This holiday is celebrated in the night between 23rd and 24th June – during the eve of St. John the Baptist. It’s also an attempt to assimilate pagan rituals by Catholicism which are associated with the summer solstice. But this event isn’t celebrated in the same day everywhere in the world. For example, in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia people celebrate it on 7th July, event known as Ivan Kupala Day.

The name of solstice comes from Latin word solstitium which is composed by two words sol (sun) and stitium (stop), in free translation "the sun stands”. Of course the Sun is not stationary on this day, and the Sun seems to be stationary, because of its angle made with the horizon at meridian does not change significantly.

The celebration of this astronomical phenomenon has the origin in ancient times, so this is a pagan celebration.

Related to this phenomenon, there are traditions and interpretations of this day everywhere in the world, but mainly in Europe.

On the south and the centre of Poland, this event is called sobótki, and in Masuria it’s called palinocka.

The word Kupala comes probably from Indo-European Kump, which means a group, cluster, community. As for the word sobótka, it was probably created by the Church and means more or less a little meeting of witches. The name is also associated with a curious legend which says allegedly that sobótki are organized in honor of the beautiful girl - Sobótka. Sobótka lived in a village. Her fiancé – Sieciech, when he returned from the war, he wanted to marry his chosen one, but the village was suddenly attacked by the enemy. Sobótka was killed by strike into her heart. Apparently it happened in the night of the summer solstice...

Midsummer night is mainly dedicated to the elements such as water and fire, which have purifying power. But it is also a celebration of love, fertility, sun and moon. In Lithuania, there is a song. It's about the first spring after the creation of the world, when the Moon married the Sun. But when the Sun, after sleepless wedding night get up and rose above the horizon, the Moon left it and betrayed with the Morning Star. Since then, the two heavenly bodies are the enemies and they constantly fight - especially during the summer solstice, when the night is the shortest and the day is the longest...

During Midsummer night celebration take place a wide variety of customs. The main aim of them is to ensure the health and fertility.

Many years ago, during this magical night people kindled the fire, in which they burnt different kind of herbs. Jumping over bonfires and dancing around them had the aim to clean, protect against evil spirits and disease. In Russia, couples jumped over the bonfires while they carry on their shoulders Kupala figure. If the figure fell while jumping over the fire - it meant a quick end of love. In Greece, on the occasion of jumping, first girls, then boys announced that they leave behind them all of their sins.

On this day in Europe, bonfires were lit to banish the evil spirits. It is also believed that the waters had medicinal properties and people who bathe in the rivers and lakes will be cured by illness or they will be healthy all year.

When Christianity spread to the pagan world, the midsummer celebration was replaced by the celebration of John the Baptist. So the bonfires started to have a new name, "St. John’s Fires", and the plants collected on this day for their therapeutic properties have got the name of "St. John’s Herbs"

For some cultures, the year was divided in two parts by the two solstices, the winter solstice and the summer solstice.

During the festivity took place various prophecy and dancing. Predictions were often associated with love, would help to know the future. People read the signs in wild flowers, water of the fountains, chamomile, elderberry etc. in total silence.  People, also believed that those, who take part in Midsummer night celebration, will live in happiness and prosperity throughout the year.

Girls threw wreaths into the river flows. Girls made them using flowers and magical herbs, stuck flaming torch in and during ceremony with singing and dancing they entrusted wreaths to the waves of rivers and streams. Farther, the boys, who were in a secret agreement with the girls, or just counting on stroke of luck – were waiting the wreaths near the river which and then to grab them. The one, who succeeded, went back to the celebrating group to find the owner of the wreath. With throwing wreaths were associated some relevant beliefs relating to girls. If the wreath was caught by a bachelor, that meant her quick marriage. If it drifted, a girl will marry somebody, but not so soon. If it burnt, drowned or became entangled in the reeds, it will probably be an old maid. If the boy was able to pick out a wreath of his chosen one, he could take her for a walk and look with her for fern flower (another custom, which I present below).

Legends of the fern flowers are known from folklore, but in some regions are still popular.  They tell the stories about many people who wandered through the forests and swamps, trying to find a magic flower. It’s a flower, which bestows wealth, strength and wisdom, which is visible only during the blink of an eye and it’s called fern flower. According to the beliefs of Czechs and Germans, finder fern flower should look for treasures in the dark forest. According to the French – he should look for it in the highest hill in the area. Following the beliefs of Russians after picking a flower, the finder has to throw it into the air as high as possible and seek treasure where the flower falls.

In some regions, people believed that from the vernal equinox to the summer solstice you cannot swim in rivers, streams or lakes during the day, while swimming after dark or before sunrise treated a variety of pains or aches, because the water was a healing element belonging to the moon. Curiously enough - according to beliefs water monster and other water demons liked lying in wait for eager people who swim foolishly before Midsummer night. Just after the feast swimming became relatively safe. Thereafter, these beliefs were reflected in the celebration of blessing the water on the eve of St. John on 23rd-24th. June, consequently, it had to chase bad spirits and also open officially the swimming season.

Like in most of Europe’s countries, in Romania still exist the tradition of making bonfires and to play the horn in the highest places from the region, to illuminate the sky and to banish evil spirits. Around these bonfires, people dance and throw herbs into the fire to banish the possible troubles.

On June 24, the Romanians celebrate "Sânzienele”, a tradition dedicated to love and fertility.

"Sânzienele” have their origin in Roman cult for the goddess Diana. "Sânziana”, like it is used to be known in Transylvania, the name deriving from "Sancta Diana". But in Muntenia and Oltenia regions people knows it as "Drăgaica”.

According to legend, "Sânzienele” are very beautiful girls, who live in forests or fields, are dancing in the circle and give magical powers to herbs.

Some experts believe that the feast has its origin in an ancient Dacian cult of the sun, in this sense "Sânzienele” are dancing in a circle and young men make bonfires "to light the skies ".

This day is considered to be the best time to pick the herbs with therapeutic proprieties. So, during the night, women pick flowers and herbs for therapeutic purpose. 

If people celebrate properly on this day, these fairies will be good and bless married couples with children, they will bring a rich harvest, healing the sick and helping the animal breeding. However, if people do not celebrate, they become evil fairies, known popularly as "iele”.

"Ielele” are described to be virgin fairies, with high power and magical seduction. They live in forests or in caves, and in the moonlight they are dancing in circle, in secluded places, naked, with disheveled hair and bells on the foot. Legend says that whoever sees them will become voiceless or crazy.

The feast of "Sânziene” manifests through a big variety of rituals designed to provide rich harvests and fertility. Underlying these rituals are flowers picked from the fields which are braided in a circle, like a crown. The girls will put these crowns of flowers in houses, on gates, windows and even on fields, all to protect the house and household to bring good luck, health and abundance.

To find out if they will get married soon, the girls will throw the crowns made by flowers on the roof of their house. Those which will remain there for a long time predict that the girl will get married soon.

To find out their future husband, the girls will sleep on the night of June 24, with a bunch of flowers or basil under the pillow. In this way it can be possible to find her future husband in dream.

Another ritual is the washing with dew in the morning which was collected from plants in places inviolate by the human being, on a white canvas which will be squeezed into a new pot. The person who will collect this dew will try to not talk or meet to somebody in their way back home. With this dew, young girls wash their bodies to get married quickly, and married women to be loved by the spouses and give birth to beautiful and healthy children.

Also, the love will be forever for couples who bathe together in the river or in the sea.