When Ivan Kupala is held. Ivan Kupala holiday: features and traditions
Magical Kupala night is the best time for divination and love magic. For our ancestors, the holiday of Ivan Kupala was timed to coincide with the "middle of summer", the summer solstice, which will occur in 2017 on June 21. According to Christian tradition, the feast of Ivan Kupala is celebrated on July 7th.
People have long attached special importance to this holiday, and considered it mystical - magic filled with magic. What is the peculiarity of Ivan's Day (this is another name for the holiday of Ivan Kupala)?
On the night before this day, cosmic energies are intensified, especially the energy of the Sun. This is the time when parallel worlds open, when spirits penetrate our world. Therefore, magicians, wizards and sorcerers use this time for rituals, ceremonies, magical mysteries.
During the time of pagan worship, our ancestors held great festivities in honor of the solar deity Kupala and his water sister, Kostroma. Bathing in rivers and lakes, jumping over bonfires, love intercourse accompanied Kupala Day. The daredevils went to look for a fern flower in the night, which opened all the treasures in the world.
I suggest you familiarize yourself with the history, traditions, customs, rituals and signs of this holiday.
The history of the holiday of Ivan Kupala
Ivan Kupala Day - originally pagan holiday dedicated to the Sun and the Slavic deity Kupala. Even before the adoption of Christianity by Russia, this holiday was celebrated on June 22, on the day of the summer solstice. However, already in Christian Rus', the holiday was timed to coincide with the birthday of John the Baptist (John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus, whose Christmas falls on this date) and it was celebrated on June 24th. In many villages, the holiday of Ivan Kupala began to be called Ivanov Day.
After the transition from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, the day of Ivan Kupala moved even further and to this day it is celebrated on July 7th. Therefore, as we can see, the initial meaning of the holiday has already lost all meaning, since it no longer falls on the day of the summer solstice. However, in a number of European countries, Ivan Kupala Day is still celebrated from June 20 to 24.
Traditions on Ivan Kupala
Midsummer Day, as it was also called in the old days, is quite rich in traditions, rites and rituals. It should be noted, despite the specificity of customs, many of them can be found today.
Particular attention on this holiday was devoted to the forces of nature. So, the symbol of Ivan Kupala was the Sun. As the peasants claimed, this is the period of the highest level of activity of the Sun, after which it moved towards winter. After the adoption of Christianity by Russia, the holiday acquired its second name - Ivan's Day.
From the very early morning, all the people could be found on the rivers and lakes. It was believed that this cleanses a person both physically, driving away all diseases, and spiritually. Those who did not have water bodies in the vicinity went to the bathhouse. However, not everyone was in a hurry to swim that day. After all, part of the people believed that a huge amount of evil spirits was hidden in the reservoirs, which could destroy them.
The fire also had a special magic on this day, so the whole village lit fires and jumped over it. Be sure to make a fire near the reservoirs. It was believed that they have magical powers that can purify and give good luck for the whole year. Therefore, there was a belief that the one who jumps over and does not touch the flame for the whole year will be lucky and, perhaps, will be able to find real happiness. The tradition of jumping over the fire has survived to our time, today you can also find villages where this tradition is observed on this day.
Since nature had special power and magic on this day, many women tried to save this magical particle in case of illness or trouble. Therefore, after bathing, everyone went for herbs. Some collected them for divination, others for rituals, some in order to subsequently treat themselves and loved ones with these herbs. Particular importance was attached to the fern on this holiday. It was believed that if you meet a fern flower, then this is a good sign, such a person has special kindness and you can find any treasure with him. The peculiarity of this plant was considered to be that it blooms for a few seconds that night, and then disappears, so it is not so easy to find it.
Long before the holiday, the whole village chose the so-called constable, who was engaged in holding the holiday. His main task was to prepare for the holiday and spend it. Of course, he had to know all the traditions and customs. On this day they sang songs, cast spells.
While the women were gathering herbs, the men had to cut down a tree that would be about one and a half or two times the height of an average person. Then it is installed where it is agreed to hold festivities. When the tree was in place, the girls decorated it with flowers and ribbons. The people called such a tree "madder" or "kupala".
