The evening of
23 June, St. John's Eve, is the eve of celebration before the Feast
Day of Saint John the Baptist.
The Gospel of
Luke (Luke 1:36, 56–57) states that John was born about six months before
Jesus; therefore, the feast of John the Baptist was fixed on 24 June, six
months before Christmas Eve. This feast day is one of the very few saints' days
which commemorates the anniversary of the birth, rather than the death, of the
saint being honored.
The Feast of
St. John closely coincides with the June solstice, also referred to as
Midsummer in the Northern hemisphere. The Christian holy day is fixed at 24
June; but in most countries festivities are mostly held the night before, on
St. John's Eve.
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