Signs on Ivan Kupala. Ivan Kupala holiday: history, traditions and customs

Coming summer solstice when the night is the shortest of the year and the day is the longest. The summer solstice is closely related to the holiday Ivan Kupala (Nativity of John the Baptist), although today the church honors this saint at a different time.

Summer Solstice 2018

From an astronomical point of view summer solstice (summer solstice)- this moment when the inclination of the rotation of the earth's axis in the direction of the Sun becomes the smallest. In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice occurs on June 20 or 21, in the Southern Hemisphere on December 21 or 22.

In 2018, the Northern Hemisphere will experience the summer solstice. June 21 at 13.07 Moscow time.

Holiday Ivan Kupala

Ivan Kupala, or The day of Ivan is the common name for a Christian holiday Nativity of John the Baptist (Baptist).

Initially, Midsummer's Day coincided with the summer solstice, but then the calendars "diverge" a little, and now it is celebrated later.

Western Christians celebrate Ivanov's Day on June 23, which is the eve of the Nativity of John the Baptist in the Gregorian calendar, which falls on June 24.

Orthodox Christians and all churches living according to the Julian calendar celebrate Nativity of John the Baptist (Baptist), aka Ivan Kupala, July 7. famous the night before Ivan Kupala is the night from 6 to 7 July.

But in fact, the summer solstice and Ivan Kupala are “twin brothers”. In the folk calendar, it is the “crown of summer”, the flowering of all forces in nature.

What can you eat

In Orthodoxy, the summer solstice falls on petrovsky post when meat and dairy products, as well as eggs, are banned. But you can eat everything that grows in gardens and orchards: fruits, herbs, the first vegetables from the beds. It is believed that all these products imbue a person with the forces of nature, this is also confirmed by scientists. And since Ivan Kupala (John the Baptist) is associated with water (the saint baptized Jesus in the waters of the Jordan River), - at this time you can eat fish and seafood.

Folk traditions and signs

Water. It is believed that at this time the mermaids are already sleeping at the bottom of the reservoirs, so you can swim, especially since Ivan Kupala (John the Baptist) in Christianity is associated with water.

Fire. At this time, it was customary to burn fires near the reservoirs. The ritual fire was called Kupalets. On the night before Ivan Kupala, they danced around the fire and jumped over it (this custom is described in the fairy tale about the Snow Maiden).

Greenery. It was believed that, starting from the summer solstice, you can start preparing bath brooms, including for the winter. Before the summer solstice, this was not recommended. For those who disturb the forest ahead of time, nature can take revenge with diseases.

Also at this time, they begin to collect and harvest medicinal herbs, from which in the old days they prepared, including a love potion for a quick marriage. Also, on the shortest night of the year, they tried to find the cherished fern flower, which allegedly blooms once every hundred years. The finder was waiting for good luck and wealth.

Summer Solstice: Rites and Rituals for Marriage

It was believed that if a girl jumps over a fire, taking the guy she likes by the hand, this is for an imminent wedding. In general, jumping over a fire was considered a good omen, promising health, protection from the evil eye and prosperity.

Also at this time, the girls wove wreaths of medicinal herbs. Such wreaths brought good luck and helped in matters of the heart. Bouquets of flowers called Ivan da Marya were especially appreciated. The girls used these bouquets as a talisman and a love spell for a loved one.

And the girls who wanted to get married as soon as possible collected the cherished herbs and put them under the pillow, saying: “The aromas of the field - take me to a sleepy expanse. I will lie down as a girl - I will wake up as a bride.

It was considered a good omen to meet the dawn in a field among the grasses on the summer solstice, this promised health and good luck.

According to popular belief, children born on the summer solstice grew up healthy and lucky, because the sun itself patronized them.

Meadow dew, water in reservoirs and baths, as well as fresh bath brooms were considered healing on this day.

Slavs to this day revere the summer holiday of Ivan Kupala. Many traditional rituals and customs are associated with it. However, when Ivan Kupala is celebrated in 2018, what date do the festivities traditionally begin? Let's figure it out.

The history of the holiday

In 2018, Ivan Kupala is celebrated from the evening of July 6th and all day on July 7th. This is already the traditional date for the holiday, although the original date was different. The holiday was the heyday of nature and was accompanied by many rituals.

The holiday is dedicated to the Sun, which illuminates the Earth and gives rise to life. In ancient times, the Slavs glorified their deity Kupalo on this day. Previously, he was revered on June 24 (according to the old style), when day and night have the same duration.