The whole celebration took place around the fire. There they arranged a feast, played burners, the young chose a mate for themselves, and many rituals were performed. With the advent of the Orthodox Church, all these rites were condemned, since they are associated with paganism. However, the people could not abandon them and yet continued to follow them. Thus, everything was mixed up - folk beliefs with religion.
Also on this day, it was customary to tell stories and stories that described the special magic associated with plants. So, thanks to plants, it was possible to find treasures, money, heal, and so on. According to an ancient legend, on the night of Ivan Kupala, a fern blooms and whoever finds this magical flower will be able to see treasures hidden underground and learn to understand the language of animals.
Kupala cleansing
The ancient Slavs believed that on this day everything becomes one: earth and sky, water and fire. The pagans bathed in the water, lit fires, danced around them. At night they walked with lights, weaved wreaths of herbs, let them float with candles on the water. It was the night of Fire and Water, which symbolize vital energy. That night, everyone tried to purify themselves with miraculous powers, to be healed, filled with health and beauty.
Kupala purifications are purifications of the body, soul and spirit.
- cleansing the body - bathing in sacred pure waters, which wash away dirt, ailments, fatigue, worries from the body;
- cleansing of the soul - cleansing with hot open fire the bonfires through which all the young people jumped so that the fire would burn everything bad from the aura and soul;
- purification of the spirit - dancing on the coals of a fire in a magical circle of fire, inside which everyone walks barefoot, purifying and strengthening the spirit with red-hot coals.
Kupala night is the night of unity of people with nature. Kupala personified the power of sunlight and the fertility of the earth. Herbs collected on this day were the most healing. St. John's wort, wormwood, sweet clover, thistle, thistle, mountaineer, hare cabbage, oregano, nettle, collected at Kupala, healed from ailments and from an evil eye all year.
Rites and rituals on Ivan Kupala
In addition to the traditions that were observed on this day, Ivan Kupala is also literally saturated with various pagan rites.
Many did not go to bed on the night of Ivan Kupala. All this in order to be the very first to wash with morning dew. It was believed that she could give health and beauty.
If on this day someone was doused with dirty water, then no one was angry, but rather rejoiced. After all, the more often you bathe on this day, the better. A person will live the next year happily, and thus will be more purified.
During the festivities, young people made a doll from hay, which was a symbol of the god Kupala. When they danced and sang songs, according to the script, one of the participants had to hook the doll so that it fell. After that, everyone ran to see if Kupala had died. When it was announced that he was not breathing, the girls began to mourn him through songs. While the girls sing, the guys take the doll and carry it to a funeral pyre prepared in advance, where it is burned. After this ritual, the real feast began.
In order to literally burn all the illnesses and misfortunes of their children, women collected the things of their sons and daughters, in which they had been ill and threw them into the fire. So, according to their beliefs, children will be healthy and strong.
On Ivan Kupala, young people looked at each other and looked for a mate. When the choice was made, the girl and the guy jumped together over the fire, holding hands. Thus, they tried to test their feelings and look into the future. If the couple jumped over without opening their hands, then their marriage will be strong and happy, if on the contrary, then it is better not to converge.
Also on this holiday, the housewives used to lay nettles on the threshold. In their opinion, in this way it was possible to escape from evil spirits and witches.
That night, when the girls danced around the felled tree, the guys raided, thereby trying to steal Marena. The lucky one who succeeded ran away to the river, and everyone else followed him. Everyone plucked one branch, which was considered to bring fertility. Then the tree was let down the river.
To protect the cattle from diseases, the owners led the animals between the Kupala bonfires.
Signs on Ivan Kupala
Our ancestors, as on any other holiday, closely followed the weather on this day. If it rains on Midsummer Day, then the whole summer will be hot and the weather will be dry. But if at night the sky is generously dotted with stars, and in the morning nature gives abundant dew, then there will be a good harvest of cucumbers, mushrooms, and indeed all vegetables.
The holiday of Ivan Kupala originates from pagan times. On this day, the Eastern Slavs celebrated the summer solstice. The festival was accompanied by mass festivities, fortune-telling and various rituals. From this article you will learn how the holiday arose and what traditions are followed today.
