Feast of Ivan Kupala: from paganism to Christianity

The holiday of Ivan Kupala is an ancient pagan rite. He falls in the middle of summer - July 7. In Russia that night they bathed in lakes and rivers, jumped through the bonfires, collected medicinal herbs, wreathed wreaths, guessed ... Since then, almost nothing has changed.

How did the holiday of Ivan Kupala

Paganism

All the holidays of the ancient Slavs were guided by the sun: two days of the solstice and two days of the equinox were at that time the reference points for all kinds of farming. The fact is that even before the baptism of Rus, the day of the summer solstice was called the Sunspot (or Kupalo), which meant the "turning" of the sun to decline. But what does Kupalo mean? About this - further.

The Legend of Kupalo

The legend of this holiday has some erotic overtones. The fact is that Kupalo was separated from his sister in childhood. Later he married her, knowing nothing of their relationship. Everything ended tragically. They committed suicide: drowned in the lake.

Sunshine Festival

It was a holiday of summer and green mowing. Slavs girded with green vegetation (flower bands, herbs), put on her head grass and flower wreaths, circled in dances and sang songs. It was customary to build a bonfire in the middle of which to fasten a pole with a flaming wheel - a symbol of the Sun. Since it was a pagan holiday, it was performed in honor of the Sun God. Interestingly, in honor of the incestuous legend of brother and sister on this day among gentiles homosexual games were allowed.

Feast of John the Baptist

When Christianity was adopted in Russia, this holiday coincided with the birthday of the person who baptized Jesus on the Jordan River, John the Baptist, who was born on July 7. Since then, the feast of Ivan Kupala and John the Baptist have been combined as water-related. The date of the celebration no longer coincides with the astronomical solstice, that is, it does not hesitate. That is why today every schoolboy knows the number of the holiday of Ivan Kupala.

Rituals and traditions performed on the eve of the holiday

On the shortest summer night on the eve of this holiday, rituals related to fire, with herbs and, of course, with water are held. There is an opinion that the holiday of Ivan Kupala is also a holiday of all witches! That is why it is not recommended to sleep in the bathing night, since all the evil spirits (witches, mermaids, leche, water) come to life.

From the Carpathians and to the north of Russia this mysterious, mystical and pretty wild party was celebrated! Until now, it is believed that on a mysterious Kupala night, the trees come to life and move from place to place, talking to each other with the rustle of their leaves ... The grasses are filled with special miracle force this night!

Day of Ivan Kupala in our time

Today this holiday has a special culturological character. For example, in Moscow, the festival of Ivan Kupala 2013 was held in the art-residence Guslitsa, where theaters performed, concerts and exhibitions were held, and rare films were shown. And, of course, it was not without traditional games, dances, jumps through the fire.