This is what John the Baptist is called in Russian. The celebration of his day, the 24th of June, reveals pre-Christian folk religion. On the eve of this day people used to gather outside their village on a hill or on riverbank and make a huge fire which symbolized the sun. Young men would jump over the fire demonstrating their physical prowess. Boys and girls hand in hands jumped over smaller fires and watching them foretold their destinies from the nature of their leaps. Maidens decorated themselves with wreaths of flowers. Many songs were sung that night; many acquaintances leading to future weddings were made. At the end of this shortest night in the year a wheel was put into the fire and then rolled down the hill or riverbank as a sign of the sun moving down from its summer solstice. The maidens threw their wreaths in the water trying to divine their matrimonial futures from the way they floated.
Many unusual and mysterious things were thought to happen that night. The fern, which actually never flowers, was to flower and reveal a hidden treasure. If you managed to pluck the flower, all your wishes would come true. At dawn people bathed in the water or washed their faces with dew and went to pick the herbs, which were believed at, that time to possess the greatest healing properties.