Ivan Kupala and Christianity
The origins of the holiday of Ivan Kupala can be found in the legends of the ancient Slavs. It is authentically known that in times of paganism they celebrated holidays dedicated to the positions of the Sun. In addition to Ivan Kupala, they celebrated Kolyada, Maslenitsa and Radogoshch. But it was the day of the summer solstice that was accompanied by mass festivities and various rituals.
With the spread of the Christian faith, the celebration of the Kupala night, as the people often called the day of the summer solstice, coincided with the day of the Baptism of Rus'. There is an opinion that the first part of the modern name of the holiday comes from the Christian celebration of the birth of John the Baptist (Ivan the Baptist). The origin of the second part of the holiday - Kupala - has several versions. For example, some researchers claim that this was the name of the pagan god of flowers and fruits. Other historians say that in the pagan religion there was no deity with that name, and the word "kupala" itself comes from the tradition of bathing (washing) in rivers and lakes.
The holiday of Ivan Kupala originates from pagan times
There are other names for the holiday. So, the most common among the people are:
- The day of Ivan;
- Ivan the herbalist;
- Yarilin day;
- Yarilo;
- Kupala;
- summer solstice festival;
- the feast of the summer solstice, etc.
When is the holiday celebrated
Every year on July 7, on the day of the Nativity of John the Baptist, the feast of Ivan Kupala is celebrated. However, all events begin the day before, since it is the night from 6 to 7 July that is considered special.
Mass festivities begin on the evening of July 6, as soon as the sun disappears below the horizon, and last until dawn. On the night of Ivan Kupala, all power belongs to unclean forces - this is exactly what the admirers of the pagan faith say. The Church has a negative attitude towards such assurances and festivities.
Video "Ivan Kupala: history, traditions and rituals"
This video tells you what you can and can't do on Midsummer's Day.
Traditions and customs on Ivan Kupala
Worshiping various pagan deities and believing in the forces of nature, the Eastern Slavs highly honored the feast of Ivan Kupala. It was distinguished from other celebrations and festivities. Midsummer's Day was accompanied by numerous rituals and traditions.
Kupala bonfire
An obligatory element of the holiday was the ritual Kupala bonfire, which had a special cleansing power. A pillar with a skull of a horse or a cow was placed in the center of the fire place. Around the fire they danced, sang songs and danced. When the flame decreased, the second part of the rite began - jumping over the fire. It was believed that a person who jumped over the flame was cleansed of evil spirits. Girls who could not overcome the high flames were called witches.
They jumped through the fire not only singly, but also in pairs. If the hands of the guy and the girl did not separate in the jump, their union promised to be strong and long.
Interesting information
Kindling the Kupala fire Songs, dances and round dances Jumping over the Kupala fire
Kupala wreath
An invariable and obligatory attribute of the Ivan Kupala festival is a wreath woven from herbs. Moreover, the choice of herbs and flowers had a certain meaning:
- wild rose - to attract love and happiness;
- periwinkle - to protect against the evil eye and spoilage;
- geranium - to prevent conflicts and quarrels;
- basil - to enhance sexuality and strengthen family ties;
- ferns and blackberries - for protection from witches and evil spirits.
At the end of the holiday, the wreath had to be destroyed. It could be thrown on the roof of a house or a tree, taken to a cemetery, burned in a fire, or sent down the river. Over time, the tradition has changed. The wreath was taken into the house and hung near front door. It was believed that he would scare away evil spirits and unkind people.
Girls often guessed on Kupala wreaths. At sunset, a wreath was lowered into the water and a wish was made. If the Kupala symbol floats, the wish will come true soon. If the wreath sinks, you should not wait for the fulfillment of your wish. With the help of Kupala wreaths, they were guessing at marriage. Whose weaving of herbs and flowers sails further, she will be the first to marry.
At the end of the holiday, Kupala wreaths were floated on the water healing water
Not only flame, but also water possessed a special magical power. According to the elders, it was possible to swim in rivers and lakes. It was believed that the ritual of washing cleansed both the body and the soul.
However, not all regions followed this tradition. Some Eastern Slavs held a completely opposite opinion. Mass bathing in natural reservoirs could end very sadly, because the evil spirits that ran rampant that day often dragged people under water.
magical herbs
According to legend, medicinal herbs collected on the night of Ivanov's Day had a special power. It was believed that the drug prepared by the elderly and children had more miraculous properties. After all, the souls of old and young are pure and innocent.
