Saint John's Day definition of Saint John's Day in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

St. John's Day

June 24

It is unusual for a saint's day to commemorate his birth rather than his death, but John the Baptist (d. c. 29) and the Virgin Mary are the exceptions here. ( See Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Feast of the). Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Anglicans, and Lutherans honor St. John on the anniversary of his birth; the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches commemorate his death as well, on August 29 ( see St. John the Baptist, Martyrdom of).
John was the cousin of Jesus, born in their old age to Zechariah and Elizabeth, a kinswoman of the Virgin Mary. John was the one chosen to prepare the way for the Messiah. It is a pious belief of many that he was sanctified—that is, freed from original sin—in his mother's womb when she was visited by Mary. ( See Visitation, Feast of the.) He lived as a hermit in the wilderness on a diet of honey and locusts until it was time to begin his public ministry. He preached repentance of sins and baptized many, including Jesus ( see Epiphany). He denounced King Herod and his second wife, Herodias, and it was she who vowed revenge for John's condemnation of her marriage, and who had her daughter, Salome, demand the Baptist's head on a platter.
Many St. John's Day customs date from pre-Christian times, when June 24 was celebrated as Midsummer Day. Celebrations in some areas still bear the hallmarks of the old pagan Summer Solstice rites, such as bonfires, dancing, and decorating with flowers. For the French in Canada, the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist is one of the biggest celebrations of the year, especially in Quebec. The San Juan Fiesta in New York City takes place on the Sunday nearest June 24 and is the year's most important festival for Hispanic Americans.
St. John's Day ( Día de San Juan ) is a major holiday throughout Mexico. As the patron saint of waters, St. John is honored by decorating fountains and wells and by bathing in local streams and rivers. The bathing begins at midnight—often to the accompaniment of village bands—and it is customary for spectators to throw flowers among the bathers. In Mexico City and other urban centers, the celebration takes place in fashionable bath-houses rather than rivers, where there are diving and swimming contests as well. Street vendors sell small mules made out of cornhusks, decorated with flowers and filled with sugar cane and candy.
A family of yellow-flowered plants, commonly called St.-John's-wort, is used by voodoo conjurors and folk medicine practitioners to ward off evil spirits and ensure good luck. In the southern United States, all species of the plant are called John the Conqueror root, or "John de Conker," and all parts of it are used: the root, leaves, petals, and stems. The plant's imagery is often mentioned in African-American folklore and blues music.
The leaves, and often the petals, contain oil and pigment-filled glands that appear as reddish spots when held to the light. According to legend, these spots are John the Baptist's blood, and the plant is most potent if rituals are performed on his birthday.
See also San Juan and San Pedro Festivals; San Juan Pueblo Feast Day; St. Hans Festival

SOURCES:
AmerBkDays-2000, p. 473
BkDays-1864, vol. I, p. 814
BkFest-1937, p. 229
BkFestHolWrld-1970, p. 98
BkHolWrld-1986, Jun 24
DaysCustFaith-1957, pp. 151, 222
DictFolkMyth-1984, pp. 1063, 1082
DictWrldRel-1989, p. 384
FestSaintDays-1915, p. 140
FolkAmerHol-1999, p. 264
IndianAmer-1989, pp. 287, 296, 312, 319
OxYear-1999, p. 263

Celebration day: Jun 24

Celebrated in: Guatemala, Lithuania, Portugal

St. John's Day (Guatemala)

June 24

Día de San Juan or St. John's Day has been observed by some Guatemalan Indians, especially those in Camotan, Chiquimula Department, and San Juan SacatepÉquez, Guatemala Department, with a traditional dance known as Los Gigantes (The Giants). It is based on a story from the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the QuichÉ Mayan Indians, but it also incorporates two events from the Bible: the beheading of St. John the Baptist and David's struggle against Goliath. The dancers wear red, blue, yellow and white costumes; these colors symbolize the four directions of the compass. Some dancers also wear veils, which refers to an ancient belief that at one time the sun and moon had faces that were veiled. Using their swords, dancers outline the path the sun takes when it rises and sets in both the opening and closing sequences of the dance.

CONTACTS:
Embassy of Guatemala
2220 R St. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20008
202-745-4952; fax: 202-745-1908
www.guatemalaembassy.org

SOURCES:
FiestaTime-1965, p. 103

Celebration day: Jun 24

Celebrated in: Guatemala

St. John's Day (Portugal)

June 24

Both St. John's Day and St. John's Eve ( see also Midsummer Day) are widely celebrated in Portugal with parades, pageants, bullfights, fireworks, and other popular amusements. Many of the traditional rites connected with fire, water, and love are still observed here as well. Young people dance around bonfires and couples often leap over these fires, holding hands. Mothers sometimes hold their children over the burning embers, and cattle and flocks are driven through the ashes—all to take advantage of the curative powers of St. John's fires. Similar traditions focus on water, which on St. John's Eve is supposed to possess great healing power.
One of the most interesting St. John's Day celebrations takes place in Braga and is known as the Dança de Rei David, or Dance of King David. The role of King David is always performed by a member of a certain family living near Braga, and the dance itself probably dates back to medieval times. The King is dressed in a tall crown and voluminous cape. Ten shepherds or courtiers who accompany him wear velvet coats in brilliant colors and turban-style hats. Shepherds play ancient tunes on their fiddles, flutes, and triangles. As they parade through town this group stops frequently to perform the ritualistic Dance of King David.

