Ivan Kupala Day
The Kupala Night ( Russian Иван Купала- ; Belarusian Купалле ; Ukrainian Івана Купала ; Polish Noc Kupaly / Noc Iwana Kupaly ) is in Russia , Belarus , Poland and Ukraine traditionally celebrated festival of the summer solstice . Usually this day is celebrated on July 7th (holiday of John the Baptist ) according to the Gregorian calendar . Ivan Kupala has pagan roots. The day contrasts with Korochun , the festival of the winter solstice .
The name of the festival is derived from the Russian names for Johannes and Baden / baptisms (Iwan Kupala = John the Baptist ), and not, as incorrectly assumed, from a Slavic sun and light god Kupala . Scientists believe that the New Pagans invented the god Kupala, but the ancient Slavs did not have this god.
Until modern times, the Slavic Midsummer Night is known as a spectacular pagan festival. Many of Ivan Kupala's customs are associated with water, fire, the unfolding magical powers of plants and self-purification. It is common for young women to put candles in plaited wreaths of flowers in rivers and read their own futures from their drifting in the water. Another custom is for young couples to jump over a campfire.
There was an ancient belief that Ivan Kupala's night is the only time of the year when ferns bloom for very short periods of time. Anyone who finds a fern flower on Ivan Kupala should be able to see all the treasures hidden in the earth with the help of the flower. Because of this, many people looked for flowering magical ferns in the forests of Iwan Kupala. In Nikolai Gogol's novella The Evening by Ivan Kupala , a young man finds a fairytale fern flower, which, however, earns him a curse. The legendary Witches' Sabbath on Ivan Kupala inspired Modest Mussorgsky to write his symphonic poem A Night on Bald Mountain .
In Poland, the festival is celebrated as Noc Świętojańska ( Saint John's Night ) on the feast of Saint John the Baptist on June 24th. A short name is "Wianki" (little wreath).
See also
Web links
- The tradition of Ivan Kupala Night (English)
- Celebration of Ivan Kupala in Russia (English)
- Extensive description of the customs (Russian)
- [1] (Russian)
- [2] (Russian)