Snziene

Snzian is the Romanian name for gentle fairies who play an important part
in local folklore. Under the plural form Snziene, the word designates an annual
festival in the fairies' honor. Etymologically, the name stands for sn (common
abbreviation of sfnt - "saint", "holy") and zn (a word used for fairies in
general).
People in Romania celebrate the Snziene holiday annually, on June 24. This
is similar to the Swedish Midsummer holiday, and is believed to be a pagan
celebration of the summer solstice in June. According to the official position of
the Romanian Orthodox Church, the customs actually relate to the celebration of
Saint John the Baptist's Nativity, which also happens on June 24.
The folk practices of Snziene imply that the most beautiful maidens in the
village dress in white and spend all day searching for and picking flowers. They
are instructed to remain alone and unseen, especially by any males. Using the
flowers they picked during the day, the girls create wreaths as floral crowns
which they wear upon returning to the village at nightfall. They are then
supposed to have turned into snziene fairies, and dance in circle around a
bonfire, into which all remains of the previous harvest are thrown. People are
prevented from speaking to the girls during this ceremony, as it is presumed that
the snziene spirits possessing them might otherwise be angered or distracted.
In some regions, the girls may keep the wreaths until the following year's
Snziene. This, they believe, ensures a fertility for their family's land. In addition,
if they place the wreath under their pillow the night right after Snziene, it is
possible that they would have a premonition of the man they are to marry
(ursitul, "the fated one"). Another folk belief is that during the Snziene night, the
heavens open up, making it an adequate time for making wishes and for praying,
as God is more likely to listen.
In some areas of the Carpathians, the villagers then light a big wheel of hay
from the ceremonial bonfire and push it down a hill. This has been interpreted as
a symbol for the setting sun (from the solstice to come and until the midwinter
solstice, the days will be getting shorter).