When is the Kupala night of the year. Wedding customs on Ivan Kupala

According to the new calendar Ivan Kupala is celebrated on July 7 and is no longer associated with the summer solstice, although most esotericists continue to celebrate it on June 22nd. Despite this, he did not lose his magical power, and many Kupala conspiracies related to fire and water are successfully used today. From the day of Ivan Kupala to Petrov's Day, celebrated on July 12, thanks to the powerful energy of natural elements, you can make Kupala fortune-telling, which has the highest accuracy of the year.

Conspiracies and love spells on Ivan Kupala

A conspiracy to love with the help of a Kupala fire

Possessing strong magical energy, Kupala fire will help to bewitch your beloved guy if he is at the celebration. A conspiracy pronounced looking at the fire will have a bewitching effect:

“The fire burns hot, it illuminates the darkness of the night, it will help me to open a love secret and bewitch my beloved (name). As soon as we hold hands with him, we will be filled with love passion. The fire will strengthen our love, unite our hearts forever"

Having uttered the words of the conspiracy, make every effort to convince your loved one to jump over the fire or drag him into the Kupala round dance.

Love spell on water, bread and salt

This powerful love spell allows you to evoke the love of a chosen young man. For this purpose, it is necessary to do the following: on a Kupala evening, go into an unheated bathhouse, pour water into a container, throwing a little salt into it. Next, you should cross the salted water with a slice of bread. After completing these steps, you should pronounce the words of the conspiracy:

“People cannot live without bread, salt and water. Also, you, the Servant of God (name), without me, the Servants of God (your name) will not be able to live. Water gives water, bread saturates, and you will always remember me and never forget me. From now on and forever. Amen".

Then you need to eat bread, rinse a handkerchief in water, and dry it quietly put it in the pocket of the object of your love. This rite and love spell can also be applied to a husband whose feelings a woman begins to doubt. Then in the charmed water you need to rinse the spouse's shirt, which he wears most often.

Conspiracy on Ivan Kupala from cheating on her husband

Married women suffering from their husband's infidelities can conspire on Ivan Kupala's day to strengthen their husband's love feelings. For this purpose, on the eve of Ivanov's Day, buy two silver spoons. After waiting for midnight on July 7, cook porridge for your beloved hubby from three cereals - barley, corn and pearl barley, mixed in equal quantities. When the porridge is ready, put three tablespoons of butter and the same amount of honey into it, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt. When finished cooking, put the pot of porridge without a lid on the windowsill, so that moonlight falls on it. At breakfast, you need to give one silver spoon to your husband, and take the second one for yourself and start eating porridge from a common dish, while saying the following words in your thoughts:

“Just as my dear husband enjoys eating moon porridge, its taste and juiciness is amazed, so he loved me the Servant of God (name) and carried day and night in his arms.”

Love plot on Ivan Kupala with the ritual of washing

On the day of Ivan Kupala, the magical properties of water increase many times over. Thanks to the enormous energy of this element, a ritual of washing is used to carry out a love conspiracy. Ask your chosen one to swim together on a Kupala night and whisper the words of the conspiracy before entering the river:

"Water, water! Wash our souls and bodies with yourself, open your heart (name) for eternal love. Let him, as soon as he plunges into the water, immediately turn his soul and body to me. As we enter into you side by side, we will walk along the path of life lovingly.

Then boldly go into the water with your beloved.

A conspiracy for a love potion on the day of Ivan Kupala

On the Kupala night, a strong love potion is prepared, with the help of which they evoke the affection and love of their chosen one. To this end, it is necessary to collect thirteen any herbs in the moonlight and find thirteen different pebbles on the road. The collected ritual objects should be brought into the house, put a pot of water on the fire and throw herbs and pebbles into it. Wait for the water to boil and, holding your hands over it, say the words thirteen times in a row:

“In the ninth heaven, three clear dawns praise the Holy Trinity. They foreshadow to me, the Servant of God (his name), that if I brew a witchcraft potion, then in a short time I will bewitch the chosen one to me. Thirteen devils will help me, and thirteen herbs and thirteen stones will call them. I conjure, come to me, the Servant of God (name), help to cook the witchcraft potion. So that these words are molded and stick to the Servant of God (name) firmly for life. Amen".