CONTACTS:
Portuguese National Tourist Office
590 Fifth Ave., 4th Fl.
New York, NY 10036
800-767-8842 or 212-354-4403; fax: 212-764-6137
www.visitportugal.com

SOURCES:
DictFolkMyth-1984, p. 1082

Celebration day: Jun 24

Celebrated in: Portugal

St. John's Day (Puerto Rico)

June 24

Wading or bathing in the water on St. John's Day is a tradition that many see as symbolic of John the Baptist baptizing Jesus. In Puerto Rico, San Juan Day is observed by gathering at the beaches to eat, dance, drink, build bonfires, and bathe in the Caribbean. At midnight, revelers take a swim in the ocean, a tradition based on the biblical scene in which John, the cousin of Jesus, baptizes him. Over the years, the religious significance of the event has been overshadowed, and today bathing in the water is believed to bring good luck in the coming year.
The annual St. John the Baptist Day parade in Camden, New Jersey, has been going on since the 1950s, not long after the first Puerto Ricans began migrating there to take jobs in the Campbell Soup factory. Billed as the only organized parade in the city, the event is eagerly anticipated by the area's thousands of Hispanic Americans, many of whom line the parade route from Cooper and Second Streets to Wiggins Park along the waterfront. There is a competition for the best float and a steady procession of salsa dancers, folk dancers, and beauty queens. The parade marks the culmination of a week of festivities—including a banquet, art exhibits, and a flag-raising ceremony—that honor the area's Hispanics.
In Hartford, Connecticut, a San Juan Bautista Festival has been held on the Saturday nearest June 24 since 1979. Sponsored by the San Juan Center, Inc., it includes Puerto Rican food and entertainment, particularly bands that play Puerto Rican music and use traditional instruments of the homeland. Although the Hartford festival is designed to give the area's Puerto Rican population an opportunity to celebrate their heritage, it draws many other people as well.

CONTACTS:
Puerto Rico Tourism Company
666 Fifth Ave., 15th Fl.
New York, NY 10103
800-866-7827 or 212-586-6262; fax: 212-586-1212
www.gotopuertorico.com

SOURCES:
AnnivHol-2000, p. 105
FolkAmerHol-1999, p. 268

Celebration day: Jun 24

Celebrated in: Puerto Rico

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No references found			The following holy days are observed as national or regional holidays: Saint Sebastian's Day, Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Corpus Christi, Saint John's Day, Our Lady of Carmen ("Carmo"), Assumption Day, Our Lady Aparecida, All Souls' Day, Evangelicals Day, Immaculate Conception, and Christmas. Brazil by International Religious Freedom Report Saint John's Day is the Christian equivalent of the summer solstice, one of the most important events in prehistoric times. Insights into the cultural history of Europe as provided by the Atlas ... by Viereck, Wolfgang / Studia Anglica Posnaniensia: international review of English Studies June 24, Saint John's Day or Deramento Gai (the burying of the rooster), features lively music, bright yellow and red costumes, and traditional dances. Unique celebrations by Sullivan, Lynne M. / Aruba, Bonaire & Curacao Adventure Guide			Saint Gotthard Saint Gotthard Pass Saint Helena Saint Helena Island Saint Helena Parish Saint Helens Saint Helens, Mount Saint Helier Saint Hilaire method Saint Hyacinthe Saint James Saint James Bay State Marine Park Saint James Parish Saint James's Palace Saint Jean Saint Jean, Lac Saint Jérôme Saint Joe State Park Saint John Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Saint John River Saint John the Baptist Parish Saint John the Divine, Cathedral of Saint John's Saint John's College Saint John's Day Saint John's University Saint John's wort Saint John, Lake Saint Johns Saint Johns County Saint Johns River Saint Joseph Saint Joseph County Saint Joseph retort process Saint Kilda Saint Kitts Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts-Nevis Saint Lambert Saint Landry Parish Saint Laurent Saint Laurent, Louis Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Lawrence Saint Lawrence County Saint Lawrence Island Saint Lawrence Islands National Park Saint Lawrence River Saint Lawrence Seaway Saint Lawrence State Park Golf Course			Saint John River Saint John River (United States and Canada) Saint John River (United States and Canada) Saint John String Quartet Saint John the Saint John the Saint John the Apostle Saint John the Baptist Saint John the Baptist Saint John the Baptist Saint John the Baptist Parish Saint John the Baptist Parish Saint John the Baptist Parish, LA Saint John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana Saint John the Divine, Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist Saint John the Evangelist Saint John the Forerunner Saint John the Forerunner Saint John Valley Saint John Valley Saint John Valley Saint John Youth Cabinet Saint John's Saint John's Saint John's (disambiguation) Saint John's (disambiguation) Saint John's bread Saint John's College Saint John's College (disambiguation) Saint John's Day Saint John's Eve Saint John's Mercy Hospital Saint John's River Saint John's School Saint John's University Saint John's University (disambiguation) Saint John's Wart Saint John's Wart Saint John's wort Saint John's wort Saint John's wort Saint John's-wort Saint John'swort Saint John'swort Saint John'swort Saint John, Lake Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada - Turnbull Field Saint Johns Saint Johns Saint Johns (river, FL) Saint Johns (river, Florida) Saint Johns / Antigua, Antigua And Barbuda - Vc Bird International Saint Johns College High School Saint Johns Country Day School Saint Johns County Saint Johns County, FL Saint Johns County, Florida Saint Johns Day Saint Johns River Saint Johns River

St. John's Day (redirected from Saint John's Day)

St. John's Day
(redirected from Saint John's Day)