Carrots bathed Ivan's day of the year. The Slavic holiday was bathed in its traditions and history

As is known, church holidays can have a permanent date or a moving one. For many Orthodox people, it is extremely important to know all the numbers that bring with them the bright and revered days. 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 one is beautiful summer holiday never changed its date - from year to year it begins on the night of July 6 and ends on July 7 (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 incidents, ancient rituals and traditions. On the night of July 6-7, truly fantastic events and a long-awaited fusion 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 the dependence on this astrological phenomenon disappeared after the transition to the Gregorian calendar.

IN Orthodox Church The holiday of Ivan Kupala is dedicated to 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 age difference between 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 New era. One version says that this day was named in honor of the East Slavic deity Kupala, but there were people who confirmed that this idea was wrong.

Ancient rituals 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 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 persecuted because they did not correspond to the Holy Teaching. Over time, the rituals began to acquire more and more new 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 celebrate July 7th 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, and strengthen the immune system.
• To get rid of cockroaches, spiders and other insects living 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 into the forest to collect medicinal herbs and flowers. Healers are convinced that during this period each plant is imbued with an unusual power that can cure many diseases. Yarrow, St. John's wort and chamomile were in particular demand.
• On this day, it was customary to collect flowers for fortune telling. Having found a flower, the girl put it under her pillow. A blossoming bud testified to an imminent marriage, and a withered bud indicated that there would be no marriage in the next year.
• They wove wreaths that floated on the water. According to tradition, it was necessary to collect 12 different types plants and make a wreath from them. If he drowns, the girl will not get married this year; if he sails away from the shore, the groom walks very close.
• As soon as the sun set, the youth lit a huge fire and couples, holding hands, jumped over it. If young people “overcame the obstacle” without unclenching their hands, then they are destined to be together, on the contrary, the couple will soon separate.

Fortune telling on Ivan Kupala

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

• On bathing night, you need to pick two blades of grass and insert them into a crack (on a wall or in a stream). The blade of grass should hang down. After a while, you should pay attention to the blades of grass. If they are intertwined with each other - happily ever after family life secured, and if they “ran away” from each other, it means that there will be a quick break with your loved one.
• You can find out your life expectancy using a candle. You should light a regular wax candle and see how long it burns. If it burns to the end, it means the fortuneteller will live a long life; if it goes out quickly, it means trouble. There is no need to panic; it is possible that this sign indicates some kind of illness.
• Fortune telling by ritual fire. Near a blazing fire you need to make a wish and watch the flames. If the fire burns brightly and evenly, then the answer will be positive, but if the fire is interrupted and weakens, the wish will not come true.

Famous signs

1. It rained on the holiday - hot and dry weather should be expected in a week.
2. On the night of Ivan Kupala, the stars shine brightly in the sky, and heavy dew falls at dawn, which means that in summer and autumn there will be a good harvest of cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms and other vegetables.
3. Unmarried girls should go to the bathhouse, take a good steam there and whip themselves with a broom. Then leave the bathhouse and throw the broom over your shoulder (like throwing a bridal bouquet). In which direction he flew, that’s where the betrothed lives.

The Legend of Kupala

According to the legend of the ancient Slavs, Kupala had a sister, Kostroma. As children, they were separated by the bird Sirin, who carried Kupala to distant lands. Many years later. One day Kupala was sailing in a boat along the river and picked up a wreath of a girl from the water, who turned out to be Kostroma. The brother and sister did not recognize each other, but according to custom they were supposed to get married. And only after the wedding the couple learned that they were blood relatives.

Deciding that their family could not bear such a shame, Kostroma threw herself into the river and became a mermaid (Mavka), and her brother died by jumping into the fire. One of the gods took pity on Kupala and turned it into a flower, which later received the name Ivan da Marya.

History of the holiday Ivan Kupala

Before the baptism of Rus', our ancestors celebrated Kypala or the Solstice, which was of great importance, since people lived according to natural cycles. With the adoption of Christianity, the date and name of the holiday were associated with the Nativity of John the Baptist or the Bather, which is celebrated annually on July 7. Since the date has shifted, the actual day of the solstice no longer coincides with the Kupala holidays. For example, in 2017, the longest daylight fell on June 21, and Midsummer's Day will be celebrated on the night of July 6-7.