It was necessary to collect herbs at dawn. The more dew on the plants, the more powerful the miraculous power. In the process, special prayers-conspiracies were read.
Symbols of the sun in Kupala rites
Since the holiday of Ivan Kupala falls on the day of the summer solstice, Kupala rites must necessarily contain symbols of the sun. Wreaths of flowers, wheels from a cart, a metal rim from a wooden barrel - all these attributes were used as symbols of the sun.
Beliefs, signs and divination
Night on Ivan Kupala is the only night in the year when the fern blooms. This belief has long roots. But even the ancient Slavs went to the forest in search of a flowering fern. According to popular beliefs, a fern flower promised fabulous wealth and the fulfillment of all desires to those who find it.
But not everything is so simple. The evil spirits that woke up on the night of Midsummer lured boys and girls. If someone did not leave the night forest, it was believed that he was taken with him by unclean forces.
The fern flower promised fabulous wealth and the fulfillment of all desires A consecrated branch of willow or nettle scared witches away from cows. The Eastern Slavs believed that evil spirits come into the barn and take all the milk. To protect the animals, a consecrated branch of nettle or willow was hung at the entrance to the barn. For greater strength, it was poked with sharp thorns of other plants.
Drink the juice of Ivan da Marya grass - to gain good health. Such a sign existed many centuries ago. Old people said that the juice of flowers can even restore lost hearing.
On this day, they were guessing not only on Kupala wreaths. Unmarried girls, going to sleep, hid sprigs of ferns and thistles under their pillows. In a dream, the betrothed came to them. There was also an interesting sign - when you meet a stranger on the street and ask his name, you will find out the name of your future spouse.
Fortune-telling on horseback was popular. Girls and boys made wishes and looked at the animals. If the horse knocks with its left hoof, everything that was envisioned will soon come true. Otherwise, the wish may come true, but you will have to wait a while.
Modern holiday of Ivan Kupala
The tradition of a large-scale celebration for Ivan Kupala is gradually returning. On this day, contemporaries arrange festivities near water bodies. Of course, there are obligatory attributes of the festival, including Kupala wreaths and bonfires, songs, dances and round dances. The girls weave wreaths of herbs and float them down the river. Be sure to guess at the betrothed and the favor of fate. True, fortune-telling is more playful or comic in nature.
The middle of summer, and although the weather does not please everywhere, nevertheless it comes in due time night of Ivan Kupala, with which in Rus' many signs, rituals, legends and fortune-telling are traditionally associated.
When is the night of Ivan Kupala celebrated
Ivan Kupala- this is the popular name of one of the most revered saints in Christianity - John the Baptist (Forerunner) whose Christmas is celebrated on June 24. Churches living according to the Gregorian and the New Julian calendars, which coincide with it, have already celebrated this holiday, which is also called The day of Ivan.
The Russian Orthodox Church and other churches that adhere to the Julian calendar celebrate Nativity of John the Baptist July 7. Well, the evening of July 6 is the eve of the holiday. So that Ivan Kupala night, or Kupala night, is the night from July 6 to July 7.
Why the Nativity of John the Baptist is associated with bathing
Prophet John the Baptist was one of the forerunners Jesus Christ. John baptized Jesus in the waters of the Jordan River, and in Greek, “baptizer” means one who bathes, immerses in water. Therefore, the holiday of the Nativity of John the Baptist, aka Ivan Kupala, is associated with water, bathing, washing and cleansing.
Ivan Kupala and the summer solstice
Although the holiday of Ivan Kupala is Christian, in fact it is much older and is associated with the agricultural calendar of the ancient Slavs. In ancient times, the holiday fell exactly on summer solstice. Therefore, the ritual part of the holiday is associated with various summer traditions, the most important of which are swimming in open water, as well as lighting ritual fires.
Traditions of the Kupala night
In folk tradition the night before Ivan Kupala (Kupala night) is very important. This is the time for collecting medicinal herbs, searching for the cherished fern flower, ritual bonfires and, of course, mass bathing.
It is believed that the first swim in an open reservoir should be done alone on the evening of July 6 before sunset, and only then at night to participate in mass “swims”.
