St. John is one of the rare saints whose feast days are celebrated on the dates of their births, not deaths. St. John’s Day is observed on 24 June, an important date for several reasons. All of them are closely connected to the Sun and the nature’s cycles.
Jesus’ Cousin?
According to the Gospel of Luke, St. John was Jesus Christ’s cousin. To be more precise, according to the Gospel of Luke, their mothers, Mary and Elizabeth, were supposedly cousins. It is believed that they were raised in different environments.
John was born six months before Jesus, on the longest (roughly) day in the year (while Jesus was born on the shortest day), and several biblical references state him as the baptiser of Jesus. This connects him to the water and eternal life, which is still reflected in many traditions all over the world. St. John is not only treated as a prophet in Christianity, but also in numerous other churches. His birth was announced by the angel, just like the birth of Jesus. Several passages in religious texts mention him as the forerunner of an even greater prophet, and we also find that a number of his followers later followed Jesus.
St. John the Baptist used baptism as a holy sacrament. He baptized followers with water (Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan), and he also said that later there would be another prophet who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. Jesus perceived the visit of the Holy Spirit as the dove gently landed on him. Water and air are not the only basic elements he was related to. As we have discussed, bonfires continue to serve as a symbol of the sun in various St. John’s Day celebrations on June 24. How about the fourth element?
We can find it in the description of John, who lived in the wilderness, covered with clothes made of camel hair, and eating only locusts and wild honey. It’s also there in John’s death and the events leading up to it.
St. John’s Death
John publicly expressed disapproval of the marriage of Herod, a prominent ruler of Galilee, to Herodias, the former spouse of his brother Philip. It was Herodias, not Herod, who desired John’s demise; nevertheless, Herod regarded John as a sacred figure and refused to acquiesce to her demand. Subsequently, Herod engages in a dance with Herodias’ daughter and pledges a gift in her honor. She can get anything she wants. Her mother instructs her to demand John’s head on the plate, and she gets it. This daughter was named Salome, and her character inspired several important literary works, including a painting by Titian, a play by Oscar Wilde, and an opera by Richard Strauss.
Traditions and Customs on St. John’s Day
St. John’s Day is full of feasts, fires, singing, dancing, processions, plays, and rituals involving fire, water, and various herbs. These traditions are closely related to old pagan traditions from Midsummer, when the lines between the real and magical worlds are often blurred and unpredictable. In Slavic and Scandinavian countries, people were warned against witches, and in Britain, they were warned against fairies, who were particularly mischievous at this time of year (Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a great example of such events).
Neopagan customs revive old Pagan traditions in a modern guise. While a certain percentage of people celebrate St. John’s Day, a certain percentage practice neopagan ones.