Burning the witches at stake by Mona S. Svendsen
We celebrate Skt. Hans nigth the 23 of june to celebrate midsummer. We have celebrated midsummer since Odin and Thor (the Nordic Gods of Valhalla), and when Christianity was introduced, the celebrations continue. Skt. Hans is the Danish saint name for John the Baptist, who according to the gospel of Luke was born precisely 6 month before Jesus on the 24 of June. In the catholic era from 1000 to approx. 1536 they celebrated Skt. Hans day, but began the festivity the night before, and that is one of the reasons for the tradition today.
In the old days nature was believed to have special powers the evening and night before Skt. Hans. Because of this, the sick gathered around the sacred springs and drank the water, and it was also considered to be the best night to collect medicinal herbs.
The story tells that the night before Skt. Hans the witches are having a grand party. It's their greatest party of the year before setting of on their journey to Brocken in Harzen Germany (Where the withes was sent to burn at stake during the witch trials) (The place is also known from Goethe's "Faust")
The tradition to burn a straw figure at stake symbolizing the witch on Skt. Hans Nigth was not yet commenced until the beginning of this century, but this tradition is being upheld to this very day.
However in reasons years it has been raining cats and dogs on that very night, so it has been necessary to add bucket loads of gasoline to fuel the fire. Perhaps Thor (the old Nordic God for thunder) has been trying to help the witches escape their destiny. ;O)
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Comments: 11
I remember, for instance, a novel by Thomas Hardy where the hills were covered with bonfires and that's all you could see in the distance. I think it was Return of the Native, though I can't be sure (Hardy novels begin to blur after a while).
Also confusing is John the Baptist's birthday. I thought the church selected Dec. 25th only to replace a pagan winter holiday and that they acknowledges that Jesus Christ was born in April. Don't quote me on this, however. My Biblical memory is even worse than my Hardy one...
I know my brother in law keeps claiming that Jesus never could have been born in december, due to the fact that it is winter time in Israel, and the sheeps wouldn't have lambs, etc. But thats a whole different story!
Found this link about Thor in english, maybe you can find the answer there... ;O))) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor
Have a great day and thank you for your comments!
Thank you for introducing one more Danish tradition to the world. Please keep publishing.
Thank you for sharing a bit of culture.
Yes Fredericia is in Jutland as is Aalborg. It's about two and a half hours drive from here.
The straw figures are set on top of a bonfire, so the bucket of gasoline are for the bonfire. And actually now a day, the figure look more like scarecrows....
Mona/
This was delightful to read, and so well written. For years I went out with a beautiful Danish painter from Frederickshavn in Jutland, Denmark named Liselotte (we're still best friends) and she would regale me with these stories, as well as make me the best rice pudding of my life to eat on this day. I was particularly struck by how the 'burning of the witches' motif had doubled back on the origins of the pagan ritual, and how the syncresis between esctatic paganism and vengeful Christianity somehow became a joyful celebration. It is in Spain, as well.
You are too kind! ;O) Thank you!
I live but an hours drive from Frederikshavn. Have you ever been there? The rice pudding you talk about is the traditional chistmas dessert Ris a la mande - Rice pudding with almonds and cherrysauce topping. And it is deligthful and sinful. Luckily we only eat it that one time a year. Otherwise we'd look like rum barrels the lot of us! :O)