches on June 23 before midnight, where the residents take and install the traditional rag dolls called juanillos on the beaches of El Rinconcillo and Getares, which burn at midnight of that day with secret desires hidden inside, thus receiving the day of San Juan, with abundant bonfires on the coast of the Bay of Algeciras. The atmosphere on the beaches is pleasant, with gatherings of friends on the sand and family along the promenades, even being celebrated with numerous fireworks in a night full of magic, wishes and bonfires.
Also in La Línea de la Concepción the "Juanillos" are common. Specifically on the beaches of San Bernardo, El Castillo and Atunara, where thousands of residents come to see the candles and where many daredevils even go for a night bath.
In Conil de la Frontera, to the activity that consists of the burning of "Juan and Juana", they are also known as the Juanillos, rag dolls that represent a man and a woman, which are placed in a structure created based on pallets, wood and dry Pita branches. On this festivity, a contest is held among the citizens who participate in the creation and burning of these dolls, looking for the best bonfire in San Juan.
There are many customs and rituals that revolve around this festivity, and many are the beliefs that are related to this magical night; Among the accounting traditions we can highlight the one that says that:
At the moment the sun illuminates the dawn of the 24th, the waters of fountains and streams are charged with special powers to heal and provide protection to people. Whoever bathes in the dew that falls that night will be protected throughout the year. Going naked with your back to the sea looking at the moon will allow whoever does it to work throughout the year with good luck and certain wonders. Making wishes by jumping through the bonfires is another of the most emblematic and popular customs. Throwing objects that bring back bad memories or letters with the list of fears and the people you want to get rid of on your side. A ritual widely used to obtain luck and a balanced conscience.
Aragon
In Aragon it is celebrated with bonfires in different parts of the geography, moonlight baths in rivers and lakes. In the Aragonese Pyrenees the tradition of lighting the fallas is shared with Andorra, France and Catalonia.
In the town of El Pobo (Teruel) the arrival of the summer solstice is celebrated with the celebration of a festival at more than 1400 meters of altitude, called Poborina Folk https://www.poborinafolk.es/.[citation required]
Asturias
In Asturias, this night receives the traditional name of "Nueche de San Xuan" and in it "les fogueres" are burned. The most famous bonfire is that of Mieres, which burns in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento of said city. The one of Langreo, celebrated in the district of Sama and whose bonfire is installed in the middle of the Nalón river, is also somewhat renowned; and the one held in the municipality of Corvera that includes the celebration of a Celtic Night with a concert by various folk music groups. The bonfires that are celebrated in Playa Poniente de Gijón and in Playa del Arbeyal Gijón are also very crowded. All of them are enlivened by musical groups and have fireworks and the typical "espichas" Asturians with the consumption of cider.
In Asturias as a Celtic people, in addition to the cult of the Sun, the cult of water is celebrated. On the night of San Juan, at twelve o'clock, people bathe in the water of the fountains, rivers or beaches, with the belief that on that night the fields, mountains, rivers, streams and fountains will be blessed and the water it will bring you health and protect you from disease.
On this night, a special cult is also rendered to the beings of Asturian mythology, such as xanas, goblins or cuélebres.
Balearic Islands
In Menorca it is a tradition that has been celebrated since the XIV century in Ciudadela and throughout the summer, similar festivals in the rest of the municipalities, whose main protagonist is the horse. The riders or caixers, dressed in black and white, ride their horses through the streets of the town, until once everyone is collected and after mass, the traditional jaleo is celebrated (not to be confused with flamenco singing and dancing). In the ruckus the caixers enter the town square and pass through the crowd demonstrating their skills and making the horses jump to the rhythm of the typical songs of these festivals, especially a jota well known in the region which is performed by a local music band. The rowdy crowd makes the equids jump as a symbol of power and nobility.
Once the traditional ruckus of the second day is over, the authorities hand out the reeds, and the caixers re-enter the square making the horses jump and finally say goodbye. After having finished the jaleo and "ses canyes", the music band begins to play typical songs from Menorca or songs that were widely listened to in their time.
The drink that is drunk at parties is the Gin with Llimonada, in Ciudadela and the ointment in the rest of the towns. They are almost the same, but with different names highly respected by citizens. This drink is a mix of Gin from Menorca with lemonade.
In Mallorca, Formentera and Ibiza, bonfires are organized in the squares and there is no shortage of music and dances, which fill those gathered with joy. The magic hour is twelve, the time to join the purification ritual by means of fire. According to tradition, something old or a piece of paper where we have written everything we would like to change has to be thrown into the fire. While burning in the flames, he jumps three times in a row. It is also common to do it on the beaches or coves where bonfires are made and at twelve o'clock, with your back turned, three coins are thrown into the sea, each coin is a wish.
Canary Islands
This festivity is celebrated throughout the archipelago on the night of June 23 and the early morning of June 24.