The equinox did not cease to be celebrated even after the advent of Christianity. In the Orthodox calendar, the day is listed as the Nativity of John the Baptist.

Traditions and rituals on Ivan Kupala

Rituals and celebrations begin on the night of July 6th after sunset. Young people walk late at night. Traditionally, a bonfire is kindled, around which dances are danced. The fire is usually lit at the top of the hill, kindling a high flame.

Courageous young guys jump over a blazing fire. Among the guys there is a kind of competition in which they prove their courage. It is believed that the one who jumps higher than the rest will be happy all his life.

The rite for couples in love is to jump over the fire when the flames have subsided a little. The guy and the girl should hold hands tightly and not let go. If they jump over the fire and keep their hands together, they will live a long and happy life together.

Another tradition is connected with water. This was influenced by the arrival of the peasantry, because. on this day, the Christian John the Baptist performed the rite of baptism of Jesus Christ in the sacred waters of the Jordan. Therefore, it is on this day that all reservoirs become safe for swimming, because. cleansed from all uncleanness.

While the holiday lasts, healing properties are attributed to the water. Therefore, on this day, a huge number of people who want to bathe, in order to improve their health and cleanse themselves spiritually.

Girls must weave wreaths of flowers, the purpose of which is to protect their beloved from mermaids, navi and mawks. It is also customary to let a wreath with a candle stub along the river. If he sailed away, and the candle did not go out, then the girl will have a smooth and happy life.

There are many more interesting rituals and customs, in order to get to know them better, you should at least once take part in the festivities on Ivan Kupala.

As you know, church holidays can have a fixed date and a rolling date. For many Orthodox people, it is extremely important to know all the numbers that the bright and revered days bring with them. To find out when the next church celebration is, just look at.

It is from this calendar that you can understand what date Ivan Kupala is in 2017. This wonderful summer holiday has never changed its date - from year to year it starts on the night of July 6 and ends on July 7 (the Nativity of John the Baptist).

A few words about the holiday

Ivan Kupala Day is an ancient celebration that is familiar to many peoples and has been celebrated since time immemorial. This day is often associated with various mystical events, ancient rituals and traditions. On the night of July 6-7, truly fantastic actions and a long-awaited merger with nature take place. Many witnesses claim that during this period they feel an incredible surge of strength and energy, and also see many wonderful and inexplicable things.

In addition, the date of the holiday was not chosen by chance - the solstice occurs in the second month of summer. But dependence on this astrological phenomenon disappeared after the transition to the Gregorian calendar.

In the Orthodox Church, the feast of Ivan Kupala is timed to coincide with the day of memory of John the Baptist, the priest who baptized Jesus Christ. This date appeared thanks to the confirmation of the gospel testimony, which said that the difference in the age of the Forerunner and Christ is only 6 months.

The celebration has deep centuries-old roots, which allowed the formation of many traditions even before the onset of the New Era. One of the versions says that this day was named after the East Slavic deity Kupala, but there were people who confirmed that this idea was wrong.

Ancient rites on Ivan Kupala are most often pagan in nature. Each of the rituals is associated with superstitions and various beliefs that were especially popular among the ancient tribes. Many shamans believed that plants, water and fire were endowed with supernatural powers. On the night of July 6-7, this force is activated and transferred to all living beings nearby.

After Christianity began to spread throughout the earth, such customs were subjected to persecution, because they did not correspond to the Holy Teaching. Over time, the rituals began to acquire more and more details, they tried to combine them with monotheism.

This happened due to the fact that the faith of some people was shaken, and they no longer knew who to go to for advice in case of trouble: to the priest or to the healers.

By the way, the church still does not favor this holiday, considering it wrong and inappropriate. On the contrary, they honor July 7 as the day Jesus began his righteous journey.

Traditions and rituals

At sunrise, you should wash or swim in the river. This procedure will wash away all diseases from the body, remove acne, strengthen the immune system.
To get rid of cockroaches, spiders and other insects that live in the apartment, you need to sprinkle morning dew on the wall, bed, corners and floors of the house.
On the night of Ivan Kupala, the girls went to the forest to collect medicinal herbs and flowers. Healers are convinced that during this period, each plant is saturated with an unusual power that can cure many diseases. Yarrow, St. John's wort and chamomile were in special demand.
On this day, it was customary to collect flowers for divination - the rich. Finding a flower, the girl put it under the pillow. A blossoming bud testified to an imminent marriage, and a withered bud indicated that there would be no marriage next year.
They wove wreaths that floated on the water. According to tradition, it was necessary to collect 12 different types of plants and make a wreath out of them. If he drowns, the girl will not marry this year; if he sailed away from the shore, the groom walks very close.
As soon as the sun set, the youth kindled a huge fire and couples, holding hands, jumped over it. If young people “overcame the obstacle” without opening their hands, then they are destined to be together, on the contrary, the couple will soon part.

