RITE OF SAN JUAN and SUMMER SOLSTICE NIGHT SAN JUAN June 21 is celebrated in the northern hemisphere, the longest day of the year. Definitely not a day like any other, nature, man and the stars are set to hold a party, full of great power and magic. Fairies and nature deities are loose in the fields, farmers give thanks for the summer, crops, fruits and have more time to fulfill their tasks and submitted to the fun. It is also the right time to ask for the fertility of the land and the same men also should begin to store food to spend the fall and winter. The summer solstice celebration, is as old as humanity itself. At first it was thought that the sun would not return to its full splendor, for after this date, on was getting shorter. For this reason, fires and rites of fire of all types are initiated on the eve of summer, or June 20 to symbolize the power of the sun and help you renew your energy. In later times bonfires were lit on the tops of the mountains, along streams, in the middle of the streets and in front of houses. Torchlight processions were organized and threw a burning wheels rolled down hills and through fields. Often they danced and jumped around the fire to purify and protect against demonic influences and ensure the rebirth of the sun. You could say that all began nearly 5000 years, when our ancestors, so stargazing friends, they realized that at a certain time of year the sun moves from a position perpendicular to the Tropic of Capricorn, to a position perpendicular to the Tropic of Cancer. In these days ends at the position of the Sun were called winter and summer solstices, which occur on December 21 and June 21 respectively. These dates correspond to the northern hemisphere, as in the south is the opposite. The day I see the sun go down further south is 21 December and the day we will see further north is made on 21 June. "The dates listed are typical, but it may be that in a given year falls one day sooner or later, due to irregularities in the calendar as leap years. " Talking about his summer solstice, on this date the earth's axis is tilted 23.5 degrees toward the sun. This causes, in the northern hemisphere, June 21 is the longest day of the year. In the ancient Greek myths to the solstices were called "gates" and in part they were right. The "door men", according to these beliefs, the Hellenic Republic was for the summer solstice (from 21 to 22 June) as opposed to "door gods" of the winter solstice (from 21 to 22 December). PAGAN ORIGINS: Needless to say, this solstice celebration is much older than the Catholic religion or Mohammedan. One of the backgrounds that you can search for this festival is the Celtic celebration of Beltane, which was done on May. The name means "fire of Bel" or "beautiful fire" and was an annual festival honoring the god Belenos. During Beltaine bonfires were lit by the most risky crowned with long poles. After posing Druids cattle through the flames to purify and defend against disease. At the same time, praying to the gods that the year be fruitful and do not hesitate to sacrifice an animal for their prayers would be better served. Another the roots of this unique night is to be found in the Greek festivals dedicated to the god Apollo, who were held at the summer solstice lighting huge bonfires of an air purifier. The Romans, meanwhile, spent the war goddess Minerva a festival with fireworks and had the habit of jumping three times over the flames. Since then attributed medicinal properties to the herbs contained in those days. Christianity was an expert in recycling old pagan cults. Sudden appearance and disappearances: In some legends pious saints to exploit the eve of this day to miraculously move elsewhere. In our earthly world, we find many cases of disappearances quite puzzling, that night the doors open interdimensional and enchantments. NIGHT OF SAN JUAN: This is a date that many fantastic legends are unanimous in saying that is a period in which open wide the doors invisible from the other side of the mirror ": it allows access to caves enchanted castles and palaces, are released from their prison and bondage queens blackberries, captive princesses and princesses thanks to a spell, incantation or curse the cuélebre roar (dragons) and fly the "devil's Caballucos" go out for a evening walk in the light of the moon mysterious female beings around their dwellings impassable; crop swarms of rare spirits duendiles covered in the darkness of night and in the bushes, the hens and chicks of gold, showing off his golden plumage, tempt the odd unsuspecting greedy that they throw down the gauntlet, the girls love dream and guess who is the lover that the dispossessed, the harmful poisonous plants lose their property and, in contrast, centuplican salutary virtues (good day to collect medicinal plants in the field) are removed the treasures in the bowels of the earth and slabs to expose the hidden part of it to some poor mortal no longer, at least, poor, the