How the holiday of Ivan Kupala is celebrated. Ivan Kupala: celebration traditions and customs

Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

I Ivan Kupala (I and K capitalized), Ivan Kupala (Kupala), plural. no, husband The Orthodox have a holiday on June 24 of the old style, dedicated to the so-called. John the Baptist. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

- (Midsummer's Day) is an ancient holiday of the summer solstice (June 24 old style) among the Eastern Slavs. Ivan Kupala is the popular nickname of John the Baptist, with the legend about whom the church combined agricultural folk rituals designed to ensure the harvest... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

See Kupala. (Source: “Myths of the Peoples of the World.”) ... Encyclopedia of Mythology

Noun, number of synonyms: 2 Midsummer (4) bathed (5) ASIS Dictionary of Synonyms. V.N. Trishin. 2013… Synonym dictionary

Noun, number of synonyms: 1 holiday (133) ASIS Dictionary of Synonyms. V.N. Trishin. 2013… Synonym dictionary

See Midsummer. * * * IVAN KUPALA IVAN KUPALA (Midsummer's Day), an ancient holiday of the summer solstice (June 24 old style) among the Eastern Slavs. Ivan Kupala is the popular nickname of John the Baptist, with the legend of whom the church connected... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

IVAN KUPALA- An ancient pagan (see paganism*) agricultural holiday, also known as Midsummer and the summer (see summer*) solstice, that is, the longest day and shortest night of the year. Celebrated on June 24. The holiday was spread under various... Linguistic and regional dictionary

Ivan Kupalo, an ancient folk religious and magical agricultural holiday (aka Midsummer's Day; June 24, old style). It was distributed under various names among many peoples of Europe, including the Slavs. I bathed the people... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Ivan Kupala- see Kupala... Popular dictionary of the Russian language

Books

• About outfits and rituals, Kirillov Ivan Borisovich. Folk holidays are the heritage of our ancestors. Once upon a time, people believed that with the help of rituals they could solve economic problems and attract good luck. Revival of holiday traditions...
• Evenings on a farm near Dikanka, Nikolai Gogol. “Sorochinskaya Fair”, “The Night Before Christmas”, “Terrible Revenge”, “The Tale of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich” - the best of Gogol’s early stories - fantastic and...

Every year on July 7, one of the most beloved folk holidays is celebrated - Ivan Kupala, the history of which goes back to pagan times. There are many myths and beliefs associated with this holiday. The celebration is dedicated to the blossoming of nature and the summer solstice. With the advent of Christianity, the holiday received a new meaning, but even today the customs and traditions of the ancient Slavs are visible in it.

History of the holiday of Ivan Kupala

One of the main deities among the ancient Slavs was the Sun God. He was revered on the day of the summer solstice, which fell on July 24 according to the old style, or July 7 according to the new style. Our ancestors believed that on this day water enters into an alliance with fire. That is why many holiday rituals are associated with these two elements.

The holiday of Ivan Kupala combines two elements: Christian and pagan. Already with the advent of Christianity, the celebration received the name Ivan Kupala, which was a Slavic version of the name John the Baptist.

On the day of the summer solstice, the ancient Slavs praised the longest day of the year and rejoiced at the victory of light over darkness. The first written mentions of the holiday were found in the Laurentian Chronicle (1068).

Active preparations for the Kupala night took place on the eve of the holiday - July 6 according to the new style. This day in the calendar of the ancient Slavs was called Agrafena Bathing. On Agrafena they always washed and steamed in the bathhouse, and prepared bath brooms for the whole year. After lunch, girls and women harnessed their horses and went into the forest, where they broke young branches of birch, linden, alder, bird cherry, currant, viburnum, rowan and other deciduous plants and trees.

The guys collected muddy water from the river in buckets and walked around the village, pouring dirty water on everyone they met. It was especially hard on the girls who, wanting revenge, also filled buckets with dirty water and doused the guys with it. After which the youth went to the river to swim.

On the night of Ivan Kupala it was customary to light bonfires. According to legend, water at this time acquires healing powers. In order to be healthy and not get sick all year, you had to swim in the river, then burn your old clothes in a fire and jump high over the flames to recharge yourself with the energy of the fire.

On the morning of Ivan Kupala, it was customary to collect herbs and weave wreaths. It is believed that at this time the plants gain full strength. The girls collected field herbs and flowers, wove wreaths from them, which they put on their heads and walked like this all day. If in the evening the wreath remained on the girl’s head and was not stolen during the games, then it, along with a lit torch or candle, was sent to float along the river, while making a cherished wish. The faster and further the wreath floats, the sooner the wish will come true.

