Ivan Kupala vacation
Ivan Kupala (aka Kupailo) is an historic character from Ukrainian myths and legends related to the celebration of the summer season solstice. There’s nonetheless no consensus on the origin of the title “Kupalo”. There’s a model that it comes from the phrase “kupa” – which implies marriage, a mixture of the female and masculine ideas.
The second model says that the title Ivan Kupala comes from pagan rituals of cleaning and washing, which happened in rivers and lakes on the summer season solstice. In accordance with the outdated calendar, the vacation of Ivan Kupala coincided with the summer season solstice.
Kupala holidays have many customs that proceed to be handed on from era to era.
Nativity of John the Baptist
There’s one other model of the origin of the vacation. It’s believed that the title “Ivana Kupala” is a Slavic model of the title John the Baptist, because it actually interprets from Greek as “bather, immerser.”
John the Baptist is a good prophet and holy martyr, also called the Forerunner, that’s, the forerunner of Jesus Christ.
His fundamental mission was to acknowledge the Savior amongst folks and announce His coming. Later, John baptized Jesus Christ within the Jordan River, which is why he obtained his second church nickname.
On today you need to go to the church and pray to St. John. They pray to him for prosperity, well being, household happiness. Childless {couples} can ask for profitable conception. It’s believed that St. John may also help even hopeless {couples}, as a result of he himself was born to aged dad and mom.
The feast of St. John Kupala symbolizes not solely the Christian veneration of John the Baptist, but additionally pagan rituals of cleaning with water, carried out in open reservoirs.
John the Baptist within the desert (picture: Wikipedia)
Time to have a good time
The vacation continues from the night till the very morning of the subsequent day. In accordance with widespread beliefs, it’s essential wash your face with dew within the morning – on today it will possibly enhance your well being and protect your magnificence.
Bathing
You aren’t allowed to swim on the vacation of Ivan Kupala. Beforehand, folks believed that on this evening all of the evil spirits residing in forests, fields and rivers wakened: mermaids, mermen, Mavkas and everybody else. They will drag an individual beneath water and drown.
And the subsequent day, following dawn, the water is taken into account therapeutic and able to washing away all of the unhealthy issues from the physique and soul. That’s why today used to mark the start of the summer season season.
Bonfire
Maybe an important custom of the vacation is to burn an enormous bonfire. Hearth was a logo of safety and purification, and mass festivities and numerous rituals had been held round it.
It was believed that if lovers might leap over the hearth with out separating their fingers, their love would final a lifetime. In accordance with legends, the hearth additionally scared away evil spirits that wakened on today.
Divination
In accordance with custom, single ladies learn their fortunes regarding love that evening. They wove wreaths of flowers and grass, typically even hooked up lit candles and floated them throughout the water at sundown.
How you can inform fortunes utilizing a wreath:
- floats effectively, however the candle doesn’t exit – the woman will quickly get married
- spinning in place – will amaze for an additional yr
- drowns – she is not going to marry in any respect or will stay a widow.
It was additionally believed that wherever the wreath floats, the groom ought to wait from there. As well as, if the wreath floated within the heart of the river, it meant that the yr would move with out important adjustments, and if it washed ashore, grief needs to be anticipated.
On Ivan Kupala, ladies floated wreaths on the water (photograph: ugcc.church)
Fern flower
There’s additionally a perception that that is the one day of the yr when ferns bloom. It’s believed that solely a younger man, essentially single or the one son within the household, can discover it.
For the reason that flower is protected by an otherworldly drive, it is extremely troublesome to search out. However the one who can do that will obtain particular talents: to see the longer term, perceive the language of birds and animals, and even heal the sick.