dew percent and a disease cure and also more beautiful and younger who are smearing the whole body, the ferns flourish when twelve o'clock chimes ... In short, the atmosphere is loaded with supernatural breath permeates every magical place on the planet and is the right moment to shudder, excited and tell our children, grandchildren or friends all sorts of stories, anecdotes and jokes sanjuaneros us know. Tonight he opens the door that introduces us to knowledge of the future and magical dimensions of reality. It's the night burning burials, the Devil is loose and fields are blessed by the Baptist. In the early morning people wash their hair and face with blessed water and start calling, three consecutive times - San Juan!, San Juan, make me milcao (potato stew with butter) I will give you bread. Last night there have been two major events: the dance of fire and evidence. Some of these tests are: l. The young woman who leaves at dawn and found her husband with a dog is a sweet dog during his life. 2. Upon leaving, after 12, he meets a black cat is bad luck for the future happiness if the cat is a different color. 3. If midnight is a cross in the trees, will produce double. 4. If at 12, looks at the moon and then the fig tree, will flourish. 5. The fig tree and the "manger" (fern) bloom tonight. Anyone who owns one of these flowers will be very lucky. 6. Who see flowering peppermint tonight will be very lucky if you keep a secret. 7. The day before you plant the hydrangea flower in a jar with soil and water. Then he places an order putting faith in the baptism of John. 8. Hands should be washed with spring water to stay young and beautiful hair to keep it. That night the water is blessed by the Baptist. 9. When it rains that evening or the next day, there will be plenty of apples. 10. Before sunrise, trees must be watered with spring water, to give so much fruit during the year. 11. For good seed to be thrown a piece of candle on the night of San Juan. 12. To learn to play guitar should be placed during the night under a fig tree. Night and dawn, are dedicated to San Juan in an effort to Christianize the many forces that manifest themselves in this magical journey, in which all traditional societies in Europe are running many rituals of ancient origin and cultural depth of functionality. The festival is not specific to particular locations, but extends throughout Europe, with several variants. A character-symbol of Christianity and a star preside over the celebration. On the one hand the sun, according to popular tradition, goes dancing at dawn on 24. On the other hand the holy date, San Juan, in charge of giving sanctity to the party, but not a main role in the rituals. Having the Sun and San Juan as basic components of the celebration on the night and dawn sanjuaneros men manipulate various symbolic instruments in order to fight against the various evils that harm humans, their activities and their assets to throughout the year. Astral transition date announced several changes in nature amounts to a breach of a pledge of emergency cosmic order of the underworld. So the night of San Juan is Halloween, ones that can cause many human ills. La Noche de San Juan, the magical traditions, is characterized by the multitude of fires that light the night. Citizens cast into the fire before on small items, spells, wishes and even course notes in order to dispel evil spirits. Arbor tradition sources is related to prosperity, abundance and fertility. Tradition says that at dawn on the first day of summer, the women collected the flower of the water sources in the hope of finding a partner, having children or made with healing powers. At dawn, when women went to the fountain, singing to the flower water. WHY SAN JUAN BAUTISTA: St. Luke tells in his Gospel that Mary, in the days after the Annunciation, was to visit her cousin Elizabeth when she was in her sixth month of pregnancy. Therefore, it was easy to set up the solemnity of Bautista in the eighth month of the candles of June, six months before the birth of Christ. (Today in six months - December 24 - will be celebrating the birth of our Redeemer, Jesus.) Since then, said tonight as the San Juan, very near the summer solstice has inherited a number of practices, rituals, traditions and customs whose origins are ancient in Europe and have spread to many towns in America. The paradox of the matter is that on 24 June is the date of the birth of John the Baptist that really should not be celebrated because of the Saints always remember the day he died. St. Augustine's observation that the Church celebrates the feast of the saints on the day of his death, but in the case of San Juan Bautista, makes an exception and it commemorates the day of its birth, because he was sanctified in the womb his mother and came into the world without blame. Birth place is worth, and that was cause for great joy for mankind to have among its members was to give warning of Redemption.