Nation Hoists Flags, Celebrates Midsummer Day

[Äike]

Nation Hoists Flags, Celebrates Midsummer Day



June 23 marks the decisive victory of Estonia on the second front of its 1918-1920 War of Independence. That was the day on which, in 1919, it defeated the German Landeswehr at Cesis in Latvia. June 24 is the day people come together to light bonfires on the village green, a tradition dating back to pre-Christian times.

The night between June 23 and 24 is the only night of the year when national flags are not lowered at sunset. With the sun setting at 22:44 and rising at 4:03, there will still be enough light to discern the blue color of faith and hope.

The measured solemnity of Victory Day tributes will, as usual, be quickly melting into a nationwide spree - Midsummer Night being the time when the standoffish Nordic temperament is perhaps its most sociable and easy-going. As the old wisdom goes, love found on that special night may last a lifetime, but may also be gone by morning.

ERR News joins the calls for the outdoor merrymaking to be safe, sane and consensual. Let's go out to celebrate the whitest nights of the year. But let's also look after our friends, stay cool in the highway traffic and mind our ecological footprint on Estonia's delightful countryside.

[Groenewolf]

How many prechristian elements survive in this celebration? Or exist under a Christian veil?

[Óttar]

ERR News joins the calls for the outdoor merrymaking to be safe, sane and consensual.

What is this? A BDSM news outlet?

[Motörhead Remember Me]

How many prechristian elements survive in this celebration? Or exist under a Christian veil?

The pagan elements are definetly alive in all prechristian celebrations, Christmas, Walburgis, Midsummer but I'd say it's stronger in the Midsummer celebrations than in the other.
The burning of bonfires is ancient, but in Sweden the maypole is erected instead. The various beliefs and acts for fertility and relationships are still core elements, but of course not all old traditions have survived.
Mostly it's about hanging with friends and/or family, eating, drinking and relaxing. Nobody goes to church and nobody thinks about anything christian, it's all quite hedonistic.

[Motörhead Remember Me]

It's the same here and in Sweden as well, the flag is not lowered until someone is sober enough to lower it...

[Groenewolf]

The pagan elements are definetly alive in all prechristian celebrations, Christmas, Walburgis, Midsummer but I'd say it's stronger in the Midsummer celebrations than in the other.
The burning of bonfires is ancient, but in Sweden the maypole is erected instead. The various beliefs and acts for fertility and relationships are still core elements, but of course not all old traditions have survived.

I am not talking in general, but for Estonia in specific. If I want to know about Germanic midsummer traditions first stop are my bookshelves.

[Äike]

How many prechristian elements survive in this celebration? Or exist under a Christian veil?

There's nothing Christian about this celebration. Everything about it is very pagan. The same applies to Finland and Sweden too, I presume.

Small chapter from Wikipedia:

Jaanipäev was celebrated long before the arrival of Christianity in Estonia, although the day was given its name by the crusaders. The arrival of Christianity, however, did not end pagan beliefs and fertility rituals surrounding this holiday. In 1578, with some disgust, Balthasar Russow wrote in his Livonian Chronicle about Estonians who placed more importance on the festival than going to church. He complained about those who went to church, but did not enter, and instead spent their time lighting bonfires, drinking, dancing, singing and following pagan rituals.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John..._%28Estonia%29

[The Ripper]

What is this? A BDSM news outlet?

Well, I guess the context would be the darker side of the whitest night of the year: a statistical spike in drownings, traffic accidents, etc.