The charmed potion prepared on the night of Midsummer's Day should be used on July 13th. To do this, you need to spill the love potion in the place where the desired subject usually walks.

A conspiracy to attract good luck on the holiday of Ivan Kupala

On Ivan Kupala, conspiracies to attract good luck have a powerful effect due to the colossal energy of the sun and fire, which are especially active on the Kupala day. The spell on the rising sun has the strongest effect. To make it, it is necessary not to sleep on the night of Ivan Kupala, and wait for the dawn to appear. Looking at the appearance of the first rays of sunrise, you need to say seven times:

“The sun is red, the sun will rise clear in the blue sky, it will bring me great luck. I was the first to see its rays and therefore I became lucky. I know that everything will come out of me, and happiness will find me.

Conspiracy on the Kupala fire

Turning to fiery energy, a conspiracy to attract good luck acquires great magical power. From our ancestors, a conspiracy has come down to us, uttered by them during round dances around the fire. And today they successfully use it, bypassing the Kupala fire in a round dance and pronouncing the magic words:

“As the sacred fire illuminates a dark night, so luck illuminates my days. It will become clear in my affairs, but beautiful in life. The flame of fire will bring good luck to me for the whole year, but I will not meet troubles for a whole year.

The success of this conspiracy will be guaranteed if during the round dance the movement is clockwise. In the opposite direction of the movement of the round dance, it is impossible to pronounce the words of the conspiracy, otherwise you can harm your deeds and intentions and turn capricious fortune away from yourself for a long time.

When applying Kupala conspiracies, one must remember that they must be done with good intentions. Then all the magical rituals performed on this magical night will be successful. On the contrary, conspiracies with the wishes of evil will not have the desired effect, because the folk holiday of Ivan Kupala carries a colossal good mood of all the people participating in its celebration.

Fortune telling on Ivan Kupala

Ivan Kupala Day is the most mysterious, mysterious and mystical folk holiday. Enchanting magic emanating from the greatest earthly elements - the Sun, Water and Fire permeated its atmosphere. Celebrated since pagan times by our ancestors on the day of the solstice, it served to worship the almighty gods "Yarila" and "Kupala", who have tremendous life-giving energy that gives life and fruitfulness to all life on earth. People sincerely believed that on the Kupala night, all the surrounding nature is endowed with magical power, able to talk and predict the future.

Divination at the stake

Fortune-telling on a sacred fire is one of the most beloved rituals of the Kupala night. The bewitching flame of the fire, illuminating the darkness, creates a magical atmosphere and an energy field for divination. To find out what fate is preparing in the near future, you should jump over the fire of the Kupala bonfire with a run. When the flames have not touched you, this is a good sign of success in love and a prediction of an imminent wedding and a happy family life. And if the fire hooked your legs or clothes, you are promised a lot of life's trials and disappointment in your loved one.

Fortune telling on the betrothed according to the Kupala wreath

The wreath has long been considered a symbol of the infinity of the universe, the cycle of forces inherent in nature and a talisman against evil spirits, damage and the evil eye. Dedicate the eve of the Kupala night to weaving a wreath of field herbs and flowers. Before sunset, make a wish on your betrothed and lower the wreath to float on the water:

the wreath will immediately sink - not to see marriage, the betrothed will either fall out of love or deceive;
a wreath will unravel on the water - this year the Mendelssohn March will not be played for you;
the wreath will return to your shore - do not wait for the wedding this year;
a wreath will float to the far shore - wait for the betrothed from the other side and the wedding.

Fortune telling on the betrothed according to the Kupala wreath and the Kupala fire

If a girl does not have a fiancé for Ivan Kupala, when the Kupala fire burns out, you need to guess who will be the betrothed and throw a wreath into the fire, after couples in love have already jumped over it. If a young man catches your wreath on the fly, he will be your betrothed in the future. When several girls who have beloved guys throw their wreaths into the fire, then whose wreath burns first, that girl will go down the aisle before her friends.