On this day, witch doctors and healers collected medicinal herbs and dried them for the winter. At night they collected dew, which was also considered healing. It was used in many rites and rituals. For example, girls washed their faces with it so that the skin was smooth and beautiful, and they also washed the sick with dew so that they would get better sooner.

At night it was customary to collect “moon plants”, the most popular of which is fern. The youth went in search of a fern flower. According to legend, the fern blooms literally for a moment on the night of Ivan Kupala. It is very difficult to pluck it, because it is guarded by evil spirits. But the one who can do this will acquire unusual capabilities. A person will begin to have the gift of clairvoyance, will be able to understand the language of animals and easily find treasures buried deep in the ground. With the help of a flower you can open any locks and constipations, just apply it to them.

To pick a fern, you need to spread a sacred tablecloth near the plant, draw a circle around yourself with a sacred knife and, reading a special spell, wait until midnight. Evil spirits try in every possible way to distract a person, calling out to him with the voices of loved ones. If you turn around and respond to the response, you could lose your life. Having picked a flower, you need to hide it in your bosom and run home without looking back.

Ivan Kupala - a Christian or pagan holiday?

In the church calendar, July 7th marks the celebration of the birth of John the Baptist, the Baptist of the Lord. There is nothing in common between Ivan Kupala and John the Baptist. In pagan Rus', the day of the summer solstice was called Kupala, but with the advent of Christianity the holiday received the name Ivan (from John) Kupala. Despite the fact that the church separates these two holidays and recognizes only the Christian one - the birth of John the Baptist, Ivan Kupala is still very popular today. On July 7, people continue to worship the forces of nature and ask them for a good harvest. In many places in our country it is customary to light fires and jump over them, weave wreaths and collect medicinal herbs.

The beginning of July is the time when the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates a very important holiday - Nativity of John the Baptist (Forerunner). This means that the most famous summer Slavic holiday is coming - Ivan Kupala, which is preceded by the famous Kupala night. The night before Ivan Kupala in Rus' was associated with many rites, signs, rituals, prohibitions and fortune telling.

When the night of Ivan Kupala comes

Ivan Kupala- popular name of the saint John the Baptist (Forerunner), deeply revered by all Christian churches. The Nativity of John the Baptist was initially celebrated around the time of the summer solstice, to which folk rituals on the eve of the holiday Ivan Kupala were also timed.

The fact is that the date of the Nativity of John the Baptist was calculated on the basis of the Gospel testimony about the six-month age difference between this prophet and Jesus Christ. Thus, the Nativity of John turned out to be close to the summer solstice, since the Nativity of Christ is timed to coincide with the winter solstice. That is, under the sign of Jesus the sun becomes larger and daylight hours increase, but under the sign of John it decreases.

In Rus', Ivan Kupala was associated with pre-Christian celebrations of the summer solstice, which was reflected in the not too modest rituals that remained in the folk tradition on this holiday even after the adoption of Christianity.

Due to the difference in calendars, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Nativity of John the Baptist July 7. (Western churches have already celebrated this holiday on June 23). Accordingly, the national holiday Ivan Kupala falls on July 7th. Kupala night, or The night before Ivan Kupala- it's a night from 6 to 7 July.

history of the holiday

The Nativity of John the Baptist is a holiday in honor of the birth of a son to elderly parents, righteous Zechariah And Elizabeth. Their son became John the Baptist (Forerunner). Christians venerate John the Baptist as the predecessor (precursor) of Jesus Christ. According to gospel sources, John baptized Jesus in the waters of the Jordan River.

John the Baptist is an extremely revered saint, he is the only one, besides Jesus Christ and the Mother of God, whose Nativity is celebrated as a major church holiday. The word "baptist" translated from Greek means "baptizer" who immerses in water. Hence the popular name of the holiday - Ivan Kupala, hence the traditions associated with bathing, symbolizing cleansing.

The night before Ivan Kupala

In folk tradition, the night before Ivan Kupala (Kupala night) is the culmination of summer, when important rituals related to water, fire, as well as herbs and other plants are performed.

Swimming on this night in Rus' was considered mandatory for all healthy adults; it was a cleansing rite to wash away sins and in order to receive health and good luck from the healing waters. It was believed that at this time all the water evil spirits, primarily dissolute mermaids, were already sleeping at the bottom of reservoirs until autumn. This meant that no one and nothing could muddy or stain the water, which our ancestors during this period endowed with healing and magical properties.

