St. John's Eve in New Orleans

About St. John's Eve in New Orleans

Once a year, International House, a local institution, celebrates the arrival of summer with reverence and Vodou mystique found only in New Orleans. The hotel observes Saint John’s Eve on or before John the Baptist’s birthday (June 24). 

Given that St. John’s birth aligns closely with the Summer Solstice on June 21st, his feast day and the pagan celebration of Midsummer’s Night are interconnected. In South Louisiana, where heat and humidity were intense, the Summer Solstice was a remarkable event as the sun appeared to pause in the sky before reversing its path. Over the centuries, celebrations of this solstice have included purification and renewal rites, symbolizing a fresh start spiritually. 

Throughout history, a lineage of esteemed priestesses has overseen this event, beginning with Marie Laveau, dubbed the "Voodoo Queen." Marie Catherine Laveau, a charismatic hairdresser and Priestess, rebranded Vodou, previously practiced by a select few in the underground, as "Voodoo," and brought it into the mainstream of New Orleans society. Marie’s focus was the biblical figure of St. John, known for his wildness in life and in her ceremonies. Her gatherings attracted thousands and became an exotic blend of Haitian Vodou, Roman Catholicism, Native American traditions, and Masonic mysteries.