Fortune telling on wreaths for the fulfillment of a wish

To find out if your cherished desire will come true, as well as when divining for a betrothed, you need to weave a wreath, but be sure to weave burdock leaves, bear's ear grass, Bogorodsk grass and flowering Ivan-da-Marya into it. Place a burning candle or torch in the center of the wreath. When making a wish, lower the wreath into the water and watch its behavior:

quickly sails away from the shore and sails away with a burning candle - the desire will soon come true;
returned back to the shore - the desire is not destined to come true;
the wreath stopped in the middle of the reservoir - you will live a year without changes, but also without problems;
your wreath sailed further than others - this year will be happy for you;
a candle in a wreath burns longer than others - a long life is expected;

Divination on a birch wreath

Weaving a wreath of birch branches, fortune-telling for health in the coming year. When a wreath thrown into the water floated far away, it meant good health and a long life, when it returned back, it foreshadowed illness, and if it quickly went to the bottom, it served as a harbinger of death.

Divination in circles on the water

You can find out about your near future by guessing in circles on the water. Having made your innermost desire on the Kupala night, fill a large bowl with water and, throwing a pebble into it, count the diverging circles. We counted an even number - the desire is destined to come true, but it turned out an odd number of circles - your desires will turn out to be unrealizable.

Divination with an onion

Girls, having gathered together on the day of Ivan Kupala, choose bulbs for themselves and each remember their own. After that, making a wish to get married, they plant their bulbs in the ground. Whose bulb sprouts faster, that girl will put on a wedding dress and marry earlier than others.

Fortune telling on chamomile

To find out if you will be together this year with your loved one, tell fortunes on Midsummer's Day on a camomile. To perform a magical ritual, pour water into the basin and lower two chamomile flowers without a stem there, in advance of their first letters of your names. If the flowers float side by side, then your couple will go through life together, and when the daisies disperse in opposite directions, then you will be separated.

Divination with a dandelion

On Ivan Kupala, picking a dandelion with a white fluffy hat, make a secret wish and blow on it with all your might. If all the fluff from the dandelion cap flies away - the desire will certainly come true soon, if half of the cap flies away - the desire will come true, but not as soon as you want, and if the dandelion cap practically remains unchanged - the desire is not destined to come true.

Fortune telling on a leaf from a tree

By the behavior of a leaf of a tree, you can find out about the attitude of a loved one towards you. To tell fortunes, you need to pick a green leaf from any tree. Print the first letter of your beloved on a piece of paper and toss it up. If the leaf flies high and soars in the air - be sure of the love of your chosen one. When the leaf flies low, driven by the wind, a romantic date is ahead, and if it starts spinning, stormy and selfless love is expected, but if the leaf instantly touches the ground, then the chosen one either does not love you or will soon stop loving you.

Divination by birch branches

You can find out how life will turn out this year by guessing on a Kupala day on birch twigs. Having broken any seven small branches from a birch, you need to put them together, and then with your eyes closed choose one of them. The branch turned out to be smooth and smooth - this portends a prosperous life without shocks, and when a curve is caught, all sorts of obstacles are expected on the path of life.

Fortune telling on a peach stone

Eating a peach on a Kupala day, think constantly about your desire. Examine the remaining bone carefully. When you find at least one even line there, your wish will come true.

Fortune telling on candle wax

To find out your future by candle wax, you need to buy a candle in the church and break it into several parts, melt the wax. Next, pour the melted wax into a bowl filled with cold water. Figures obtained from hardened wax portend events in the future:

a ring and a candle mean a wedding;
wallet, coin, chest promise wealth;
a heart portends love;
flag - unexpected guests;
the star promises good luck;
a figurine that looks like a dog - to a new friend;
flowers or a flower - a date with a new acquaintance.

After telling fortunes on a Kupala night filled with magic, go to bed, putting seven different wild flowers under your pillow, plucked at the dawn of Ivan Kupala's day, under your pillow. This night you will see a prophetic dream, foreshadowing good changes in life.

