The burning of the witches in Prague was calm. Firefighters did not record a single exit Company News Pražská Drbna
During the evening and night, the Prague fire brigade did not intervene in any case due to the burning of witches. They informed about it on twitter. The celebrations associated with the last night of April were even calmer in the metropolis than last year and the year before, when restrictions on the spread of coronavirus applied. Last year, the Prague fire brigade went to two cases that were related to the tradition of the Philippine night, and a year earlier to one. At this year’s celebrations, they said that “during the evening and night, they did not have to intervene even once because of the witches.”
The last night of April belongs to witches and those who welcome spring by burning symbolic fires. This custom, which originally had social, religious and protective significance, is now a social pastime. According to firefighters, however, the wine of negligence and inattention ends every year with unnecessary fires and burns. Therefore, before these celebrations, firefighters annually urge caution and safety.
Weather plays the biggest role in the number of fires during witch celebrations. If the drought and heat are long before April 30, the fire will sound easier than when the soil is soaked with water. A strong wind is also dangerous, which blows hot coals around and easily catches dry grass, for example.
According to an ancient tradition, the magical power is attributed to St. Jacob’s Night. The holiday was originally celebrated on a full moon, which was closest to the bottom exactly between the vernal equinox and the summer solstice. Fires were lit on the elevated places to protect them from the witches. To this day, only the firing of fires, during which one feasts or sings, or dances and jumps over a lit fire, has mostly been preserved. In addition, a witch’s figurine or brooms are being burned somewhere. The Celtic spring holiday Beltine falls on the same date, in northern Europe the last night of April is called Walpurgine.