The night of San Juan is celebrated throughout Spain in the early morning of June 24 and for many it means the beginning of summer. In reality, the festival comes from the celebration of the birth of Saint John the Baptist, although in many places in Spain, it is considered a pagan festival.
The essence of this night of San Juan is in the bonfires. The coastal places in our country install bonfires on the beach where they burn all kinds of things and spend the night next to the fire and the sea. This holiday is important in many places in Spain that designate June 24 as a holiday.
What is burned at the stake?
Depending on where we are celebrating the festival of the night of San Juan, we can burn one or other things with different meanings. The most widespread ritual is that of jumping the bonfires to purify life.
This ritual has been taken since times past as a way to drive away evil spirits. According to tradition, for this to occur, you have to jump the fire an odd number of times.
Another of the most traditional rituals, especially in coastal places, is to bathe at 0:00 hours when the bonfires have already been lit. Depending on the area, bathing tonight, or getting your feet wet, ensures good health for the next year.
To this you can add jumping the waves on your back as a symbol to eliminate negative energies throughout the year.
At the stake
The most traditional thing on the night of San Juan is to burn things at the stake itself . For many it serves to eliminate all the bad things of the year, or to turn the page. For example, there are many students who, when this night of San Juan arrives, burn their notes at the stake to finish the year of studies.
In many localities of our country plants are also burned, even in many places the tradition is to go out at midnight to collect plants such as thyme and rosemary to hang them from the windows as a healing power for the whole year.
Places like Galicia usually burn their ‘meigas’ to purify negative energies. In others like Alicante, bonfires have to be skipped seven times, in addition to creating ‘monuments’ to burn at night.
This night of San Juan it is also traditional to see festivals and fireworks, although in 2021 the coronavirus will alter the traditional festival of the night of San Juan to avoid crowds.