Fortune telling on Ivan Kupala

In addition to traditional rituals, there were those that helped everyone to find out their future fate. Here are some of them:

On a bathing night, you need to pick two blades of grass and insert them into a crack (on a wall or on a stream). The blade should hang down. After a while, you should pay attention to the blades of grass. If they are intertwined, a long and happy family life is ensured, and if they “ran away” from each other, it means that there will be a quick break with a loved one.
You can find out the duration of your life with the help of a candle. You should light an ordinary wax candle and see how long it will burn. If it burns to the end, then the fortuneteller will live a long life, if it goes out quickly, it means trouble. It is not worth raising a panic, it is possible that this sign speaks of some kind of illness.
Fortune telling on ritual fire. Near a blazing fire you need to make a wish and watch the flame. If the fire burns brightly and evenly, then the answer will be positive, and if the fire is interrupted and weakens, the wish will not come true.

Known signs

It started to rain on the holiday - in a week we should expect heat and dry weather.
On the night of Ivan Kupala, the stars shine brightly in the sky, and abundant dew falls at dawn, which means that in summer and autumn there will be a good harvest of cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms and other vegetables.
Unmarried girls should go to the bathhouse, take a good steam there and whip themselves with a broom. Then get out of the bathhouse and throw a broom over your shoulder (like throwing a bride's bouquet). In which direction he flew - the betrothed lives there.

The holiday of Ivan Kupala in 2020 is celebrated in Russia on June 24 (according to the Julian calendar) or July 7 according to the new (Gregorian) calendar. This is one of the oldest holidays, known even in pre-Christian times, the most summer and joyful folk holiday among the Slavs. This date marks the day of the solstice.

In another way, Ivan Kupala is called the day of Love, Fire and Water. At night, it has been customary for centuries to guess at the betrothed and the future, burn fires, let wreaths on the water, dance, walk along the river bank and look for a flowering fern.

Ivana Kupala 2020: what kind of holiday is it

Ivan Kupala Day is originally a 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 Russia, 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.

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 a night of Fire and Water, which symbolize life 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.

body cleansing - bathing in sacred pure waters, which wash away dirt, ailments, fatigue, worries from the body;
purification of the soul - purification by hot open fire of bonfires, through which all 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.

Night of Kupala 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.

Ivan Kupala Day 2020 - swimming in the river

Traditions and customs of the holiday of Ivan Kupala

Bonfires on Ivan Kupala

The main feature of the Kupala night is the cleansing bonfires. They danced around them, jumped over them: whoever jumps more successfully and higher will be happier. In some places, livestock was driven through the Kupala fire to protect it from pestilence.

In Kupala bonfires, mothers burned shirts taken from sick children so that diseases would burn along with this linen. Young people and children, having jumped over the fires, arranged noisy fun games and races.

The tradition of burning fires on the night of Ivan Kupala from July 6 to July 7, 2020 has its roots in the pagan past and is associated with the summer solstice. Daylight was becoming less and less than the dark forces willingly used. And in order to drive away various kinds of demons, people went out to mass festivities around the fires.

Large bonfires were lit on Ivan Kupala, the sparks from which were supposed to reach the very stars. Festivities unfolded near the fires: they arranged a common meal, danced round dances, sang songs and danced.

One of the important rituals for Ivan Kupala was jumping over the Kupala fire. Whoever jumps the highest will be the luckiest, healthiest and most beautiful.

Guys with girls, in order to consolidate their love, jumped over the fire in twos, holding hands. And women who did not have children for a long time jumped over the fire in order to be cured of infertility.

Jumping over the Kupala fire has a number of signs on Ivan Kupala:

if you jump three times - the year will be healthy, prosperous, happy, successful;
if he suddenly stumbled - to illness;
if the fire is turned around with his foot, troubles will come in the family.

Then you definitely need to jump over the fire 9 times, mentally forming positive images.

The Slavs believed that the Kupala fire destroys all evil - illness, misfortune, poverty. That is why they burned old, dilapidated clothes on it. There was a custom to throw a sick child's shirt into the Kupala fire. It was believed that his illness burned with her.

Well, in order to add entertainment to the nighttime festivities, rural lads set fire to barrels and rolled them into the water from the high bank.