On the island of Tenerife, various San Juan festivals with a great tradition are celebrated: In Punta del Hidalgo, this festival is known by locals as San Juanito. Before dark, a group of young people picks up the image of the saint from the village church and carries it on their shoulders to a place on the seashore they call "el Güigo". Accompanied by local rondallas, on a pilgrimage walk, stopping to the rhythm of drinks of wine, this small image rests in the coastal hermitage. There the burning of bonfires is carried out while it gets dark between partying and spells. In Puerto de la Cruz the night of San Juan is also celebrated. The tradition consists of burning bonfires on the beach that is mixed with the decoration of the typical jets of the municipality (public fountains) with plant elements: fruits, vegetables, palms, flowers. For many years, Playa Jardín has celebrated a concert with a subsequent fireworks display in commemoration of this day. On the same day as San Juan, the morning of June 24, the so-called bathing of the goats takes place in the fishing pier of the tourist city in the north of Tenerife. Also on this island, the one that is celebrated on Playa de las Teresitas in Santa Cruz de Tenerife stands out, with people coming from all over the island.
It is a great tradition on the island of Gran Canaria and especially in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, as the city was founded on Saint John's Day in 1478 and usually has events planned to celebrate it all week. In addition to the bonfires on the beaches, especially on Playa de Las Canteras where thousands of people congregate, being one of the most massive parties in the archipelago, neighborhoods and towns, a free concert is organized near the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium, in the open air and a great display of fireworks at Playa de las Canteras. San Juan's day is a holiday in the city.
Cantabria
In Cantabria, the typical ancestral practices of this magical night are still preserved: jumping over the bonfires, stepping on the still-hot ashes, dancing around them, making the "cabana" pass next to them, or carry the fire through the farm fields of the town to purify the harvest.
Traditionally, during the development of this festival it was used to court the "mozucas" of each one of the towns, since there was the custom of "enramar", placing poplar or alder branches with a beautiful image in the window of that girl who wanted to be honored, being interesting the disputes between the young women for who of them had the bouquet more beautiful; Furthermore, the floral ritual does not end there, but rather a large bouquet or even a tree used to be placed in the center of town, in the style of the celebration of the Fiesta de la Maya (today held in Pujayo, Silió or Tresviso).
It is a night in which the legends of La Montaña tell that the “Caballucos del Diablo” appear. These legends give these characters the ability to spoil the party for the dancers and those who gather around the fire. They are three winged horses that swiftly, quickly and unpredictably glide through the skies bellowing terribly and terrifying everyone they meet. Their "jet manes," as A. G. Lomas says, are drawn in the air and vanish in the nocturnal mist. Through their mouths they launch flames causing destruction and chaos. There is only one solution to prevent them from falling on someone and giving them bad luck for the whole year: a four-leaf clover. This plant has to be searched for, as there are few of them, since the night before the horses have grazed on all the ones they have found, although they can never finish with them. If you get the precious amulet you will be able to go out to enjoy the party without any fear, for this reason the waiters carefully look for "la verbena" or "yerbuca de San Juan". There are not few people who still look for the dew of this early morning to walk barefoot on it and achieve health. «If you cut the yerbuca de San Juan you will get rid of snakes and all evil». In Cantabria, among others, the Festivities of San Juan de Los Corrales de Buelna and those of San Juan de la Canal stand out.
Castile and Leon
In the Castilian and Leonese community, the Feast of San Juan is important within the festivities of San Juan and San Pedro de León, the Festivities of San Juan or of the Madre de Dios of Soria that were declared of International Tourist Interest.
In the city of Burgos, the festivals of San Pedro and San Pablo, the major festivals, are celebrated. Several San Juan bonfires are also lit.
In the province of León, the legend of La Encantada is deeply rooted, in León it is also known as Xana, especially in its mountain areas. In many towns in his province, the night honors this and other legends, such as the Magical Night of Balboa. In the province of Salamanca there are popular festivals in the region of "El Rebollar": Navasfrías, Robleda and El Payo celebrate festivals, running of the bulls and capeas among other activities. In Hinojosa de Duero, the traditional flag dance is celebrated as part of the patron saint festival program. In the provincial capital it is a festival that is well established in some neighborhoods such as El zurguén or prosperidad, where bonfires are organized.
In the province of Palencia, in the town of Velilla del Río Carrión, nestled in the magical spot of Fuentes Tamáricas (La Reana), the traditional bonfire is celebrated on the night of June 23, initiating the burning with ancient rites of the fire of Celtic tradition. Likewise, during days 23 and 24 you can attend the tamarin market.
In Zamora, the San Pedro Festivities are celebrated with the Garlic Fair and the Popular Ceramics and Pottery Fair and various activities.
In Segovia, the Fiestas of San Juan and San Pedro are also celebrated.
In the province of Soria, in the town of San Pedro Manrique, the Paso del Fuego is celebrated at midnight. The San Pedranos cross barefoot, without burning themselves, a path of incandescent embers arranged as a carpet.
In Valladolid, the night of San Juan has a great tradition, most of it being on Las Moreras beach, where people gather around the bonfires and throw their wishes written down on a piece of paper into them. The celebration is livened up with concerts and gastronomic booths.
Castile-La Mancha
In Albacete, on the days before June 24, the feast of San Juan Bautista, patron saint of Albacete, festivities are celebrated in his honor. These are accompanied by cultural, sports and leisure activities in various parts of the city.
The high point of the festivities takes place on June 24 and its eve, the night of San Juan (June 23-24). That night the torchlight parade takes place from the Town Hall to the Ejidos de la Feria, where the Bonfire of San Juan is set on fire, where old belongings and junk are burned. This is followed by a large fireworks display and a festival at the Fairgrounds.