Bathing was carried out according to certain rules. Girls who wanted to attract luck and get married quickly first swam alone in a secluded place. Only their betrotheds could find them there, with whom the beauties could agree in advance on the place to bathe. This bathing was quite chaste - young people swam together, but in clothes (as on the previous day on).

Then mass bathing began, and there were some liberties involved, in particular, in some areas girls swam naked. Here and there girls and boys swam naked together.

On Kupala night, the girls had the pleasure of choosing their “betrothed”, with whom they had to swim together, jump over the fire and perform other rituals. On Kupala night, the “spouses” exchanged ritual wreaths, together looked for a mysterious (non-existent) fern flower, and so on... Note that the Slavic tradition allowed rural girls to quite a large extent manage their own freedom, including sexual freedom, but in family life in Russian Strict restrictions were imposed on the woman.

(In an educated environment, the rules were the opposite: a young unmarried noblewoman had to behave as modestly and strictly as possible, but in family life adultery, although condemned, was not too strictly).

The official church severely condemned the Kupala people’s liberties, and the “libertines” were persecuted and could be severely punished for demonism and paganism (this, for example, is reflected in the film Andrei Tarkovsky“The Passion for Andrei”, where a raid was organized on the participants of the Kupala games).

Swimming in open reservoirs in Rus' was widespread from (Ivan Kupala's eve) to Ilyin's day (August 2). It was believed that after August 2, open water became cold and unclean, and swimming in it was no longer allowed.

Bonfire and wreaths on the night of Ivan Kupala

Besides water, the most important element on the night of Ivan Kupala was considered fire. Therefore, closer to sunset, people lit fires near open reservoirs, which everyone had to jump over. Fire, like water, was considered purifying, so jumping over a fire was ritualistic and actually obligatory.

They especially made sure that all the girls and women of the village went through this ritual: those who were cowardly or refused could be subject to censure and even punishment as unclean or practicing witchcraft.

Young people, ritually engaged on Kupala night, jumped over the fire, holding hands. The sign said: if they did not open their arms during the jump, then the Kupala “wedding” would soon be followed by a real one.

Another symbol of the Kupala night - herbs and in general all the plants that our ancestors during this period considered to be endowed with healing powers. Hence the tradition: to weave on Ivan Kupala wreaths, exchange them and float them across the water. This tradition, along with swimming on Kupala night, is still widespread.

Bans on Ivan Kupala

It was believed that, although all the water evil spirits on Ivan Kupala were already asleep, the forest evil spirits were very active and hunted the sleeping people. Therefore, it was generally forbidden to sleep on Kupala night.

Tradition also says that on Ivan Kupala and on the eve of this holiday you cannot give, sell or lend money, otherwise the family may become poor. Borrowing was also not allowed, and money found on the road was under no circumstances allowed to be raised.

In addition, on Kupala night they advised children, pregnant women, the elderly and the sick to stay away from water.

Signs and fortune telling for Ivan Kupala

Kupala signs and fortune telling are naturally associated with water, fire and plants. It was considered a good omen to take a swim: if the bath was successful, and even together with the “betrothed,” it means that the year will be good, illnesses will not bother you, and marriage is not far off.

Jumping over the fire was no less important. While jumping, the girls wished for good luck and future family life. She jumped with her “Kupala betrothed” without unfastening her arms - there was a wedding ahead.

If you let go of the guy’s hand, it means he’s not your chosen one.

If you were afraid to jump over the fire, expect trouble.

Jumping and getting burned - you need to be on your guard, they can expect harm and illness.

Wreaths made from field herbs were also used for fortune telling. With the help of wreaths, girls also made wishes for their betrothed and future life. It was necessary to go to the water and, as if by chance, throw the wreath off the head: where he swam, from there the groom would come.

It's twisted in the wrong place - look around more closely, maybe the narrowed one is somewhere nearby. Unraveled or drowned - the time for marriage has not yet come, you can walk for a year.

The main success on Kupala night was considered to be to find the treasured fern flower, which will fulfill all wishes. But this fortune telling was more of a ritual nature and gave couples in love the opportunity to retire in the forest grass.

In addition, on the night before Ivan Kupala, other signs and fortune-telling were common, like those in use on, and.

The most ancient midsummer holiday, which unites three elements, can help change everyone’s life. Why Slavic magic still works today.

