San Juan 2023: where is it a holiday in Spain?
Like every June, the Spanish welcome summer and with it, the long hours of daylight. Although you have to wait until June 21 to receive this station, there is a holiday that marks us that longer periods of time in the sun and enjoying the beach have returned to our lives, and this is the Night of San Juan.
As with other local festivities, this event is celebrated on the same day each year, although not always in the same way.. The Night of San Juan is a festivity with pagan roots and comes from an ancient tradition that coincides with the summer solstice, the night of June 23-24.. The main rite consisted of a cult of the sun and the lengthening of the day. A bonfire was lit with the purpose of giving more strength to the sun, which was shortening the days until the arrival of the winter solstice.
Traditionally, on the Night of San Juan, the summer solstice is celebrated with nocturnal pagan rituals and bonfires to welcome summer. Later, Christianity adopted this tradition in its calendar, and for this reason, it is related to the birth of Saint John..
It is because of the theories that surround this celebration, that tonight is celebrated as a magical moment to scare away evil spirits and materialize good wishes through various rites such as jumping over bonfires, bathing in the sea at dusk, washing one's face or hands. hands, among others.
Where is San Juan a holiday?
Although this festivity is celebrated by the Spanish, not all the autonomous communities consider this day a holiday, since it varies depending on the day of the week on which this celebration falls. This 2023, the night of June 23 to 24 falls from Friday to Saturday. Now, the festival of the saint, San Juan, only falls on Friday.
Despite the popularity of the celebration, it is not a national holiday, since it is only recognized as a holiday in two communities: the Valencian Community and Catalonia at the regional level, while at the local level it will be a holiday in the city of Albacete as well as in some Galician cities. In the case of the last one, and according to the resolution of the Xunta de Galicia, Galicians will only be free from work if they reside in:
A Coruña:
- Carballo (June 24)
- Cerceda (June 23)
- Coruña province (June 24)
- Walls (June 24)
Lugo:
- Guitiriz (June 24)
Ourense:
- Fathernda (June 23)
- San Xoán de Río (June 23)
To enjoy the next holiday in all of Spain, you will have to wait until August 15, the day of the Virgin of the Assumption, which will take place on Tuesday.