Traditions and rituals of the holiday Ivan Kupala
Ivan Kupala Day is full of traditions and rituals, many of which have survived to this day. The main role was given to the forces of nature, and the symbol of the holiday was the Sun. Ancestors believed that water and fire on this day were endowed with special properties and could save a person from troubles and illnesses. Washing with water and cleansing with fire have become an important holiday tradition in memory of Kupala and Kostroma.

On this day, it was customary to light fires on the banks of rivers and jump over them, dance in circles, swim in ponds, collect herbs, and weave wreaths, with the help of which girls could find out their fate. Also, according to legends, on the night of Kupala, evil spirits wander around the area, but they can be scared away and driven away with the help of bonfires.

Early in the morning people usually went to swim in rivers and lakes. It was believed that swimming in a pond cleanses a person, since on a festive night the water is charged with magical energy and protects people from spiritual and physical illnesses. For the same purpose, one could wash oneself with dew at dawn.

Fire also had special properties, so it was customary to make fires and jump over them. There was a belief that whoever jumps and does not touch the flame will whole year lucky and will be able to find happiness. Mothers burned the clothes of sick children on the Kupala bonfires so that the child’s illness would also burn with it.

On the night before Midsummer, boys and girls split into pairs, exchanged wreaths and jumped over the fire, holding hands. It was believed that if sparks fly after a couple, and the lock of their hand does not separate, then there will soon be a wedding. And those who jumped the highest will be the happiest in marriage.

People paid special attention to plants, which on the night of Ivan Kupala acquire magical powers and become especially healing, protecting against evil spirits and diseases. Herbs were collected at night or at dawn, dried and used throughout the year, until the following summer.

The symbol of the holiday was the Ivan da Marya flower. Our ancestors believed that the juice of this plant restored people’s lost hearing and clarity of mind. Ivan da Marya flowers were collected and placed in the corners of rooms to prevent thieves from entering the house. Wormwood also had protective properties, but against evil spirits. This plant was dried and hung in the house, and also woven into wreaths. And to scare away witches, nettles were placed on the windowsills and thresholds of the house.

The Legend of the Fern Flower

When talking about the Ivan Kupala holiday, one cannot fail to mention the legend of the fern flower. According to legends, the fern blooms only once a year - on Kupala night. A bud appears in the center of the bush, which blooms at midnight and becomes a fiery flower. Anyone who manages to pick it will be able to see treasures in the ground, understand animals, open locks, take on any form and predict the future. But the flower hunter needs to be careful. When he finds a fern, he should draw a circle around himself with a knife and wait until midnight. Picking a fern flower can be prevented by forest evil spirits, which will call a person by name and make noise. You cannot respond or turn around, otherwise you will lose your life. Having picked a flower, you need to immediately run home without looking back.

Fortune telling on the night of Ivan Kupala

The most common fortune telling on Kupala were those that could predict imminent marriage. For the holiday, the girls wove wreaths, inserted lighted candles into them and lowered them into the water. If the wreath floated quickly, the wedding is coming soon, and the groom will come from the direction where the wreath floated. If she drowns right away, the girl will be unmarried all her life. But the happiest one will be the one whose wreath lasts longer on the water, or the one whose candle burns out for the longest time.

At midnight, the girls picked an armful of herbs and hid it under the pillow. In the morning they looked: if there are 12 different plants, there will be a wedding this year.

They also told fortunes using chamomile. To do this, water was poured into a wide and shallow container and two chamomile flowers without stems were placed in it. If they swim in different directions, the lovers will separate. If the flowers stay close, the couple will be together all their lives.

One could find out about the future in the following way: light a fire at night and throw herbs into the fire. If smoke spreads along the ground, it means that trouble awaits a person, and if it rushes upward, there will be happiness, prosperity and prosperity

It was also believed that if you climb over 12 fences at night and make a wish, it will definitely come true within a year.

Photo: website of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

The holiday of Ivan Kupala is one of the most ancient, preserved in modern Russia. It has acquired a huge number of traditions and rituals, which some people still observe today, despite the pagan roots of the holiday.

history of the holiday

The Kupala holiday was previously called Dome Day in honor of the pagan deity Kupala. Ivan is none other than John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus in the waters of the river. After the baptism of Rus', many celebrated on its territory and having a pagan background were either eradicated or replaced by Christian analogues. Kupala holiday celebrated traditionally on the day summer solstice. It was during this period (June 24) that the Nativity of John the Baptist fell - one of the few solemn holidays of Christian doctrine, on which the birth of a certain person is celebrated.

