Witches

Are you interested in Czech folklore and traditions? If so, I have something really interesting for you. It is April 30th and I am in Prague in Ladronka park. Small children and adults run around me and they are dressed up as witches. Now I feel ashamed because I'm wearing only jeans and an old sweater. There's plenty of food and drinks around, everyone is celebrating. But why?

Because it is Witches day! Another of many Czech traditions that have survived the modernizing. It is a folk custom of "burning witches". Once upon a time, the people of the night of April 30th to May 1st, referred to as the Philippine Night believed that the magical powers that came alive to harm people. They wanted to destroy their crops, killed their cattle. These magical powers were in the form of witches - older ladies who flew on brooms.

People met at this night and defended themselves together against these forces. They put branches and thorns in front of the houses. The house and the surrounding area were filled with holy water. The boys made brooms, which they then lit and threw into the air. These rituals were supposed to scare witches away. In the course of time, people added making of the greatest fire possible and then they burn the doll in it. The doll symbolized the witch.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the witches were always just bad. Once people believed in good and worthy witches. They used to be mostly herbalists, wise women, who helped people when they were sick.

Today, people do not believe in superstitions, but they are still throwing the Witches celebration. They have the opportunity to meet with their families, children can be up late, because usually the day after, they don't have to go to school.

And if you missed Witches this year, you can go next year. And where? I have experience with Ladronka, it is a large area away from the center. Other places closer to the center: Žluté lázně, Malá strana, Žižkov ...

Main information from: https://www.ceske-tradice.cz/tradice/jaro/paleni-carodejnic/_zobraz=paleni-carodejnic---puvod-a-historie/_zobraz=paleni-carodejnic---puvod-a-historie