Bathing at this time among the Slavic peoples was considered very useful and even obligatory. According to popular beliefs, on the night before Ivan Kupala, mermaids, mermen and other aquatic evil spirits fall asleep at the bottom of the reservoirs and cannot disturb the bathers. Water at that time was considered clean and healing, with healing and magical properties.
On the night of Ivan Kupala, the girls chose their “betrothed”, with whom they jumped over the fire together, swam, exchanged wreaths, looked for a fern flower together and generally behaved quite freely. In the Slavic tradition, an unmarried girl was allowed many liberties that were unacceptable after marriage.
It was possible to swim only until Ilyin's day (August 2), after which the water, according to legend, became cold, unclean and even dangerous to health.
Kupala bonfire
Closer to sunset on the eve of Ivan Kupala, young people usually kindled special bonfires-bathers near the reservoirs, because on the Kupala night two elements - fire and water - are closely friends.
The bonfire is one of the most important symbols of the Kupala night, associated with purification and renewal. Jumping over the fire symbolizes purification, therefore, according to tradition, on the Kupala night, all the women of the village had to jump over the fire, otherwise they could be considered unclean and even witches and punished.
“Grooms” and “brides”, who got engaged on the Kupala night, jumped over the fire together, holding hands. It was believed that such joint fun leads to a real marriage - the main thing is not to open your hands when jumping.
On the night before Ivan Kupala, rather immodest amusements were common in the villages, including skinny-dipping and various not quite decent games. Since the Middle Ages, the church has struggled with these traditions, severely punishing those who disobey. But the tradition of quite vigorously celebrating the night on the eve of Ivan Kupala has survived to this day.
Fortune telling on the eve of Ivan Kupala
All fortune-telling at this time is somehow connected with water. In Rus', on the Kupala night, girls mostly guessed, thinking about the betrothed or about the future life.
For divination, wreaths were traditionally used, which the girls, as if by chance, dropped from their heads into the water. A wreath has sailed away - soon the groom will marry; spun in place or unraveled - until marriage shines; drowned - be in trouble: either someone will die, or the groom will leave.
You could throw a pebble or a coin into the water and count the circles on the water: even - everything will be fine, odd - no luck.
It was believed that a girl or a couple who finds a fern flower at night will be happy and rich. The only trouble is that the fern does not bloom, so this divination was more of a ritual character.
In addition, on the night before Ivan Kupala, ordinary girlish fortune-telling was in use, traditional for other fortune-telling periods - before or.
Ivan Kupala is celebrated on a grand scale. On this day, people organize mass celebrations that are held in nature. Celebrations are accompanied by songs, dances, fun, feasts. Similar events continue from the night of July 6 until the evening of the 7th. This holiday is inextricably linked with the forces of nature.
Its main symbols were not only the sun, but also water, fire, herbs. In the morning people bathed in rivers and lakes. Water cleansed both physically and spiritually. Some people avoided bathing, believing that evil spirits were hidden in the water. One of the traditions of the holiday was jumping over the fire, which was bred near the reservoirs. It has survived to this day. Herbs on the night of Kupala had magical powers.
Kupala rites, performed on the eve of the holiday (“the night on the eve of Ivan Kupala”), constitute a complex ritual complex, including: collecting herbs and flowers, weaving wreaths, decorating buildings with greenery, kindling fires, destroying a scarecrow, jumping over a fire or over bouquets of greenery, dousing water, divination, witch tracking, nightly excesses.
Ivan Kupala - the day of the summer solstice, after which the day begins to shorten - ancient folk holiday pagan origin, so called among the Eastern and Western Slavs. Ivan Kupala (also Ivan's Day) has an old tradition of celebrating under a similar national name almost throughout Europe - in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Great Britain.
For the pagan Slavs, the sun had divine power over all living things, and the summer solstice meant the highest flowering of all the forces of nature, which is embodied in abundance with the ripening of the harvest.
Initially, before the spread of Christianity, the holiday was associated with the summer solstice (June 20-22). With the adoption of Christianity, the ritual part of the holiday was timed to coincide with the birthday of John the Baptist - June 24th, is now celebrated July 7.