Date of celebration of Ivan Kupala in 2017

Due to a change in the calendar, the day of celebration of Ivan Kupala has shifted all the way to July 7. But some adherents of old traditions still try to celebrate this holiday traditionally on the day of the summer solstice in the period from June 20 to 24. But the established date for celebrating Ivan Kupala Day in 2017 it falls on the night of July 6-7.

Kupala rituals and traditions

This is the most magical and unusual holiday, the magic of which has survived more than one historical, political and social conflict, and has survived to this day. But there are certainly differences in the celebration of this day in the old days and now, and the main one is that we, as modern people, no longer depend on natural phenomena as much as people of the past. Science and progress are guarding our comfort, and we do not have to rely on the location of natural conditions alone. Previously, the entire human existence was fixated on natural phenomena, which is why people were so good at listening to the world around them and tried to influence it in their own way. The holiday of Ivan Kupala was created as a date for the veneration of the main deity - the Sun, Kupala. It gives life, light and hope.

Rituals on the night of Ivan Kupala

In order to celebrate Ivan Kupala Day, it was necessary to go to a river or lake early in the morning and take a good swim. Water on this day gained special healing powers that were bestowed on a person.

Another magical substance, without which no magical action is possible, was fire. Not far from the ponds, fires were made, through which one had to jump in order to cleanse oneself of all evil thoughts and diseases. On this day, young people tried to find a partner to perform another ritual: jumping over the fire together, holding hands. If they manage to do this without letting go, then their union will be strong and long.

Ivan Kupala is perhaps one of ancient holidays that have reached our time. This date has acquired many signs and traditions that are observed despite the fact that the holiday has pagan roots.

This holiday combines pagan and Christian traditions, which is reflected even in its name: the holiday is named after the pagan deity Kupala, and Ivan is the well-known figure of John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus himself in the waters of the sacred Jordan River. After baptism and the establishment of the Christian religion in Rus', many pagan rituals gave themselves up to persecution. They were everywhere eradicated as a source of ignorance and worship of ungodly idols and fictitious deities. However, the day of Ivan Kupala, the symbol of the summer solstice, was preserved and even in ancient times began to be revered as a date reflecting the interweaving of pagan and Christian religions.

Date of celebration of Ivan Kupala

Many adherents of this holiday continue to celebrate the date on the day of the summer solstice (from June 20 to 24), as it was in ancient times. However, due to a change in the calendar, this date has shifted to July 7. In 2017, Ivan Kupala is celebrated on the night of July 6-7.

Traditions of the holiday of Ivan Kupala

The night of Ivan Kupala is considered a mystical and magical time. At this time, everyone has the opportunity to attract good luck into their lives. A traditional activity for our ancestors was swimming at dawn in a natural pond. This healing ritual, according to legend, can cleanse everyone from illnesses and adversities.

On the day of the holiday, bonfires were lit everywhere on the banks of reservoirs. Fire, a symbol of purification and renewal, helped to get rid of not only physical ailments, but also negative thoughts, damage and evil eye. Our ancestors jumped over the flaring flames and mentally gave away all the accumulated negativity to the fire.

Young people on Ivan Kupala were actively looking for partners in order to enter into marriage alliances in the future. The couple held hands tightly and jumped over the fire. If they managed not to untangle their hands, then their union promised to be strong and happy.

On this day, various magical rituals were performed everywhere. Our ancestors, with the help of special spells and rituals, attracted good luck, prosperity and love into their lives. With the help of special protective herbs, houses were fumigated in order to avoid fires and destruction.

Signs for Ivan Kupala

• If per day the holiday is coming rain, then in seven days the weather will be hot and dry.
• The bright light of the stars on the night of celebration and abundant dew before dawn promise a good harvest of vegetable crops, as well as an abundance of mushrooms and berries in the forest.
• To determine where the betrothed was, young girls steamed in the bathhouse and whipped each other with brooms, and then threw them over their shoulders. In which direction the brooms fly, from there you should wait for the matchmakers. If the broom fell with its handle towards the girl, then the wedding will not happen soon, but if with leaves and branches, then they were preparing for the imminent arrival of relatives from the husband’s side.