Finally, on the 24th a pilgrimage takes place in which San Juan is moved from the Cathedral to the Parque de la Fiesta del Árbol.
Catalonia
In Catalonia it is called the Revetlla de Sant Joan, the Nit del Foc, the Nit de les Bruixes or the Nit del Ros.
The flame of the Canigó stands out, which descends to hundreds of towns to light the bonfires. Gastronomically they usually accompany family gatherings at dusk with coca de San Juan, recapte or chicharrones. Numerous orchestras liven up the different neighborhoods of the city, firecrackers are thrown and there are also numerous parties on the beach until the wee hours of the morning.
Valencian Community
Alicante Bonfires
History
This festival dates back to the times when the Alicante farmers celebrated the longest day of the year for harvesting the crops and the shortest night for the destruction of evils (note: actually the longest night short of the year is the one that takes place between June 20 and 21). This tradition soon spread to the city of Alicante, so the mayor ordered a proclamation to be communicated in which it was said:
- "...they don't turn fires on the streets, no less shoots or rockets are fired on St.John's night and successively, under a fine of 20 to 100 reais. "
But in 1881, an oversight by the town hall prevented the proclamation from being published. Taking advantage of this, the residents of Alicante grouped themselves by streets instituting "street parties", in which there were games, music and the first ninots began to be created that represented a person who was criticized. And in 1928, the first official festival of the city of Alicante took place, in which the figure of José María Py, the main diffuser of the Bonfires, stood out and said:
- "The Hogueras of Alicante are well known for their tradition since ancient times, we should the alicantinos give them that same character that has been given to the Valencian Falls."
This idea aimed at attracting tourism, as in Valencia, led to the organization of the first Bonfires of San Juan that same year, allowed by the City Council. Starting in 1932, the commissions created the maximum representation in this party; "The Beauty of Fire" (Bellea del foc), maximum charge on each commission. Each commission has a "Beauty" (Bellea), among which the maximum representative is chosen.
The last bonfire festivals in the period of the Spanish Civil War were celebrated in 1936, recovering in 1939 with the planting of a single bonfire. From 1940 the party would take off again.
Celebration
The Bonfires of San Juan are the official festivals of the city of Alicante (Spain) and have been declared of International Tourist Interest. Its origins are remote but it is in 1928 when the festivities take their current characteristics. Its greatest promoter at that time was José María Py, a man from Cádiz who, after living twenty-five years in Valencia, moved to Alicante and institutionalized the festival in the style of the Valencian Fallas.
The festivities begin with the proclamation, which takes place on the first Friday in June. From June 14 to 20 the "bonfires" which are artistic monuments made of wood, cardboard, cork and paint that contain a deep satirical charge. Four days later they are burned after launching a monumental fireworks palm tree from Mount Benacantil, where the Castillo de Santa Bárbara is located, and which is visible from practically anywhere in the city. Each Bonfire represents a street, area or neighborhood of the city.
During the holidays there is an extensive program of events such as parades, parades, awakenings, parades, flower offerings to the patron saint of Alicante, the Virgen del Remedio, bullfights, mascletás, musical performances, sports championships, etc.. The party is lived in the street, where people can eat and dance in the "barracas" and "racós", and taste the traditional coca amb tonyina (coca with tuna) and bacores (brevas). The party has its highest representative, the Bellea del Foc, chosen from among the "Bellezas" from each of the 90 foguerile districts.
The Bonfires are burned in Alicante on the night of June 24, the night of Saint John's Day (unlike other places in Spain where the traditional burning of bonfires occurs on the night of June 23). Due to the heat of the date and the fire, it is a common practice for the firefighters who control the evolution of the fire to wet the assistants who request it with water from their hoses, in what is known as banyà.
- In addition to the festival of bonfires in other locations such as Torrevieja, Guardamar del Segura, Javea, Denia, the Raval de San Juan de Elche, Benidorm or San Juan de Alicante.
- Similar celebrations are also held in honor of St. John the Baptist in the Villenary School of La Encina, but it is called flaws (by influence of Valencia), although the queens and ladies of the parties wear the typical alicantine costume.
Extremadura
In Coria, province of Cáceres, the sanjuanes are celebrated, declared a Festival of National Tourist Interest in 1976, with the release of bulls through the streets. These festivities have aroused criticism from different environmental associations.
In the region of Olivenza, province of Badajoz, the so-called Mastros are celebrated in towns such as in Alconchel or Cheles, Las Muñecas in the town of Olivenza and the Juanes or Juanitos in the towns of Higuera de Vargas or Villanueva del Fresno. On the night of San Juan these mastros are burned (dolls made of straw, rags or paper that are later burned at the stake). It goes back to the cult of the Sun and the dolls are used to burn all the bad things of the past year.
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For its part, in Badajoz, the festival of San Juan which is the core of the Fair of the provincial capital (Feria de San Juan de Badajoz). The traditional burning of a fireworks display on the banks of the Guadiana river is especially noteworthy.
Large Elephant and Pink
Galicia
In Galicia, due to its Celtic culture, people worship fire (bonfires), water (sacred baths), and herbs (herbs of St. John). In this autonomous community, the festivity oriented to the summer solstice prevails, and the variants related to Celtic mythology.
