Midsummer Day and Night

The ceremonies so widely practiced in Europe at this season are survivals of pagan customs which are still found in many parts of the world. The day, June 24, is set apart in the calendar as the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The observances of the festival commence on the previous eve or Midsummer's eve. Souls are then believed to leave their bodies and wander at large, and many popular notions, such as foretelling love and marriage and the approach of death are probably based upon this idea. The fires are built on the hilltops on this eve, and bowers are erected, in which, in England, it was formerly the custom to remain, the next day keeping indoors or abed; the belief was prevalent that thunder and tempest were thus averted.