Joninės (Saint Jonas in english) is among the most popular and esteemed festivities in Lithuania. Lithuania was the last european country to become Christian. It could explain the great importance of this pre-christian and worldwide tradition, celebrating the sun and the summer solstice. Here in Lithuania, at that time of the year, on the 24th of June, the night is very clear and only lasts for about five hours...
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| The crowns will be telling the future in the lake... |
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| If the crown of a young man meets the one of a young girl,
they will get married
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During Joninės, people gather near rivers or lakes, pick plants to get their future told, and create flower crowns. Then, these crowns are thrown in the water. If they don't get stuck in branches, the year will be good. If the crowns of a boy and a girl meet, it means they will get married! To purify yourself, you have to jump over the fire. Overnight, young people go to the forest to look for a fern flower, that is supposed to give them magical powers. Nine months later, the stork (the national bird) comes back and brings the child born during Joninės.
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| A strong man contest... |
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| ... followed by a traditional music concert |
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| Florence followed the tradition, making herself
a crown of plants and flowers
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| Are we becoming local celebrities?
This was on Ignalina's newspaper, about our presence in Joninės
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