A Coruña
In the city of La Coruña, the festival has achieved the merit of being considered a Festival of International Tourist Interest. The entire city takes to the streets to celebrate its most magical night, being able to find bonfires in all the neighborhoods of La Coruña, with the large concentration of people on the Riazor and Orzán beaches, in the heart of the city, being of special relevance. The people of A Coruña celebrate the arrival of summer with a multitude of bonfires, sardinadas and a good atmosphere in a festival that each year attracts a greater number of tourists, mainly nationals, who are attracted by this festive atmosphere, by the festivals and the fireworks that take place. launched from the esplanade of Las Esclavas.
Bonfires of San Juan in Galicia
Throughout Galicia, the night of the summer solstice has been celebrated since time immemorial, established since Christianity on the night of Saint John with rites linked to fertility and purification. All Galicia burns on this night from north to south and from east to west. They get up "cacharelas" or "lumeiradas" (bonfires) in each house; each parish and each neighborhood. The view from the air is of thousands of tiny points scattered throughout the territory.
It is said that on that magical night the world beyond communicates with the world here, and that all kinds of beings easily dwell on earth. It is time to scare away evil spirits: In San Juan witches and witches will flee (In San Xoán witches and witches fuxirán).
The bonfires are lit on the 24th, that is, after midnight. Protection and good luck are attributed to the fact of jumping nine times a bonfire that night (according to the populations, the number varies). Also nine times it was necessary to receive waves in La Lanzada, to increase female fertility.
It is important to mention the bonfires on the Isla de Arosa since every year on this solstice more than 50 bonfires are lit in the place, with a festive atmosphere the beautiful white sand beaches are filled with people in the orange light of the fire. At night, aromatic plants of various kinds are collected and left in water to be washed the following morning; therapeutic and cleansing properties are attributed to it. Making drawings or stains that night also had a clairvoyant character, and also in that sense, going to bed with a bunch of St. John's herbs meant that the next day you woke up, you would know the identity of your future couple.
The typical food that evening is cachelos (cooked potatoes with their skin on, which is later removed) and grilled sardines. The typical drink is the "Queimada", a drink prepared with a brandy base with fruits and a lot of sugar that is burned in a kettle while a spell is recited during the preparation. Other typical desserts are the "filloas", the "orellas de frade", and the chulas. It is a festival spread throughout the coast and practically all of Galicia.
Community of Madrid
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In the city of Madrid, the festival of San Juan stood out, after the San Antonio de la Florida, which is celebrated in the first half of July. Currently it is not celebrated as such, although bonfires are celebrated in some neighborhoods. On the other hand, it is worth mentioning the celebrations in Tres Cantos, which coincide with the popular festivals of the municipality; and in other cities such as Alcorcón, Leganés and Alcobendas, or the festivals of the Juan de Austria neighborhood (district V) of Alcalá de Henares, whose bonfire is fed with the theatrical sets of the Clásicos en Alcalá festival, which is held in June.
La Rioja
Day of San Juan and San Vicente de la Sonsierra
On June 24, in the Barrio de San Juan or Barrio Abajo in San Vicente de la Sonsierra they celebrate making big bonfires and other smaller ones for the little ones. There is also chocolate and music to liven up the party. At night they have dinner together with everyone from the neighborhood.[citation required]
Fiestas of San Juan de Nájera
From June 24 to 29, these festivities are celebrated, the most popular in Nájera. The most striking and massive event are the "Vueltas" in which thousands of people take to the streets to sing and dance to the sound of a brass band, recalling the accompaniment that was given to the Elizabethan troops when they returned from a victory over the Carlists. They are one of the most massive parties in the entire La Rioja community.
Basque Country
Toulouse
In the town of Tolosa (Guipúzcoa) the festivities of San Juan are its patronal festival, on the 23rd at 12:00 the "chupinazo" (traditional/typical beginning in the festivities of the towns of Navarra and the Basque Country) and at night the traditional bonfires are celebrated. The 24th is the big day of the festivities, first thing in the morning the different gastronomic societies of the city prepare lunches for the gunmen, dantzaris, musicians (bagpipers, txistularis, etc.) and the troupe of giants among other groups. At 10:30 a.m. part of the procession arrives at Plaza Zaharra (church square) and waits for the mass to come out. At 11:00 a.m. the mass ends, and the image of San Juan is taken out and placed under the main gate frame. First, the troupe of giants offers her their most beautiful dance in their repertoire; to the sound of the pipers and the municipal band, then the dantzaris offer him the Bordón dance, and finally the gunmen pass the general review (all shoot at the sky at the same time under the signal of the teacher). Then begins the tour that will cross the most iconic streets of Tolosa, until returning to the starting point. Finally, the procession goes to the town hall square, where the giants will dance, and the gunmen will review once more.
In America
Practically throughout Latin America the Night of San Juan is celebrated following the practices carried out by the Spanish and Portuguese and other European migrants (mainly Italians and Germans), in certain areas syncretized with indigenous and even Afro elements. In the territories where the population of European origin is the majority, the rituals are more similar to those of Europe with less influence from indigenous cultures.