Photo: Ivana Kupala (photographers.ua/PavelFiveyskiy)

How to celebrate Ivan Kupala 2017, what signs will bring happiness, luck and love

Ivan Kupala 2017 is celebrated on the night of July 7th. This bright mystical holiday is rich in interesting traditions and colorful rituals. About Kupala signs, customs, as well as what can and cannot be done on this day - in the material.

Ivana Kupala: what a holiday

The holiday of Ivan Kupala has long been associated with the cult of worship of the sun and nature. The ancient Slavic peoples celebrated it on the day of the solstice, June 21, when the luminary reaches the peak of its activity - it is in the "dome" (one of the versions of the origin of the name).

Kupala from our ancestors symbolized the fertility and flowering of nature, when plants receive the most heat and fruits begin to ripen.

With the adoption of Christianity, the holiday was timed to coincide with the Nativity of John the Baptist (June 24). After switching to the Gregorian calendar, Kupala in Ukraine is celebrated on July 7, and some European countries continue to celebrate it from June 20 to 24.

Photo: Ivana Kupala - a holiday of the sun and the flowering of nature (photographers.ua/IgorBulah)

Traditions on Ivan Kupala

Ukrainian traditions on Ivan Kupala combine the glorification of the sun, water and fruits of the earth. This day is credited with a special magical power that can give a person happiness, good luck and health.

Due to the fact that the ancient Slavs celebrated Ivan Kupala on the day of the summer solstice, one of the main symbols of the holiday was the sun. According to beliefs, on this day it had the strongest energy of the year, which contributed to the fulfillment of desires.

After the Kupala holiday, the sun faded away, gradually preparing the land for winter. The evil spirits especially rejoiced at this, and in order to drive away evil spirits, customs on Ivan Kupala are associated with making high fires.

A very spectacular tradition was dedicated to the Kupala holiday and the solstice in ancient times. The men set fire to empty barrels or wooden wheels and rolled them down the ravines into the river. Such a burning barrel symbolized the solstice.

Photo: Rites on Ivan Kupala are held near the water (pixabay.com/AdinaVoicu)

After the adoption of Christianity, the rite of bathing was added to the festive traditions. On Ivan Kupala, the church celebrates the birthday of John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan. Therefore, it was believed that the waters of rivers and holy springs on a holiday have the ability not only to purify the body, but also the soul.

People on Ivan Kupala from the very morning went to the reservoirs or to the bathhouse, splashed in the rivers on the day before the holiday and on the Kupala night. Also, morning dew was endowed with healing properties. They washed themselves with it to preserve beauty and health.

On a Kupala evening, young girls with wreaths went out to the reservoirs and let them through the water with a lit candle to tell fortunes about love.

Rituals and signs on Kupala

According to the signs associated with the Kupala tradition of jumping over a fire, they guessed whether a person would be healthy and happy in love. For a long time, on the evening of July 6, young people organized entertainment around the fire. The guys jumped over the fire, competing with each other. The one who jumps the highest will be the happiest.

After the fire died down a little, couples in love jumped through it holding hands. If a guy and a girl do not part their hands at the moment of the jump, then their union will be long and strong.

Photo: Kupala jumping over the fire (photographers.ua/AnatolTyshkevich)

At the end of the evening, pets were brought to the fires to protect them from disease. Mothers burned the clothes of sick children in the hope of a speedy recovery. Old things and furniture were also thrown into the fires. This sign is associated with attracting wealth and good luck to the house.

Well, the most famous sign is that untold wealth awaits the one who finds a flowering fern in the forest on a Kupala night.

Ivana Kupala: what not to do on this day

As folk legends say, you can’t sleep on the night of Ivan Kupala, as evil spirits roam the earth and can harm the sleeping person.

A strict ban on swimming in water bodies was in effect until July 6, and with the onset of Ivan Kupala, all evil spirits left the water, and on a holiday it was already possible to safely splash in rivers and lakes. However, according to the sign, it is impossible to splash water on Kupala on pregnant women, children and the elderly.

Also on a holiday you can not lend money, sell or give away expensive things. Accidentally found valuables are better not to pick up and take home, because such a find can lead to losses and poverty in the family.

