Ivan Kupala is a national holiday of the Eastern Slavs, celebrated on July 7. This day marked the top of the summer, half a year and was very widely celebrated with songs, dances around the fire and improvised "Kupala", the role of which was played by a scarecrow from hay, tree branches, etc. There are many signs related to the day of Ivan Kupala on July 7.
Actions on Ivan Kupala on July 7 and signs related to this day
On the night of Ivan Kupala, various rituals were held involving water, fire and grass. The first to be attributed miracle forces, so bathing in rivers, baths, washing with dew was welcomed. Fire also possessed healing and purifying power. It was customary to throw old unnecessary things and thus open your home for everything new, and souls for luck and luck. It was on this day that it was decided to harvest medicinal herbs for the entire coming year. After the obligatory washing at dawn, all young girls and women went to meadows and forests, where barefoot, with good mood and prayers, collected the necessary plants in the home medicine cabinet.
Those who are interested in what church day is timed for the day of July 7 and what signs are associated with it, it is worth noting that, by the time of the conduction, it coincided with the Nativity of John the Baptist or John the Baptist. And since the baptism is carried out by immersion in the font, the entire Slavic people plunged into water bodies, rivers, lakes, etc. No one was annoyed, even when it was suddenly sprinkled with cold water, so ancient Slavs believed that it brings good luck, health and happiness.
People's signs on July 7
Of course, most of them are related to the weather, because it depended on the harvest, and therefore life for the coming year. Here are some of them:
- a clear sunny day promised the late arrival of autumn;
- the abundance of morning dew promised a good harvest, especially of cucumbers and nuts;
- Starry and clear Kupala night was a harbinger of a good mushroom season;
- rain was not expected on this holiday, as it promised a bad harvest of wheat;
- the main good sign associated with this holiday, celebrated on July 7, was to find a fern flower. It was believed that after this, a person will be able to see where the treasure is buried under the earth, and also learn to understand the language of animals;
- The night of Ivan Kupala was an excellent occasion to find a pair. And if young people, holding hands and jumping over a fire, did not uncouple their fingers, then this was a sure sign that they would become husband and wife.
On this day, people prayed to St. John the Baptist, asking him about health and happiness to their children, and also to save them from a headache. In addition to jumping through the fire on this holiday exchanged brooms, waving rural roads, luring matchmakers or laying a furrow to the house of the guy they wanted to see their son-in-law. Eastern Slavs believed that until the day of Ivan, women should not eat any berries, otherwise death will take away their young children from them. Emerging this night fireflies - "Ivanovka worms" were considered the souls of the dead ancestors who came to have fun together with their relatives.
On Ivan Day, it was customary to bring food and drinks for a walk. As a rule, everyone took with him what was in the house, but the ritual food included cottage cheese vareniki, cheese, flour porridge, unleavened cakes, which were added linseed and hempseed, onions, garlic, etc. They drank it all with kvass, in Belarus - vodka, and in the neighboring Podlasie - wine. Apparently, the holiday was celebrated with an ecumenical scope and even today it is already perceived as a relic of the past, modern people continue to believe in some signs.