Because in the southern hemisphere, most of South America lies south of the equator, the days around June 21 (austral winter solstice) of the celebration are the shortest of the year. For this reason, the Mapuche festivity called We Tripantu corresponds to the new year. In general, it is a mixture of indigenous celebrations influenced by Christian-Spanish customs, giving rise to a large number of rites and traditions, such as seeing a fig tree bloom and hiding three potatoes for luck.
Argentina
The night of San Juan is celebrated on June 24, the date on which the southern winter solstice occurs (inversely than in Europe), during which time bonfires are lit in the neighborhoods or towns (many times called bonfires and other times judas when there is an effigy in the bonfire), around such bonfires mainly children and young people gather; it has been tradition to cook potatoes or sweet potatoes (locally called "potatoes" and "batatas" respectively) in the same and also to jump over such stoves.[citation needed]
On June 20, 1994, the Bonfire of San Juan began to take place in the town of Los Cardales, province of Buenos Aires, carried out by a group of neighbors. People or institutions and businesses, prepare dolls representing feelings in them to burn in the great bonfire at night. Activities also include a marathon, recreational activities, and plaza and food games.
In the province of Salta, this Fiesta is also celebrated in honor of San Juan. As a Salta newspaper describes: "The day of San Juan is celebrated in the suburbs of the city and in the countryside with a lot of noise. They make large hearths out of corn straw around which boys, girls and men crowd together to shout ¡Viva San Juan! and to jump over the stove burning rockets and firing shotgun salutes."
It is also celebrated in Catamarca.
In Tucumán it is also celebrated in the neighborhoods where the residents make a doll with cloth, paper, straw, etc. And where they throw a piece of paper with a wish so that when the fire is lit, which would be at 00:00 on June 23, the doll burns and the smoke raises the wishes they ask for to be fulfilled.
They gather around the campfire and share a drink, or treats for the kids.
Also in the valley of Concarán, San Luis (on the border with Córdoba), where they place cháncaras (fruits of the wild zucchini) in the campfire that they burst with a roar.
In the province of Misiones, this Fiesta is also celebrated in honor of San Juan. In the cities of Posadas, Jardín América, Puerto Rico, Leandro N. Alem, Apóstoles and in many other towns in the interior of the province, this festivity is commemorated ("Santo del amor"). This party takes place on June 23 and begins with a neighborhood meeting in the neighborhoods where various games and contests are played. Among them you can find the “tatá ball”, a rag ball soaked in kerosene and lit that turns into a ball of fire that circulates tiptoe through the crowd. The traditional crossing of embers is also carried out, which consists of walking barefoot on burning embers, this is a matter of faith, since the participants normally do not suffer any burns. Another popular game is the well-known "candil bull", it consists of a person dressing up as a bull with the guampas lit on fire and running to the crowd present, which through laughter and shouts escape from the "beast" 3. 4;. The soapy stick is a game that consists of trying to climb a greased mast, which has some prize hanging from the end. The festivity ends when "the Judas" is lit, a life-size doll stuffed with explosives and fireworks, often dressed up and made to look like a hated or unpopular person in the community. On this bonfire the participants also throw papers with written wishes that are burned with "judas". It is also a tradition that some women and even men at 00 on June 23 perform the popular "love tests" characteristic of this region. The tests are related to marriage or the search for a boyfriend or girlfriend, among these are the following: at midnight on the 23rd, dawning on the 24th, a knife must be placed inside a banana the next day the knife is withdrawn and it appears the initial of the future love. There is also the game of dripping the candles in a dark room at noon on the 23rd, making the drip in a container of water to form the initials of the future couple. The rooster test is another common practice, although it is being discontinued out of respect for the animals. It consists of covering the eyes and locking the animal in a hidden place (chicken coop) for a short time, then releasing it and tempting it with corn to get closer to the participants. From the hand of whoever eats will be the winner and the one who will get love. These traditional festivities present many similarities with the one held in Paraguay, a country that under other names performs the same practices on the night of San Juan.[citation required]
Bolivia
Traditionally, family bonfires were held in which wooden furniture and old things that were gathered over the previous year were burned, this act represented burning, getting rid of the old to make way for the new. The celebration of San Juan took place around the bonfire, children played with fireworks, young people and adults danced and jumped over the bonfire, and in order to stay warm, typical hot dishes were consumed, such as api and the fritters. They also enjoyed a hot punch or a sucumbé, the latter drink made with singani (burning grape water) and hot milk, since in Bolivia June 23 is the coldest night of the year. Traditionally that night they also eat hot dogs (also known as panchitos), this tradition brings a greater economic movement for the stuffers that take out promotions during the month of San Juan and especially on the day of San Juan, this is in all the cities of Bolivia.
Currently the night of San Juan is celebrated throughout the country but without bonfires or fireworks. Considering the demographic growth of cities, the risk of fires and accidents presented by the burning of materials and the content of toxic materials (plastics, paints, etc.) that harm the environment and the health of citizens, it was decided by regulations legal to ban campfires and fireworks; consequently, the bonfires have been replaced by barbecues, thus maintaining the festivity with family and friends gatherings.
In certain small towns in Bolivia, the tradition of San Juan is continued, making bonfires and coals where people pass over them for fun and jump into the bonfires.