In the old days, it was believed that the holiday of Ivan Kupala allows everyone to create miracles with their own hands, thanks to the unity of Water, Fire and Earth. Therefore, on this day in Rus', the Slavs swam in rivers and lakes, jumped over fires to cleanse the soul and body, and also collected healing and magical herbs.

The main traditions of the holiday

The history of Ivan Kupala goes back to ancient times. Before baptism, pagans celebrated the day of the summer solstice (Solstice) - that is, the turn to decline - on June 21. And with the adoption of Christianity, the date ceased to coincide with the astronomical solstice and was moved to the Nativity of John the Baptist - to July 7.

The main traditions of Midsummer were rituals associated with herbs, fire and water. People wove wreaths from living greenery and launched them into the water as fortune-telling about the future, lit fires along the banks of reservoirs and made spells for health, love and wealth. After all, it is on the night of Ivan Kupala that once a year a magical fern blooms, revealing treasures.

One of the important rituals is the opening of the swimming season, which will last until August 2, Ilyin’s Day. It is believed that until this time, mermaids and mermen emerge from the rivers and cannot cause harm, and the water, freed from evil spirits, is endowed with magical properties. Even dew collected at this time in the morning can restore beauty and youth. Women and girls collected it to wipe their faces.

If you are familiar with the traditions of the Ivan Kupala holiday, then you are, of course, aware of the important event of the evening - at sunset the Slavs lit bonfires, danced in circles and jumped over the flames. It was believed that fire acquires healing powers, removes damage and drives away evil spirits. At the same time, the boys and girls were choosing a mate. They exchanged woven wreaths, then joined hands and jumped over the fire. It was believed that if sparks flew after this couple, and their hands did not open in the jump, there would be a quick wedding.

Main rituals

Collecting plants for Midsummer is an important matter. To ensure they retained their magical powers, herbs were collected at night and at dawn. It was believed that the Ivan da Marya flower, the juice from which was squeezed that night, would restore the patient’s lost sanity and hearing. Wormwood and nettle were dried and hung in the house to scare away evil spirits.

One of the most beautiful Slavic legends tells about the flowering of ferns on the night of Midsummer. The fabulous bud of this plant looks like a burning coal, turning into a fiery flower at the stroke of midnight. Its owner gains the ability to see treasures buried in the ground, understand the speech of animals and turn invisible.

However, it is not easy to get it - forest representatives of otherworldly forces try in every possible way to hinder the hunter. They call him with familiar voices, calling him by name and making noise. If a person responds, the monsters will tear him to shreds. So as soon as the flower is picked, you need to hide it in your bosom and run without looking back.

According to beliefs about Ivan Kupala, girls can find out for sure whether they will get married. To do this, you need to weave a wreath, stick a lit candle into it and float it across the water. If he floats and does not drown, then a quick marriage is coming. The happiest owner of a wreath is the one whose candle burns the longest. She will have a long and good life.

Another option for fortune-telling for unmarried people is to collect a bunch of 12 herbs (the plantain, called in the old days as tripartite, should go in there) and put it under the pillow before going to bed, saying the spell: “Triputnik-companion, you live on the road, you see small and old, tell me my betrothed! It was also believed that everyone who took part in the holiday would definitely find love within a year.

29.06.2015 18:14

On the seventh of July comes one of the most mystical days of the year - the holiday of Ivan Kupala. IN...

The holiday of Ivan Kupala has been known to us since childhood. The celebration is dedicated to the dawn of nature, the victory of light over darkness and the summer solstice. This day is accompanied by a huge number of traditions and folk rituals.

The history of the holiday

The history of the holiday goes back to the times when the Slavs worshiped idols and pagan Gods. According to some historians, the name “Kupala” comes from the name of a pagan deity, while others argue that there was no such name, and the name is associated with rituals performed on this day.

Before the advent of the Gregorian calendar, mass celebrations were held precisely on the day of the summer solstice, June 20–22. When the modern calendar was adopted, the holiday began to fall on July 7 (June 24, old style).

With the advent of Christianity, the church tried to replace the pagan holiday with an Orthodox one. On this day they began to celebrate the Nativity of John the Baptist. Nevertheless, it was not possible to eradicate folk traditions and rituals, but the name changed. From that time on, the holiday began to be called Ivan Kupala Day.

Who is John the Baptist

John the Baptist was born into the family of a priest of Judea on July 7 (June 24, old style). He is considered a prophet who predicted the appearance of the Messiah. He was called the Baptist due to the fact that it was he who baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.