The holiday of Ivan Kupala, dedicated to the summer solstice, is celebrated on the night of July 6-7. It has other names - Ivan's Day, Ivan Travnik, Kolosok, Kres, Yarilin's Day and coincides with the Christian holiday of the Nativity of John the Baptist. Over the years, this ancient holiday, widely celebrated in different countries, has acquired different traditions and ritual rites.

History of the holidays of Ivan Kupala

Why does the holiday have such a name? Ivan Kupala is the Russian nickname for one of the most revered predecessors of Jesus Christ - the prophet John the Baptist (Forerunner). The Christian holiday of the Nativity of John the Baptist of the church, living according to the Gregorian calendar, is celebrated on June 24th. And John is translated from Greek as "bather, sinker." John baptized Jesus following the Jewish tradition of ritual washing and immersing him in the waters of the Jordan. Therefore, the holiday, which is celebrated on the night of July 6-7, is inextricably linked with water, bathing and ablution, as well as cleansing with the help of fire.

Rites and traditions of the holiday of Ivan Kupala

Ivan Kupala is perhaps the most magical and unusual holiday. It appeared as a veneration of the main deity - the Sun, Kupala, who gives life, light and hope. But in one night, as they believed in Rus', all four elements were combined: fire, water, earth and air.

One of the most important rituals for Ivan Kupala is bathing. It is believed that it is on this day (and you can’t swim at night) that a lot of special healing powers appear in the water that can help a person in his affairs.

Fire became no less magical substance on the night of Ivan Kupala. The participants of the holiday made large fires on the banks of the reservoirs and jumped over the fire. This rite helped them to be cleansed of all evil thoughts and diseases. Also on this day, they jumped over the fire in pairs, holding each other's hands. If young people managed to jump and not let go of their hands, then this promised them a strong and long union.

On this day, the girls wove wreaths (it was necessary to use 12 different plants for this) and let them float on the water. If the wreath sinks, then this year the girl will sit in the girls. And if it sails away from the shore, it means the wedding is coming soon.

By the way, on Ivan Kupala, girls went to the forest to collect medicinal herbs and flowers, which acquired a special healing power that day. They all really wanted to find a fern flower with magical powers. People believed that the one who found this flower would learn not only to understand the language of animals, but also to see all the treasures, as well as open all the treasures by attaching the flower to the locks.

Even on this day, it was customary to pray to St. John the Baptist with a headache and for children.

What not to do on Ivan Kupala

According to ancient beliefs, on the night of Ivan Kupala, all sorts of evil spirits wake up - witches, snakes, watermen, mermaids, werewolves. And in order not to fall into their insidious networks, it was impossible to sleep that night. It was not recommended to go swimming either, as there was a high probability that a merman or a mermaid would be drawn into the water. Evil spirits could also attack pregnant women, children and the elderly, so they also had to be kept away from water that night.

So that the family would not become impoverished, nothing was given to anyone on Ivan Kupala, they were not sold or borrowed. For the same reason, jewelry and money found on the road that day were not lifted from the ground.

But if the girl did not visit the evening Kupala fire, then she was considered a witch.

In different regions where the Slavs live, the dates of the holiday of Ivan Kupala may differ. The fact is that in some regions this day is traditionally associated with a church holiday and then it falls on July 7, but in other regions Ivan Kupala in 2017 will be celebrated on June 22. Because, answering the question of what date this event focuses exclusively on the day of the summer solstice.

If we consider this holiday from the point of view of Christianity, then you can read, which is celebrated from July 6 to 7. As for the pagan date and traditions that are harmoniously woven into modernity, we are talking about the date of June 22 - this is the day when the feast of Ivan Kupala is celebrated in 2017, because it will be the summer solstice.

The ancient Slavs, who professed paganism before the arrival of Christianity in Rus', always celebrated the day of the summer solstice with great pomp. Moreover, the day was not Ivan Kupala, as it is commonly called today, but the holiday of Ivan Kupala, who was the ancient god of the sun and was the personification of solar energy and sunlight. This holiday has many ancient origins and traditions, some of which have passed into modern times. Due to the fact that the Christian church always has a holiday in honor of St. Ivan somewhere near the summer solstice, there was also confusion in the dates. We remind you that they were brought to Moscow and they will be in the capital for another month.