At the beginning of the new millennium, the holiday in Russia began to revive. And now, in fact, the feast of Ivan Kupala is a bizarre mixture of Christian and Pagan traditions - the Feast of Fire, Water, Love (see the videos in the section "Celebration of Ivan Kupala in our time").
origin of name
The pre-Christian name of the holiday is unknown.
The name "Ivan Kupala" has a folk-Christian origin, it is a Slavic version of the name John the Baptist (bather, diver). In addition, the name of the holiday is associated with ritual bathing in the rivers during this holiday.
Similarly, the name of John the Baptist was translated in German: German Johannes der Taufer, and in Finland: fin. Johannes Kastaja"one who immerses (in water, font), sanctifying."
Kupala is not a deity
In pre-Christian times, there was no pagan deity "Kupala", it appeared as a result of a misunderstanding: the chronicler, knowing about the "demonic games" on Ivan Kupala, mistook the name of the holiday for the name of a pagan god and mentioned it in the Gustyn Chronicle (and this, excuse me, is already the 17th century! ) the deity "Kupala".
Then this misunderstanding was repeated by scribes, then by early researchers of Slavic mythology, and then by popular science and all kinds of neo-pagan publications.
As a "deity", Kupala could only appear in popular beliefs as a folklore personification of the holiday, reflected, for example, in songs.
Ivan Kupala holiday and church
The Russian Orthodox Church disapproves of this holiday, and unequivocally condemns pagan (“demonic”) games on this day and this night. But sane clergy understand that pagan traditions cannot be overthrown with a single word, and it was not customary in the Orthodox Christian experience to mow everything to the ground. Indeed, in the Slavic world, despite the centuries-old antiquity of Christianity, among all nationalities, without exception, the Kupala festivities have not yet lost their original meaning.
But for all the time of Christianity in Rus', the church tried to fill some folk traditions with new semantic content, and they themselves gradually came into line with Christian norms. But the pagan tradition among the people, associated with unbridled morals, fortune-telling and worship of the elements of nature, the church is trying to get rid of.
Gradually, the folk belief associated with the Kupala festivities turned into a circle of common folk superstitions, rituals into customs, in most cases serving as fun for rural youth.
holiday rituals
Midsummer Day is filled with rituals associated with water , fire and herbs . The main part of the Kupala rites is performed at night, hence the name "Night on Ivan Kupala". According to the modern calendar - from 6 to 7 July.
According to the beliefs of the peasants, one cannot sleep on the Kupala - the shortest - night, because. all evil spirits come to life and become especially active: witches, werewolves, mermaids, sorcerers, brownies, mermen, goblin.
Water
Mass bathing on Ivan Kupala is an obligatory custom: on this day, all evil spirits came out of the rivers, so up to Ilyin's day it was possible to swim without fear. In addition, the water of Ivan's Day was endowed with life-giving and magical properties.
According to popular beliefs, this day can be "friends" with fire, and their union is considered a natural force. And the bonfires along the banks of the rivers are a symbol of such a connection. In addition, on the night of Ivan Kupala, fortunetelling was done with the help of wreaths lowered into the river: if the wreath floated, it promised happiness and a long life or marriage.
Fire
One of the main symbols of the holiday were purifying bonfires. They danced around them, jumped over them: whoever jumps more successfully and higher will be happier. It was believed that the Kupala fire had magical powers that could drive away all evil spirits, especially witches, who were especially dangerous on Kupala night and could steal milk from cows or spoil bread in the fields.
In the old days, in some places, livestock were driven between Kupala bonfires to protect them from pestilence, in them mothers burned shirts taken from sick children so that diseases would burn along with this linen.
In addition to bonfires, wheels and tar barrels were set on fire on Kupala night, which were then rolled down from the mountains or carried on poles. Young people and children, jumping over the fires, arranged noisy fun games and races, played burners.
Herbs
Numerous customs of Ivan Kupala are associated with the plant world.
Herbs and flowers, collected before dawn, were placed under Ivan's dew, dried and saved, because. considered such herbs to be more healing. They fumigated the sick with them, fought evil spirits, threw them into a flooded stove during a thunderstorm to protect the house from a lightning strike. In addition, they were used to kindle love or, conversely, to "dry".
