The Christian calendar, excluding Easter, revolves around the two solstices, winter and summer. The winter one is obviously Christmas. But because John the Baptist, Christ’ s cousin, was born six months earlier, the feast of the birth of St John was effectively the summer Christmas. There are references in scripture to St John as a light burning, and another to people rejoicing at his birth. Cue an explosion of festivity of an apparently pagan sort for this very Christian feast of midsummer.
We have umpteen historical accounts of the celebrations. On the night of the 23rd, there were bonfires, as there still are in parts of Europe. The churches and houses were decorated with greenery( birch was popular).
On the day itself, people would set fire to a cartwheel stuffed with straw, which seems as close as you’ ll get to an image of the sun and roll it downhill. The night before, London and many of the big towns would have great marching watches – huge processions of guilds and militia carrying lighted tapers, with pageants and giants thrown in – which wound through the streets like rivers of flame.
This was how orthodox Christians celebrated midsummer; in what looks like a pagan spirit. The sermon writers made no bones about keeping old customs going; one explanation for the bonfires was that they helped drive away dragons.
People made the most of the vigour of plants at this time of year; they thought herbs such as St John’ s wort, gathered now, had a special potency. Ever wondered why Stilton is a Christmas cheese? It’ s because it was made from the milk of cows grazing on midsummer pasture.
What I’ d like would be to reclaim midsummer from the pagans. It is a bona fide Christian feast day, celebrated at a church near you.
There’ s nothing to stop us making the most of it with bonfires and greenery – it’ s human instinct to celebrate this time of year. It’ s a real tradition just waiting to be resurrected!
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God bless you
Lesley-ann +
PS: Received on Wednesday 13 June 2018 I am very happy to say that I am officially, rested, reset, recovered and clear of any medical matters. Wow what a journey. I shall not be the workaholic that I was before this happened, so, slow but steady will be the order of the day. I shall be presiding on the 1st July but returning to duties on the Thursday before.
Thank you all for your prayers and support. I know it hasn’ t been easy.