32:
309:
Understandably, some of the rituals of JaanipÀev have very strong folkloric roots. The best-known Jaanik, or midsummer, ritual is the lighting of the bonfire and then jumping over it. This is seen as a way of guaranteeing prosperity and avoiding bad luck. Likewise, to not light the fire is to invite
313:
Midsummer's eve is important for lovers. Among
Estonian fairy tales and literature there is the tale of two lovers, Koit (dawn) and HĂ€marik (dusk). These two lovers see each other only once a year and exchange the briefest of kisses on the shortest night of the year. Earth-bound lovers go into the
345:
During their occupation of
Estonia, the Soviets made no attempt to stop JaanipÀev celebrations. For Estonians, however, JaanipÀev remained tied to Estonia's victory during the War of Independence and the securing of a free and independent state. JaanipÀev, therefore, always reminded Estonians of
257:
JaanipÀev, although not known by that name in the pre-Christian era, it was celebrated long before the arrival of
Christianity in Estonia. After the country was Christianised, the feast took the name Saint John's Day, or JaanipÀev (in Estonian). The arrival of Christianity, however, did not end
342:. The meteorite's fall is also said to be the inspiration for Nordic and Baltic mythological stories about the Sun falling onto the Earth. This idea suggests that the present-day bonfires and celebrations actually symbolise Estonia's connection with its ancient past.
318:
which is said to bloom only on that night because ferns are not seed-bearing plants and do not flower. Also on this night, single people can follow a detailed set of instructions involving different flowers to see whom they are going to marry.
310:
the destruction of your house by fire. The fire also frightened away mischievous spirits who avoided it at all costs, thus ensuring a good harvest. So, the bigger the fire, the further the mischievous spirits stayed away.
358:
During the transition to the re-establishment of
Estonia's de facto independence, JaanipÀev became an unofficial holiday, with many work places closing down. It once again became an official national holiday in 1992.
238:
calendar. The short summer seasons with long days and brief nights hold special significance for the people of
Estonia. JaanipÀev is celebrated on the night between June 23 and 24, the Western Christian feast of the
306:
On JaaniÔhtu, Estonians all around the country will gather with their families, or at larger events to celebrate this important day with singing and dancing, as
Estonians have done for centuries.
289:
on 23 June 1919. After this battle against
Estonia's traditional oppressors, JaaniÔhtu and the lighting of the traditional bonfires became linked with the ideals of independence and freedom.
270:
about
Estonians who placed more importance on feasting than going to church. He complained about those who went to church, but did not enter, and instead spent their time lighting
49:
303:
JaanipÀev marks a change in the farming year, specifically the break between the completion of spring sowing and the hard work of summer hay-making.
349:
The tradition before the Soviet occupation, which has now been restored, was for a fire to be lit by the
Estonian President on the morning of
240:
144:
96:
115:
68:
75:
53:
415:
82:
282:
140:
410:
64:
42:
286:
355:(June 23). From this fire, the flame of independence was carried across the country to light the many bonfires.
89:
378:
252:
230:
203:
263:
351:
259:
404:
335:
323:
298:
20:
346:
their independence in the past, despite Soviet attempts to eliminate such ideas.
315:
31:
389:
334:, 1976). Meri suggests that the JaanipÀev traditions re-enact the fall of the
383:
373:
277:
For
Estonians, JaanipÀev celebrations were merged with the celebration of
368:
339:
271:
235:
170:
25:
326:
has provided another perspective on JaanipÀev in his work
285:
when Estonian forces defeated the German troops in the
262:
surrounding this holiday. In 1578, with some disgust,
199:
191:
176:
166:
158:
150:
139:Victory over the expulsion of German forces in the
135:
130:
56:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
243:, which is a few days after the summer solstice.
234:in English) are the most important days in the
8:
127:
116:Learn how and when to remove this message
7:
54:adding citations to reliable sources
274:, drinking, dancing, and singing.
241:nativity of Saint John the Baptist
145:Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
14:
30:
253:Saint John's Eve § History
41:needs additional citations for
1:
369:Summer Solstice celebrations
141:Estonian War of Independence
65:"St John's Day" Estonia
432:
296:
250:
18:
281:(Victory Day) during the
247:History of St. Johnâs Day
19:Not to be confused with
314:forest looking for the
287:Battle of CÄsis (VĂ”nnu)
16:Estonian summer holiday
251:Further information:
143:; Celebration of the
50:improve this article
283:War of Independence
411:Culture of Estonia
316:flower of the fern
268:Livonian Chronicle
322:Former President
260:fertility rituals
209:
208:
126:
125:
118:
100:
423:
416:Saint John's Day
379:Saint John's Eve
264:Balthasar Russow
231:Saint John's Eve
218:in English) and
204:Saint John's Eve
187:
185:
128:
121:
114:
110:
107:
101:
99:
58:
34:
26:
431:
430:
426:
425:
424:
422:
421:
420:
401:
400:
399:
365:
336:Kaali meteorite
301:
295:
255:
249:
200:Related to
183:
181:
122:
111:
105:
102:
59:
57:
47:
35:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
429:
427:
419:
418:
413:
403:
402:
398:
395:
394:
393:
387:
381:
376:
371:
364:
361:
297:Main article:
294:
291:
248:
245:
207:
206:
201:
197:
196:
193:
189:
188:
178:
177:Next time
174:
173:
168:
164:
163:
160:
156:
155:
152:
148:
147:
137:
133:
132:
124:
123:
38:
36:
29:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
428:
417:
414:
412:
409:
408:
406:
396:
391:
388:
385:
382:
380:
377:
375:
372:
370:
367:
366:
362:
360:
356:
354:
353:
347:
343:
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
320:
317:
311:
307:
304:
300:
292:
290:
288:
284:
280:
275:
273:
269:
266:wrote in his
265:
261:
254:
246:
244:
242:
237:
233:
232:
227:
226:
221:
217:
216:St John's Day
213:
205:
202:
198:
194:
190:
179:
175:
172:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
146:
142:
138:
134:
129:
120:
117:
109:
98:
95:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67: â
66:
62:
61:Find sources:
55:
51:
45:
44:
39:This article
37:
33:
28:
27:
22:
357:
350:
348:
344:
331:
327:
324:Lennart Meri
321:
312:
308:
305:
302:
293:Significance
278:
276:
267:
256:
229:
225:JaanilaupÀev
224:
223:
219:
215:
211:
210:
180:24 June 2025
136:Significance
112:
103:
93:
86:
79:
72:
60:
48:Please help
43:verification
40:
392:(Lithuania)
332:Silverwhite
405:Categories
397:References
184:2025-06-24
76:newspapers
374:Midsummer
352:VĂ”idupĂŒha
328:HÔbevalge
299:JaanipÀev
279:VĂ”idupĂŒha
220:JaaniÔhtu
212:JaanipÀev
192:Frequency
131:JaanipÀev
106:June 2010
21:JaanipÀev
386:(Latvia)
363:See also
340:Saaremaa
272:bonfires
236:Estonian
390:JoninÄs
222:, also
182: (
171:June 24
162:June 24
154:June 23
90:scholar
195:annual
151:Begins
92:
85:
78:
71:
63:
97:JSTOR
83:books
384:JÄĆi
167:Date
159:Ends
69:news
338:in
52:by
407::
330:(
228:(
214:(
186:)
119:)
113:(
108:)
104:(
94:·
87:·
80:·
73:·
46:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