Whose holiday is it by nationality?

Traditionally, the holiday was celebrated by Eastern and Western Slavs. Now in many countries the customs of evening festivities on the night of Ivan Kupala have been preserved. This celebration is celebrated by Russians, Ukrainians, Belarusians, Baltic states and residents of a number of European countries. In many countries, the holiday is considered both folk and church and is called differently.

How the holiday of Ivan Kupala was celebrated in Rus'

Initially, the holiday was celebrated as a day of admiration for the sun and nature. It was a time of washing and purification. It was customary to bathe in ponds to get rid of diseases. In addition to swimming, the celebration was accompanied by folk rituals and traditions.

How is the holiday going?

Folk festivities began in the evening, on the eve of the holiday, and continued throughout the night. It was believed that at this time nature acquired unique magical properties, and evil spirits walked around and caused mischief.

It was customary to collect herbs and flowers and weave wreaths from them, and then throw them into the water. The celebration was necessarily accompanied by a large Kupala bonfire, around which round dances were performed and ritual songs were sung.

What not to do on this day

Prohibitions and restrictions are mostly associated with popular beliefs. Thus, it was believed that one should not sleep at Kupala night, so as not to fall into the hands of forest and water evil spirits. On the day of the holiday, it is forbidden to sell or lend anything, otherwise you may invite disaster. Also, misfortune awaits everyone who finds and picks up money on the road.

According to church canons, July 7 falls during the period of Peter the Great's Fast, so if you decide to cleanse yourself spiritually, reduce festivities to a minimum and observe fasting. Since the Nativity of John the Baptist is a church holiday, it is permissible to diversify the diet with fish and a glass of red wine.

Traditions and rituals of the holiday

In everyday folk life, the holiday of Ivan Kupala was of great importance, so it was celebrated observing many traditions and rituals.

Swimming in lakes and rivers

The holiday of Ivan Kupala is associated with water, so many regions supported the custom of swimming in reservoirs. It was believed that water was endowed with special healing powers and could wash away illnesses and drive away bad thoughts from the head.

However, not in all regions swimming in reservoirs was considered safe. On this day, mermaids and mermen left lakes and rivers and held a Sabbath. People were afraid of evil spirits and did not risk swimming. Nevertheless, the magical power of water remained. It was necessary to walk barefoot through the dew, visit a bathhouse with 12 herbs collected the day before, and drink water from a spring.

Nowadays, the tradition of pouring water has been preserved, which washes away all illnesses, sorrows and misfortunes.

Cleansing fire (why jump over the fire)

The fire on the night of Ivan Kupala took on a special cleansing power. It was identified with the sun, so the fire was made very large and tall. Around him they danced, danced and sang. When the dark flame subsided, girls and boys jumped over the fire to cleanse their souls and bodies from the evil eye, disease and misfortune. You need to jump three times, otherwise the ritual will not work.

• if a girl was unable to jump over the fire or did not come to the festivities at all, she was called a witch, could be whipped with nettles, doused with water or sprinkled with feathers;
• if a couple in love managed to jump over the flames holding hands, then their union promised to be strong and long;
• to cure the child, the mother burned his shirt at the stake, believing that the illness would burn with the clothes;
• it was possible to get rid of the troubles of family life by burning old trash and unnecessary things on the Kupala fire;
• To prevent animals and livestock from getting sick, they were also driven over a fire.

What herbs are collected on this holiday?

It was believed that herbs and flowers acquired miraculous powers on the night of Ivan Kupala, so from dawn to sunrise, herbalists and healers went in search of healing herbs. It’s especially good if they were with morning “bathing” dew. According to beliefs, plants collected by children and old people - people with a pure soul - had the best magical properties.

The collected herbs were used to smoke evil spirits and perform rituals. Typically, herbalists collected:

• nettle;
• sagebrush;
• mother-stepmother;
• blasphemer;
• oregano.

It was considered lucky to find a flying herb that could carry a person far away, or an overpowering herb that could save you from enemies.

Fern flower

One of the most interesting beliefs associated with the day of Ivan Kupala is about the fern flower. It was believed that the fern could bloom only once a year - at midnight on Ivan Kupala. The flowering was carefully hidden and guarded by evil spirits. However, the person who finds the flower will receive incredible magical powers. He will be able to understand the language of plants and animals, see through the earth, and talk to spirits.