Mass bathing

There are a lot of traditional rites on Ivan Kupala, but the main one is mass bathing and 2020 is no exception. With the onset of the holiday, all the evil and bad guys come out of the lakes and rivers, and the water immediately acquires magical properties!

Of course, the night on Ivan Kupala should be met in nature in a noisy company, on the banks of a river or lake, and not in the splendid solitude of the house, lying in the bathroom.

Plunging into living water, you should experience a feeling of joy and gratitude for the fact that it gives you health, beauty and vitality. Coming out of the water, do not wipe yourself with a towel, let the life-giving and healing moisture permeate every cell of your body!

Signs on Ivan Kupala

On the night before Ivan Kupala, the girls lower wreaths with lighted splinter or candles on the river waves, curl wreaths from Ivan da Marya, burdock, Mother of God herb 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 longer, she will live a long, long life! (Girls, before performing this ritual, it is worth experimenting with various combustible materials and choosing something that lasts the longest :).

On Midsummer 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! (Where are our horses and where is that Bald Mountain :).

On Midsummer Night, on ant heaps, oil is collected in a vessel, which is recognized as a healing agent against various ailments. (I wonder what is meant by formic oil? Maybe formic acid?).

On the enchanted Kupala 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. (Is it scary to be in such a forest where the trees can remember all the evil caused by man?)

At midnight, you need to pick up flowers without looking and put them under your pillow, and in the morning check if there are twelve different herbs. If you have enough, you will get married this year.

A tripartite (plantain) is placed under the head, saying: “Triputnik-companion, you live by the road, you see the young and the old, tell me my betrothed!” (This sign is suitable for biologists. Who, apart from them, will be able to distinguish one blade of grass from another?).

Popular belief says that on the night of Ivan Kupala, magical gap-grass and ferns bloom, capable of indicating buried treasures.

Photo: How the fern blooms

The legend of the fern on Ivan Kupala

The legend of the fern is well known, in which a magical flower blooms once a year on the night of Ivan Kupala (summer solstice).

In the ancient Slavic tradition, the fern gained fame as a magical plant. According to legend, it was at Kupala midnight that the fern bloomed for a short time and the earth opened up, making visible the treasures and treasures hidden in it.

After midnight, those who were lucky enough to find a fern flower ran in what their mother gave birth through the dewy grass and bathed in the river to receive fertility from the earth.

According to the legend of the fern, at midnight before Ivan's Day, the fern blooms for a few moments with a bright fiery flower with magical properties.

Around midnight, a bud suddenly appears from the leaves of a fern, which, rising higher and higher, then sways, then stops - and suddenly staggers, rolls over and jumps.

Exactly at midnight, a ripe bud breaks with a bang, and a bright fiery flower appears to the eyes, so bright that it is impossible to look at it; an invisible hand rips it off, and a man almost never manages to do it.

Whoever finds a blooming fern and manages to master it, he acquires the power to command everyone.

What not to do on Ivan Kupala

First of all, until the very day of July 7, in no case was it possible to swim in the reservoirs. And only with the arrival of Ivan Kupala, swimming was allowed - all the bans were lifted, however, throughout the holiday, the ban continued to apply to certain groups of the population.

On Ivan Kupala, people amused themselves by pouring water on each other, but pregnant women, children and the elderly could not be splashed. It was believed that the evil spirits that are removed from the water on the Ivan Kupala holiday can still harm them, since women in position, children, and the elderly are not so strong.

It was impossible to sleep on Ivan Kupala, because the evil spirits are also on the alert, but are trying to intrigue people and their livestock.

At any moment, brownies, mermen, goblin and mermaids can be taken to them (these mythical creatures that have come down to our days from the pagan Slavs prove how strong the pre-Christian component of Ivan Kupala is).

To protect themselves from evil spirits, our ancestors hung nettles, lovage, periwinkle, willow, hemp, wormwood ... and even mirrors and torn men's pants in houses and barns.

And in some regions, they even stuck an aspen stake in front of the barn. Ivan da Marya was considered the most effective remedy, as if her flowers talked to each other at night and so scared away evil spirits.

It was impossible to give, sell or lend anything to Ivan Kupala, since the family could become poorer.

In general, there is a special attitude towards livestock on this day. So, it was forbidden to hit a cow with a stick on Ivan Kupala, otherwise the udder would dry out (the Hutsuls believed in this).

And in order not to fall into the tenacious paws of the woodsweet (a mythical creature that takes the form of a loved one), you can’t pick up the things found on the road, it’s better to leave them in place.

