Solstice / Jāņi12. century , German crusaders reaching the shores of the Baltic , they are surprised by the summer solstice and pagan revelry indigenous incomprehensible glee at the dark night of flaming bonfires . Dark folk - concluded the first bishops , but held that the Christian life would fit on a pleasure . Midsummer celebration turned out to be stronger than the words of God , so the Christian church had to learn to live with it . 15, . century . At the end of one of his open letters of the Catholic Church bishops, the pope called for more pagan conversion to Christianity , raising its profile among church festivals and traditions . Since then Livonia as holidays were only three churches holidays - Easter, Pentecost and Christmas - but a lot of work in the summer farmers to be the church did not have time even on Sundays Livonian bishops call for the parliamentary by landlords to grant vacations farmers Debesskāpšanas Festival ( . 08 . ) To enable the farmers to attend church . The nobles were granted , including mid-June , as realized how important to stay before the worst summer jobs act - hay harvest , which began immediately after the birth of John the Baptist Day . A real celebration for duration of 21 . or 22 . June each year as either astronomical solstice falls on a point - the shortest night and longest day . For that, we celebrate a few days later , the merit of the Christian Church , attracting midsummer celebration of the birth of John the Baptist's day , the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy 24 . June . Along with Christ and Mary's birthday is the only one liturgical notes . This sacred true date of birth is not known, and the . It also John the Baptist's birthday linked to the very old and the harmonic and our nation's cultural festivities . Midsummer may be considered vislatviskākajiem celebrations, which in our country officially celebrates 23 . June ( Midsummer Day or Midsummer Eve) and 24 . June ( Midsummer Day) . Nowadays parallel to the St. John's name is also used in names such as Summer Solstice , Midsummer , Herb Day, Midsummer . John is the only widely celebratory feast in ritual performance still remained a very old tradition of our ancestors . Celebration was based on pagan traditions associated with farming, soil fertility , solar and phallic cults . Based on the summer solstice rituals associated with fire and water, which this night possess a vitalizing force . Therefore, swim in lakes and rivers that run to the sun , or dew jāvārtās . Jāņuguni turn burned as high as possible , because beliefs says that fire brings blessings that far , as far as can be seen in its luster . Jāaizdedz fire at sunset and kept burning until Midsummer morning . So well -known beliefs about the need to stay awake all night , but in a fire protected . Midsummer light adventurous few people , like the beams of fields and lands , gains power and fertility . For . Nice is also a tradition of jumping over campfires . This must be done to remove any excess . Young people jump, holding hands , to the magical power of a single together . Nature around solstice time is in full bloom and the sun gives energy to your most generous . Therefore, this time to collect Drogo is dubultdziedinošs strength . The best 21 . June ( flowers or medicinal days ) to spend quiet, meditative in nature , do not eat anything but drink herbal tea , go for a bath in order to physically and mentally after treatment . As the song says , all good St. John's Hall , which bloom in midsummer night . Therefore Midsummer Puskás have to be put in madaras and nārbulis , cornflowers , poppies , verbena , red clover, St. John's Wort , and many more . House and yard decoration was usually used boughs , like , sargājoties of the envious and witches, the thresholds applied rowan branches and floor bouquet Midsummer medicines and sweet flag to insects to drive out of the house . Wreaths are one of the most characteristic , the most important and binding the summer solstice elements . John's father puts on his head a crown of oak , the mother of John - flower wreath . If boughs representing the vertical - male - healthy, they crown - horizontal or female . Therefore, special wreath is a new daughters , they were Japiņš Trejdeviņi floral wreath , making each flower three flowers together, pinot close Pine placing flowers alternating with short and long-stemmed . By midsummer wreaths dried and stored until the next midsummer to midsummer bonfire burn them , so that the burning of failures and accidents . However, the crown Jāņuzāles wrap can also be used for tea , herbal incense and boughs or bag charms . Hosts and hostess Midsummer Eve honor of John's father and mother of John , while everyone else - both local people and visitors - will be called the children of John . John's father John and mother awaits guests with beer and cheese, thanks for the wreaths and medicine , and calls John the children at the table . Traditionally, Midsummer table is pušķots with St. John's medicines . St. John's feast day is based on milk , bread, pork and barley beer . St. John's cheese in the form of a circle symbolizes the sun and the whole world . Breaking a piece of cheese to take what each of the solar power . Midsummer tradition is also cooking and drinking beer . Beer symbolizes the host operating momentum , the cultivation of land sown crops at harvest . It is also an indicator of agricultural productivity . Midsummer is called singing rock . Rock any house tend to do , when to eat dinner . Shall wave continues throughout the night until sunrise , either at St. John's fire , or Ligotaji go from house to house . John's children every home has welcomed guests since his arrival symbolizes harmony and prosperity . Also at St. John's fire, as well as a home līgojot , another child of John chanting , singing the Midsummer called aplīgošanu . The word . Magic , mystery and love call in the summer solstice is the right time in the future divination . It has a special love of magic associated primarily with marriage . The fate of marriage context may augur well for midsummer night dreams, both the crown and the lake water , such as Midsummer's Eve daughters to look at the lake , it sees the water coming suitor . Even more typically future fortune telling way is throwing oak wreath - how many times the crown falls off, so another year to wait for a suitor . And of course, this magical golden flowers bloom at night fern . . . :) .