Kupala wreath

Girls performed most of the rituals for the holiday with a wreath on their heads. It was woven from pre-collected flowers, herbs and branches. It was believed that if you put a wreath in water and scoop up water from it, your skin would be light, your cheeks would be rosy, and your eyes would be shining.

Usually, at the end of the festivities, the wreath was released into the water or burned at the stake. Sometimes, the decoration was saved in order to use the herbs included in it throughout the next year.

Beliefs

It was believed that on the night of Ivan Kupala:

• plants and animals acquired the gift of communication with each other;
• the spirits of ancestors descended to earth in the form of fireflies fluttering in the dark forest;
• you need to lay out nettles on the threshold and windowsill so that evil spirits do not sneak into the house;
• it is necessary to lock up the horses, as they could have been stolen by witches for a trip to Bald Mountain;
• the ant oil found in the anthill had healing properties;
• the Ivan da Marya flower, plucked and placed in the house, will protect it from thieves.

How to tell fortunes on Ivan Kupala

One of the most popular is fortune telling with wreaths. Late at night, unmarried girls attached a candle to their wreath and launched it into the water. You need to carefully monitor how it floats.

If a wreath:

• sailed far - the marriage will be quick and happy;
• spinning on the spot - there will be no wedding this year;
• drowned - the bride will never find the groom.

A young man who caught his chosen one’s wreath from the river could demand a kiss in return.

The girls also watched their candle on the wreath, because the longer it burns, the longer life will be.

You can tell fortunes about marriage in another way. At night, without looking, pick a bunch of field herbs and put them under your pillow. If in the morning it turns out that there are more than 12 types of plants in the bouquet, wait for the wedding that year.

You can also put a plantain leaf under your pillow and say: “Triputnik-fellow traveler, you live along the road, you see young and old, tell me my betrothed.” The groom will definitely appear in your dream.

You can make a secret wish. If you climb through 12 vegetable gardens, it will definitely come true.

You can see the future with the help of a church candle. Break it into several pieces and melt it. Pour the liquid wax into a container with cold water. What kind of figure he will take - such events can be expected in the near future.

Symbols of the sun in Kupala rituals

It is known that on Ivan Kupala people worshiped the sun and its light. An indispensable attribute of the holiday is a wreath of flowers and grass, symbolizing the sun. Rituals of worship of the solar luminary were accompanied by round dances around the fire and burning of effigy. Young men brought down set fire wheels and barrels from the hills, identifying the solar cycle.

Signs on Ivan Kupala

If on the day of Ivan Kupala

• heavy dew - to the harvest of cucumbers;
• if the night before the holiday is starry, there will be a lot of mushrooms;
• it is raining - the child will be hot and dry;
• to meet a snake means to expect trouble or loss.

Wedding on Ivan Kupala

People say that if you get married on the day of Ivan Kupala, you can bask in luxury all your life.

Nevertheless, since the holiday always falls on Peter's Fast, the church does not accept such marriages and does not marry in the church. If you are believers, it is better to postpone the wedding to the date when the fast ends, after July 12.

Ivan bathed 2019 on what date and month

What date is Ivan Kupala in 2020, 2021, 2022

So the holiday has a clearly established date and does not change from year to year; in 2020, 2021 and 2022, Ivan Kupala will also be on the night of July 6-7.

The night before Ivan Kupala holiday

Among the people, the night before the holiday was considered “terrible.” The witches flocked to Bald Mountain and held a Sabbath. Also, this night was identified with the rise of the Skipper-Serpent above the world.

The day before Kupala night

According to beliefs, before the holiday, on the afternoon of July 6, you need to clean the house in order to meet the celebration clean. From the very morning, people cleaned the wells to make the water in them “special.” During the day, wreaths and brooms were prepared for the bathhouse. Herbalists and healers went to the forest for “magical” herbs. In the evening, before the celebration, people washed themselves with the evening dew to gain health and strength.

On Kupala night

People walked all night long. People lit fires and jumped over them. They led round dances, sang ritual songs, danced and had fun. Girls and boys traditionally told fortunes, and at midnight they went in search of fern blossoms.

The morning after Kupala night

After Kupala Night, it was customary to collect medicinal herbs and plants for the entire next year.

Ivan Kupala is a unique holiday symbolizing warmth, sunshine and summer. It is better to celebrate it in nature. Usually the festivities take place in a large company on the shore of a reservoir. The indispensable attributes of the holiday are a large Kupala bonfire, a wreath of herbs and flowers, mass rituals and fortune telling.

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