The ancient Slavic holiday in its original version is almost completely forgotten and the increasingly popular date of Ivan Kupala's day is the night of July 6-7, and not the date of the summer solstice, which this year will be celebrated on June 21-22. Ivan is the canonical Jewish name and in Rus' it came along with Christianity. At a time when our ancestors professed paganism in our territories, there was only the God of purification and the sun Kupala.

Judging by the logic and correct chronology, there should be no Ivan Kupala holiday. Because in the Christian Orthodox calendar in early July, the day of St. Ivan is celebrated, and according to pagan traditions, at the end of June, on the day of the summer solstice, a holiday with pagan roots Kupala is celebrated. As such, Ivan Kupala never existed, it’s just that in the popular imagination, two traditions overlapped one on one, as a result of which such a compilation was obtained, which still seriously misleads many.

Interesting! A similar mixture of Christian and pagan traditions can be seen on other church holidays. For example, Forgiveness Sunday - the last day on the eve of the beginning of Lent before Easter, is called Maslenitsa. Many traditions of this holiday have been preserved since the time when the Slavs were pagans. In nature, kebabs are always relevant, for example, they are excellent.

How the celebration of Kupala has changed

According to the modern calendar, the holiday of Ivan Kupala should be celebrated on June 20, 21 and 22, on which date in a particular year the summer solstice falls. But on June 24, the Orthodox celebrate the birthday of John the Baptist or John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan River. The proximity of the two holidays allowed the church to shift the date and add the name "Ivan" to the name of the holiday.

There are still many misconceptions about the celebration and interpretation of the summer solstice, and we can safely say that every year there are only more of them. But still, certain traditions and rituals, rituals have been preserved and practiced.

Pagan attributes of the holiday

Sun- this is fire and this attribute has a special meaning. Ancestors burned huge bonfires that day and all night, believing that fire has a special magic: it clears space, allows you to drive away insults and failures, thereby making room for something new. They tried to light bonfires through a lens from the sun or by rubbing wood against wood. It was believed that illnesses and all bad things burn out in a fire on the night of Kupala. There was a sign to throw the linen of sick people into the fire so that they would recover faster.

The second important character is water, there is a lot of focus on it. On the day of the summer solstice, according to the beliefs of the ancient Slavs, water has healing powers. At the same time, it was impossible to swim in the reservoirs, because people believed that various evil spirits climbed to the surface, which, in cunning ways, could drag a person to the very bottom. Dew has a special magical power on this day: you need to go out at dawn and wash yourself with dew in order to be beautiful, young. The girl who wants to find a groom must wash three times.

Particular attention was also paid to the collection medicinal and medicinal herbs. A detailed herbalist can be seen in the photo below, I would like to say separately about the rite associated with the fern. As you know, this plant does not bloom, but the ancient Slavs believed that the exception occurs on the night of the Kupala holiday. If you find a flowering fern, then this will ensure happiness and success for life.

Love and cleansing rites

Since it is on this night that the fern blooms only once a year, it should be noted that the energy of love on a holiday is very strong. For example, you can guess on wreaths. Their girls wove from their own collected herbs and flowers. Then they floated wreaths on the water and watched how they float: if they drown, then do not get married this year, if they float far, far away, then life with their beloved will be long and happy.

You can pick 12 or 24 types of herbs at midnight to tell fortunes about the suitors. Put the herbs under the pillow, having previously tied them into a bouquet. Sentence that the betrothed dreamed and came in a dream to look at the garden. You can also calculate how many herbs ended up in a bouquet, if there are exactly 12, then this year you can safely expect matchmakers. List of names.

The cleansing ceremony is carried out with morning dew, it was described in detail in this material in the middle. The Kupala holiday, which is now called Ivan Kupala, can be celebrated on June 21-22 or July 6-7. In any case, many traditions are very similar, and special attention should be paid to gratitude and love, go to nature, burn fires and enjoy the beauty of our planet.

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.