Legend
St John's stone at Miikse, Setomaa
Long ago, the Seto say, St John the Baptist came walking through Setomaa and sat down to rest his feet on a pink stone beside the Miikse brook. From that moment the stone became holy. For generations, especially on old St John's Day in early July, people came here to pray and to heal: in the 19th century thousands of pilgrims arrived, some even from Moscow. They left curd cheese, wool, eggs and candles, and pressed aching hands and legs against the rock. The brook and a small 'eye spring' in its bank were believed to cure as well. Today the Jaanikivi, split into several pieces, lies by the stream near Miikse chapel, and visitors still leave coins and sweets on it.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Setod räägivad, et kunagi tuli Ristija Johannes läbi Setomaa ja istus Miikse oja ääres roosaka kivi peale jalgu puhkama. Sellest hetkest sai kivi pühaks. Põlvkondade kaupa käidi siin palvetamas ja abi otsimas, eriti vana jaanipäeva ajal juuli alguses: 19. sajandil saabus tuhandeid palverändureid, mõned koguni Moskvast. Kivile jäeti kohupiima, villa, mune ja küünlaid ning valutavat kätt või jalga hoiti vastu kivi. Tervendavaks peeti ka ojavett ja kaldast voolavat silmaallikat. Tänapäeval lebab mitmeks tükiks lõhenenud Jaanikivi Miikse kabeli lähedal oja ääres ja külastajad jätavad sinna ikka münte ja maiustusi.
Source: Seto folk tradition; registered archaeological monument; see et.wikipedia: Jaanikivi. ↗