Latvian Holidays

Jani, Jurgi, Lieldienas, Maras, Meteni, Mikeli, Martini, and Ziemassvetki. Those are the eight public Latvian holidays, I'm not able to put the accents and symbols over and under the letters on the American keyboard. Ziemassvetki is the Latvian Christmas, but it is celebrated on December 21st. Velu laiks are the two weeks before Christmas, it means "season of ghosts" in english. Jani is the most celebrated Latvian holidays, it occurs June 23, and June 24. It celebrates the summer solstice, June 23 is the shortest night and June 24 is the longest night of the year. Jurgi is celebrated on April 23 to celebrate the beginning of summer, and the first day of outdoor farmwork and shepherding. It was sacred to the god Usins. In ancient Latvia, Lieldienas ("big days") was the Vernal Equinox's anniversary on March 23. It usually lasts three or four days. Each day is devoted to a certain deity. Maras is a festival on August 15th, in honor of the goddess Mara, it marks the middle of summer. Meteni is another festival, but it is celebrated on February 23rd. The primary attraction is the feast which included all parts of the pig, bread, barley, and beer. People also go sledding on that day. This holiday is sacred to Metenis, who in ancient stories was said to arrive on this day on a sleigh. Mikeli, once again, another festival held on September 22-24 during the dzelzs nedela, which means the week of iron, sacred to Mikelis and Jumis. Martini is the holiday marking the end of fall and beginning of winter on November 10th. The festival marks the passage from Usins to Martins, two horse deities. That is all the Latvian holidays, in detail.