One of the main symbols of Ivan's Day was the Ivan da Marya flower, which symbolized the magical union of fire and water. Folk tales connect the origin of this flower with twins - brother and sister - who entered into a forbidden love relationship and because of this turned into a flower. This legend goes back to the ancient myth of the incest of twins and finds numerous parallels in Indo-European mythologies.
But the main hero of the plant world on this day was the fern. According to legend, with a fern flower that appears for just a few moments at midnight on Midsummer Day, you can see all the treasures, no matter how deep they are in the ground.
Folk beliefs and customs
* - On the Kupala night, witches become more dangerous, and therefore nettles should be placed on the threshold and on the windowsills to protect yourself from their attacks. It is necessary to lock up the horses so that the witches do not steal them and ride them to Bald Mountain: the horse will not return alive from there.
* - On Midsummer night, trees move from place to place and talk to each other through the rustle of leaves; animals and even herbs talk among themselves, which are filled with a special, miraculous power that night.
* - If on this night you pick a flower of Ivan da Mary and put it in the corners of the hut, the thief will not come to the house: brother and sister (yellow and purple flowers of the plant) will talk to each other, and it will seem to the thief that the owner is talking with the mistress.
* - At midnight, you need to pick up flowers without looking and put them under your pillow, and in the morning check if twelve different herbs have been collected. If you have enough, you will get married this year. A tripartite (plantain) is placed under the head, saying: “Triputnik-fellow, you live by the road, you see the young and the old, tell me my betrothed!”
* - On Midsummer Night, on ant heaps, oil is collected in a vessel, which is considered a healing remedy against various ailments.
* - If you climb over the fences of twelve vegetable gardens on Midsummer Day, any wish will come true.
* - On the night before Ivan Kupala, the girls lower wreaths with lit splinter or candles on the river waves, weave wreaths from Ivan da Marya, burdock, Bogorodsk grass and bear's ear. If the wreath sinks immediately, it means that the betrothed has fallen out of love and cannot marry him. Whoever's wreath floats the longest will be the happiest of all, and whoever's splinter burns the longest, she will live a long, long life.
* - On Midsummer night, they jumped over the fire as a guarantee of health and good luck, the jumper gained good health and good luck for the current year. If a girl and a guy jumped over the fire without opening their hands, then it was believed that they would soon get married, and their marriage would be happy. The ashes from the fire were attributed a special power, carrying light and warmth, cleansing from everything unkind.
Kupala bonfire, fire
The Kupala bonfire (kupala) - a ritual fire, an indispensable component of the Kupala ritual, was the center of youth festivities on Midsummer Night. Bonfires were lit on the eve of the holiday, on the night of Ivan Kupala. They were laid out on the edge of the village, outside the settlement: on pastures, crossroads, near water bodies, on hills near fields.
In some places, young people carried a pole with a burning torch around the village, and then went outside the settlement with it.
Each settlement organized its own bonfire, and sometimes several small bonfires. The most respected old people in the community were invited to kindle the fire, who used for this "living fire", obtained by friction. In a number of places, the old man could be replaced by a guy who differed from his peers in dexterity and prowess.
For the Kupala fire, old rubbish was brought and brought from houses: unnecessary harrows, brooms, wheel rims, etc. The center of the fire was a tree with chopped branches and a chopped off crown, or a pole fixed in the ground. Then, like Christmas tree, wreaths, old brooms, flowers, old bast shoes were hung on it, candles were attached to the top.
Around the fires, festivities unfolded, to which young people and young couples who got married last winter necessarily converged. Swings were usually installed here, a common meal was arranged, round dances were made, songs were sung and danced.
One of the important ritual actions of the campfire games was jumping over the Kupala fire.
In a number of places it was customary to let burning wheels, wheel rims, and tar barrels down hills and hills.
Celebration of Ivan Kupala in our time
Ivan Kupala holiday - a holiday of Fire, Water, Love
(song "Ederlezi" from the film "Time of the Gypsies" by Emir Kusturica, music by Goran Bregovic, its translation is performed by Valeria). Duration 4:06
Slavic holiday in Saratov
On June 26, 2010, the "Koloslava" Commonwealth held the Slavic holiday of Ivan Kupala in Saratov. The song "How short the night is..." is performed by the group "Kolohod". Duration 3:05