Ivan Kupala is one of the most mysterious holidays, in which the customs of paganism and the Christian faith are intertwined. On this day, believers pray for well-being in the family and ask the Higher Powers to send them graces to create a strong married couple for life. We wish you good luck and happiness, and do not forget to press the buttons and

13.06.2017 02:10

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

Ivan Kupala is probably the most long-awaited summer holiday, which has long been celebrated by the people every year on the night from the sixth to the seventh of July. This traditional celebration is always associated with warm summer days, sun, and a pleasant evening breeze. What can we say about the fact that there are an incalculable number of signs and rituals that are dedicated to this holiday.

The most common tradition on Ivan Kupala is to weave wreaths from wild flowers and herbs, dance in circles around a large fire, jump over it, sing songs, dance and have fun until the morning.

Considering the fact that the holiday has come to us since pagan times, many city residents already forget that there is such a holiday and how to celebrate it, unlike village residents, for whom the original traditions are still somewhat closer. In this regard, the question arises, where to celebrate Ivan Kupala 2017? Our country will celebrate July 8th.

Celebrating in nature is the best choice

There is a belief that on the night of the celebration of Ivan Kupala, which is celebrated annually from July 6 to 7, one should not go to bed, since it is on this night that various evil spirits wake up. Therefore, in many villages on this night they light fires and have fun until dawn, while preparing various treats and games. A bonfire is an integral part of the celebration of Ivan Kupala, which is why it is best to celebrate the holiday somewhere in nature big company, since it is unlikely that it will be possible to light a fire within the city.

In addition, when making a choice in favor of villages, for example, you can stumble upon folk festivals and immerse yourself in local traditions. If there is a river or lake nearby, you can arrange night swimming. And according to the old tradition, you can go into the forest in search of ferns. Since Ivan Kupala is a summer holiday that is closely connected with the forces of nature and traditions, it is best to celebrate it in an appropriate place, where you can completely merge with the forest spirits. You can cook it with you when going outdoors.

City fun

City residents who do not have the opportunity to go outside the city will be interested in finding out where to celebrate Ivan Kupala 2017 without leaving the city. For example, residents of the Russian capital are given a unique chance to celebrate Ivan Kupala 2017 at a festival that is dedicated to the holiday and has been taking place in the city for several years.

If the decision on where to celebrate Ivan Kupala 2017 has not yet been made, then the city festival is perhaps the best alternative to celebrating in the countryside or in nature, since it has absorbed only all the best traditions. Visiting the festival means getting a lot of positive emotions, learning a lot interesting facts about the holiday, as well as just relax and have a good time.

At the festival you will be able to enjoy the sound of different music, including folk songs, dance and even learn a new folk dance, which is danced annually around a fire in the outback of the country! Also, a lot of people gather at the festival, so this is a great chance to make new acquaintances. The festival program also includes an entertainment show, which consists of many stanina rituals.

Such a city festival is the best affordable alternative to village fun, since the organizers took care of the presence of the main attributes of Ivan Kupala: a bonfire, songs, dances, and even a fair with traditional decorations, rustic outfits, homemade crafts. You definitely won’t be bored this night! Do on festive table.

Interesting traditions and rituals

One of the most popular traditions, which is especially popular with young and single ladies, is fortune telling on Ivan Kupala. For example, on this night, let out wreaths that the girls have woven themselves, and if the wreath quickly floats on the water, it means that soon a young man will appear in her life who will become her husband, and if the wreath drowns or is knocked down by the current, then the girl will still be lonely for a while. By the way, weaving wreaths from herbs and flowers is another good old tradition, which is followed in both villages and cities, especially at festivals, where you can also attend a master class on weaving wreaths.

Other traditions include the well-known jumping over a fire. For example, a lover jumps over a fire hand in hand to find out what awaits the couple ahead. If during the jump the lover holds hands tightly and does not let go, it means they have a strong union ahead, and if for some reason they open their hands, it means they won’t be together for long.

And if you throw a sick child’s shirt into a fire, he will certainly recover. You can also use wreaths from the holiday of Ivan Kupala for the benefit of your health. For example, dry a wreath woven for a holiday, and then use these flowers and herbs to prepare healing tinctures and decoctions.

When answering the question of where to celebrate Ivan Kupala 2017, it is necessary to clarify that this is still a folk festival, which means that it must be spent in a friendly company, with fun, and, of course, a feast, regardless of the location. Traditional dishes on Ivan Kupala - this is lard, pancakes, porridge, eggs and beer.

Happy holiday!