It was impossible not to come to the Kupala fire, where the whole village gathered. Women who did not appear at the festival were considered witches.

Ivan Kupala Day is well known among the people - it is July 7th. But if you delve into history and familiarize yourself with the old style calendar, you can understand that the real holiday of Ivan Kupala sets in on the night of June 21, 2018. It was on this day that it was customary to arrange fortune-telling for the coming year, ask the Universe for health for all family members, and also conduct rituals aimed at finding a soul mate and gaining cherished well-being. Let's find out what rituals, fortune-telling and folk traditions correspond to the holiday of Ivan Kupala, as well as how exactly this magical night should be spent.

Ivan Kupala - the history of the holiday

We all know from childhood that Ivan Kupala is a folk holiday, on the eve of which it is customary to burn bonfires, organize magnificent festivities in nature, dance and guess at the future. But the eve of the holiday in whose honor, not everyone knows. Meanwhile, the day of July 6 is dedicated to the holy martyr Agrippina, Nicknamed "The Bather" by analogy with Ivan Kupala. Agrafena Kupalnitsa in Russian villages was revered as a deity helping women in their rural work.

Before July 6, the girls gathered in a crowd and went from yard to yard in the villages with a request to wash them. In response, the villagers gave the petitioners rings and other jewelry, including pins and beads. And in the evening, the peasant women were engaged in choral singing, but the songs were performed especially, dedicated specifically to Agrafena Kupalnitsa. Dressed in the best outfits, on July 6, women walked through the fields and paths, thus protecting their settlements from evil forces. This ceremony ended with the eating of barley porridge cooked in a common cauldron. The rest of this food was distributed to the poor the next day.

According to the old style, this holiday comes into force on June 21, 2018, so today it will be especially important to wash yourself with spring water before going to bed. It is believed that such a simple ceremony will help the girls to be nice to everyone around and keep their beauty for many years.

What can and cannot be done on the day of Ivan Kupala?

Peasants started swimming in rivers and lakes on Agrafena. Before that, they steamed in the baths. Such a rite of purification provided for the removal of the evil eye, if it was, as well as the prevention of diseases. They even carried a seriously ill person, who was unable to move on his feet, to the bathhouse in order to alleviate his suffering with ablution. Before washing in the bath, brooms were prepared from freshly cut tree branches. Our ancestors believed that the leaves of plants on Agrafena had healing powers.

So a linden broom helped with aches in the joints, and a birch broom for coughing, an oak broom disinfected the skin well, etc. Brooms were knitted from nettles, as well as from some field plants. The floor in the bath (steam room) was usually covered with flowers. And on Agrafena, young people were engaged in fortune-telling. By a simple action - throwing brooms over the top of the bath, it was determined whether the girl would marry this year, whether the guy would have a long journey to a foreign land, and who would die. It mattered how the broom fell, or rather, where its top pointed. If at home, then the one who abandoned the bathing attribute had to stay at home this year, and so on.

On the holiday of Ivan Kupala, one could only relax, recharge with energy from trees, and also ask the Gods for help for the whole coming year. Therefore, on this day it was impossible:

Handle business affairs;
cleaning and laundry;
Any work related to agriculture.

Haymaking in the villages also began immediately after the day of Agrafena Kupalnitsa. And healers collected medicinal plants in the early morning. On the night of Ivan Kupala, the most exciting event took place - people were looking for a flowering fern in the forests. In the evening, evil spirits raged on this holiday. Nettle with thistle helped from her. Peasant women hung bundles of these plants on the windows, and aspen branches were stuck into the ground in front of the huts. The prickly twigs of wild rose were also suitable for this, with its leaves they removed damage from children and livestock.

Folk beliefs on Ivan Kupala

Fires were still lit on Ivan Kupala to destroy unnecessary things that had accumulated over the year. This happened in the evening. Through the flames jumps of youth began. Older people did not disdain this either. The rite was intended to cleanse people from filth and corruption. For this, fire was used.

As you can see, our ancestors knew and were able to do a lot of things that are incomprehensible to us today. In everyday life and on holidays, the customs and rituals of antiquity were not forgotten. We, who live mainly in cities, do not have the opportunity to often communicate with nature, but go to it occasionally. Therefore, today, June 21, 2018, each of us has a unique opportunity to cleanse our home of negativity. To do this, light a candle after midnight, go around the whole apartment with it in the direction of the clock hands, and then leave it to burn to the ground in the candlestick. Such a simple ritual will help remove the negative, as well as cleanse the human biofield.

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