Chile
In this country, the conquerors replaced the solstitial festivals of Machaq Mara and We Tripantu, which marked the beginning of the year for Aymara and Mapuche, with a celebration with demonic overtones to make clear their position regarding indigenous religions. The tradition related to the Night of San Juan in Chile refers eminently to popular beliefs related to the figure of the Devil, initially focused on the island of Chiloé and rural sectors of central-southern Chile, and currently disseminated throughout the country in various variants. Local folklore suggests that on this holiday, the demonic presence is more evident than on any other date of the year, which is recognized as the opportunity to perform certain acts of witchcraft. Famous in the country is the "tradition of potatoes" (of potatoes), according to which, the placement of these tubers under the bed on the Night of San Juan can be used as a New Year oracle. This holiday is also related to numerous events related to the fig tree, ranging from the instantaneous learning of the interpretation of a musical instrument (mediated by the devil) under this tree, such as the appearance of its supposed flower.
Columbia
Celebration centered basically in the departments of Tolima, Huila and Caquetá. Along with the tradition of the sun ceremony, which has lost importance over time, peasants celebrate Saint John the Baptist as an omen for the prosperity of rice crops, especially. Since colonial times, the San Juan festivities have been the most important cultural tradition in Huila. Born from rural and small-town customs, this celebration remains a memory of old traditions.
In the department of Tolima, is Ibagué, popularly known as The Musical City of Colombia for its famous music festivals, its concerts, its important conservatory and for the music-loving nature of its inhabitants.
One of the most recognized cultural events in Ibagué is its Folk Festival that takes place every year, in June, on the eve of the San Juan and San Pedro festivities. On these dates the squares and parks become the best musical stages where people dance to the sound of Andean rhythms: sanjuaneros, bambucos and pasillos.
In Tolima Grande, the celebration of San Juan is very noisy. The most important of the year along with the feast of the Apostle Peter. Nicanor Velásquez Ortiz, Blanca Álvarez, and Cesáreo Rocha Castilla have described these authentic festivals in great detail.
The plains, the mountains, the large and small towns are witnesses of the execution of those traditional rhythms. The show is complemented by bullfighting, typical meals, the descuescada del rooster.
In the center and north of the country it is celebrated with fireworks towers and music festivals, especially in the cities of which it is the patron saint.
Costa Rica
The former temporary capital San Juan de Tibás in San José, Costa Rica, has Saint John the Baptist as its patron saint, who is celebrated with traditional shifts and cimarronas.
Cuba
In Remedios the so-called y#34;San Juan fairs" They are celebrated twice a year, on June 24 (Nativity of Saint John the Baptist) and on August 29 (Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist).
In Camagüey, the traditional "Fiesta de San Juan", a colorful and active carnival that has already been in existence for three centuries, the first dating back to 1725. It is celebrated in this month at the time when the ranchers they brought the cattle to the city to sell it. At that time, a fair was organized for this reason with horse competitions and different skills that began on June 24 with the celebrations of San Juan's day. Time passed and the fairs became something common, every year, and then more events and activities were added, people began to participate more, adding costumes and entertainment.
To this day these popular festivities are one of the few that remain on the island, although they are no longer linked to the sale of cattle. The festivities begin like then, on the eve of the 24th with the Reading of the Bando from the balconies of the government, later when the afternoon falls a parade of comparsas and congas begins through the main streets and the next day all the neighborhoods cook a huge pot de [ajiaco]], a traditional Cuban dish with meat, spices and corn, which everyone later eats in groups.
The festivities last five days, in all the streets, squares and neighborhoods and on the 29th, Saint Peter's Day, a doll is burned in the Bedoya square and the celebrations of San Juan in Camagüey come to an end.
Panama
Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of the cities of Chitré and Aguadulce, in Panama. June 24 is the central day of the town festival, with religious and pagan acts of all kinds. Religious novenas, processions, folkloric presentations, dances, horseback riding, bullfights, among others.
Paraguay
At night the neighbors gather to participate in games and contests that often have traditional names in Guaraní. The most dangerous of games is "tata ball" a ball of cloth soaked in petroleum or kerosene. The ball ignites and becomes a ball of fire that circulates through the crowd and is kicked by people to try to push it away. The "tatá ári jehasa" is also dangerous: It means walking barefoot over approximately 5 meters of embers (charcoal), this is a matter of faith, since the participants normally do not suffer any burns.
To play “torro candil”, someone dresses up in a bull's head helmet with flaming horns and runs through the crowd pretending to be a bull. The “yvyra sy'ĩ” (‘slippery tree’ in Spanish) is the contest of trying to climb a greased mast, which has some prize hanging from the end. The “koyguá wedding” is a simulated peasant wedding for fun, there is another version that would be the "Forced Marriage" where a woman and a man are accused and forced to marry with all the details of a royal wedding. The "kambuchi jejoká" is a piñata made with a ceramic pitcher, which must be broken with a wooden stick, it is complicated because the participant is blindfolded. "Paila jeherei" consists of licking a greased frying pan that has a coin attached to the center of the grease. The game consists of licking the coin off. The festivity ends when "the judaskai" is lit, a life-size doll filled with explosives and fireworks, often dressed up and made to look like a hated or unpopular person in the community.
Other typical games during the festivities is the "carrera vosa", which consists of a short race (20 to 30 meters), in which the competitors are inside a bag (each one) remaining free only from the waist up, in such a way that the displacement to reach the goal is obtained by jumping.
As for the typical foods of San Juan, we can mention the "mbeju", "pastel mandi'o", "pajagua maskada", & #34;braided pea", "longaniza", "butifarra", "enrollado de chancho", "chicharo huiti", &# 34;ryguasu ka'e" "mbusia", chipa, chipa so´o, "chipa caburé", and "mixture", although it is true that these dishes can or usually are prepared on other dates but not all the aforementioned dishes, when in the San Juan festivities we can find almost all of them.
The tests of San Juan are related to marriage for women, among these are the following: at midnight on the 23rd, dawning on the 24th, a knife must be placed inside a banana plant, the next day it must be removed and it must be removed. appear the initial of your future husband, then there is the dripping of the candles in a dark room at noon on the 24th, making the drip in a container of water, the initials of your future husband must be formed, then there is the test of the rooster, it is you must cover his eyes and lock him in a hidden place for a while, then take him out and the girls gather in their hands respectively they must have corn and the rooster must go next to them and from the hand of whoever eats the corn this young lady will marry, You can also put Chinese ink on a sheet, fold it and place it under your pillow before going to sleep on the night of the 23rd, dawning on the 24th the next day, this will form some drawings and there are people who know how to read, which would be more or less your future, but this test is generally the grandmothers of before did that they deciphered the drawings.
Many call it "Fiestas de San Juan" but there are many who know these festivals by the name of "Kamba" or 'Kamba ra'anga'.
Peru
In the Peruvian jungle, the cities of Iquitos, Yurimaguas (in Loreto), Pucallpa (in Ucayali), Lamas, Tarapoto, Juanjui, Rioja, Moyobamba (in San Martín) and Aucayacu in the province of Leoncio Prado, Puerto Maldonado, etc, the Festival of San Juan is celebrated. The festival of San Juan is celebrated on June 24 in all the towns of the Jungle of Peru.
- On the 24th, men and women go to the rivers to purify themselves to this bathroom is known as “the blessed bath”, because it is believed that on that date St. John blesses the water courses and who bathes in them will have happiness and health throughout the year.
- On the 24th day the people of Iquitos (also in Moyobamba are celebrated in this way) move to the neighborhood of San Juan, where a mass is celebrated and a procession is carried out that is accompanied by typical band with bombs, drums and clarinets with bands net of the region. Then there is the dance of the gang where people dance around a palm tree full of gifts and that is known with the name "Humisha".
The main sample of this San Juan festival is that in these walks everyone carries and eats the "juane" that has a special preparation that generally consists of rice, eggs, olives, cilantro sacha and chicken prey farm, wrapped in plant leaves known as bijao, which is what gives a characteristic flavor. The juane wrapper is a round shape that represents the head of this saint, when it was asked to be brought to him on a plate by the daughter of Herodias, although it is also presented in a rectangular shape, which would represent his body.
During Tourist Week in Iquitos, capital of Loreto, Moyobamba, capital of the San Martín region, Tingo María, among other main cities in the Amazon, dances, parades of typical groups, photographic contests, and craft fairs are organized.
In Tacna, it is believed that the night of San Juan is the coldest night of the year and is celebrated with bonfires; In popular belief, this night is the best for reading fortunes in coca and silver. These Andean rites are performed by the yatiris.
The provinces of Chota and Cutervo have San Juan Bautista as their Patron Saint, who is celebrated by renowned and popular fairs. In Chota, the celebration begins on June 22 with "El día de la identidad chotana", a date on which homage is paid to the traditions and famous people of the city. On the 23rd and 24th the celebration of "Sanjuanpampa" takes place, a cultural fair where typical dishes are exhibited, a horse contest, motocross, bullfights, the dance of the "Maichilejos" and the beauty contest called "Flor del Chot", also linked to Peasant Day. On the 25th, 26th and 27th, the San Juan Bautista bullfighting fair begins in the monumental Plaza de Toros "El Vizcaíno", the second most important fair in Peru, after that of the Lord of Miracles in Lima; In it, skilled bullfighters of great international renown alternate and fight bulls from the most important ranches in Peru and America. The winner of the fair is awarded with the gold scapular of "San Juan Bautista" one of the most precious bullfighting awards on the continent. In Cutervo the longest bullfighting cycle in Peru takes place, which runs from the 24th to the 30th of June.
In many towns in the mountains, specifically in Áncash, on the night of June 23 in the farms attached to the urban nucleus, dry branches are piled up and bonfires are set up to mitigate the inclement cold due to the winter solstice; called the eve of San Juan. In Pomabamba, in the afternoon, from the area of Huampucruz (Navigator's Cross) a procession of saints leaves, presided over by Juan Bautista, and they meet San Francisco and others who start from Yanapampa. The hubbub sows the stamp March, rude riders on wild colts, with a license to commit any nonsense for the revelry of the partygoers.
Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, the festivity of the night of San Juan is also the official patronal festival of the capital city of the same name. Countless rituals are performed to "get rid of bad luck", such as throwing yourself on your back on the beach 7 times at midnight, bathing on your back or with flowers. Being Puerto Rico an island, all the beaches are crowded by hundreds of people. This tradition has become a true village festival, where people celebrate with music, dance, food and drinks. The people who go to the beaches wait anxiously for midnight to arrive to jump in and while they bathe they perform the aforementioned ritual. This is considered a kind of "baptism" with which they make sure to start a new stage in their lives. They do it with the hope that at sea they will be stripped of all "bad influences" and renew their lives with a better future. Some people, who do not go to the beaches, still celebrate the "night of San Juan" in their homes, doing other rituals where fruits, candles, incense, aromatic waters and figurines of Saint John the Baptist can be used. For Puerto Ricans this festival is very significant because in 1493 Christopher Columbus baptized the island "San Juan Bautista". Also, today, the capital city of Puerto Rico bears the name of San Juan.
Venezuelan
In Venezuela, the holiday is celebrated on June 24 and brings together a large number of devotees to the Saint. Since June 23, a night of drums is enjoyed in which the birth of the saint is commemorated, that night belongs to the vigil of San Juan. This picturesque night passes to the sound of drums, dances and alcoholic beverages, activities that precede the festivities the following day in honor of the saint (The Birth of San Juan Bautista), where a solemn mass sets the tone for a new drumbeat., which will last all day 24, and the devotees will thank the saint by waving colored handkerchiefs and singing improvised verses to the sound of the drums, as well as sensual dances where the man woos the woman. Each small region has a San Juan, and they celebrate a meeting of small boats called "peñeros" that transport the "San Juanes" to Ocumare de la Costa. The party culminates in "the magical night of San Juan".
Dominican Republic
June 24: Festivities of San Juan
Celebrations are held in honor of Saint John the Baptist. Baní, San Juan de la Maguana, Vicente Noble, Barahona, La Descubierta, in Jimaní and El Cupey, in Puerto Plata. In Santo Domingo, popular events are held on the Güibia beach, in the Caribbean Sea.
In Baní, the sarandunga complex is celebrated, a festivity that includes three dances (jacana, bomba and captaincy) and in a procession called móranos, which is mixed with elements of the Catholic liturgy in honor of Saint John the Baptist. These festivities are held on June 23 until dawn on the 24th, in Pueblo Arriba, a very popular neighborhood in Baní.
San Juan de la Maguana, the most important are the presentations of sticks, mangulina and carabiné in its popular neighborhoods, and on the 24th, with the horse fights in the streets of the city.
The people of Vicente Noble have Saint John the Baptist as their patron saint, their church is named Parroquia San Juan Bautista de Vicente Noble.
They celebrate their patron saint festivities between the 15th and 25th of June. The day of the patron is June 24 and there are countless religious and urban activities.
The Church of San Juan Bautista and the Colegio de las Señoras Virgen del Carmen have a busy schedule carrying countless religious activities.
The City Council, together with the town's Associations and Businessmen, make it one of the most envied employers' associations in the country with artistic activities throughout the week.
Origin
In the Persian New Year, the last Wednesday before the start of the summer solstice, people celebrate it with fire and fireworks following an ancient Zoroastrian tradition.
The festival is held on Tuesday night to ensure all evil spirits are driven out and Wednesday will pass without incident. It is celebrated in the middle of March, prior to the spring equinox (March 20-21). On the eve of Wednesday before Nowruz. Christianity replaced, as it did with other dates indicated in various previous cultures, the celebration, changing its celebration to the June 23 festival of San Juan, which is also celebrated with bonfires on the summer solstice, on June 21.
This is the ancient holiday of Iran, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Turkey and dates back to at least 1700 BC. C. The cultural festival of the Iranian population brings together Persian Jews and Muslims, Assyrians native to Iran, Armenians, Persians, Kurds and Zoroastrians.
On the last Tuesday night of the Iranian year, Iranians celebrate a holiday called Chaharshanbe Suri, which means “Red Wednesday” in Persian. Red refers to fire. The festival coincided with the festivals celebrating the creation of fire and human beings. It is a prelude to Nowruz, which marks the arrival of spring. There is no religious significance attached to Chaharshanbe Suri and it serves as a cultural festival for all Iranian, Muslim, Armenian, Turkish and Zoroastrian Jews alike.
In the afternoon of that day, bonfires are lit in the open air and children and adults jump on top of the flames saying “sorkhie to az man zardie man az to”. The literal translation is, my yellow is yours, the red is mine. It is a purification rite. It comes to mean that you want the fire to take your paleness, disease and troubles and in turn give you redness, warmth and energy. It is believed that these bonfires burn the bad luck of the year that is ending. And then they entertain themselves telling stories until dawn.
Mythology
It is believed that wishes will come true on this night, a reminiscence of ancient traditions. Traditionally, it is believed that the living were visited by the spirits of their ancestors on the last day of the year. Many people, especially children, wrap themselves in shrouds symbolically recreating the visits. By the light of the bonfire, they run through the streets banging on pots and pans with spoons called Gashog-Zani to beat the last unlucky Wednesday of the year, while knocking on doors for sweets. In fact, Halloween is a Celtic variation of this night.
Catholic saints list
- 16 June: San Ivan.
- 24 June: San Juan.
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