As is known, church holidays can have a permanent date or a moving one. For many Orthodox people, it is extremely important to know all the numbers that bring with them the bright and revered days. To find out when the next church celebration is, just look at the Orthodox calendar.
It is from this calendar that you can understand what date Ivan Kupala is in 2017. This one is beautiful summer holiday never changed its date - from year to year it begins on the night of July 6 and ends on July 7 (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 incidents, ancient rituals and traditions. On the night of July 6-7, truly fantastic events and a long-awaited fusion 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 the dependence on this astrological phenomenon disappeared after the transition to the Gregorian calendar.
In the Orthodox Church, the holiday of Ivan Kupala is timed to commemorate John the Baptist, the priest who baptized Jesus Christ. This date appeared thanks to the confirmation of the Gospel testimony, which said that the age difference between 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 New era. One version says that this day was named in honor of the East Slavic deity Kupala, but there were people who confirmed that this idea was wrong.
Ancient rituals 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 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 persecuted because they did not correspond to the Holy Teaching. Over time, the rituals began to acquire more and more new 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 celebrate July 7th 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, and strengthen the immune system.
- To get rid of cockroaches, spiders and other insects living 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, girls went into the forest to collect medicinal herbs and flowers. Healers are convinced that during this period each plant is imbued with an unusual power that can cure many diseases. Yarrow, St. John's wort and chamomile were in particular demand.
- On this day, it was customary to collect flowers for fortune-telling - rich people. Having found a flower, the girl put it under her pillow. The blossoming bud testified to imminent marriage, and the faded one said that there would be no marriage for the next year.
- They wove wreaths that floated on the water. According to tradition, it was necessary to collect 12 different types plants and make a wreath from them. If he drowns, the girl will not get married this year; if he sailed away from the shore, the groom walks very close.
- As soon as the sun set, the youth lit a huge fire and couples, holding hands, jumped over it. If young people “overcame the obstacle” without unclenching their hands, then they are destined to be together, on the contrary, the couple will soon separate.
Fortune telling on Ivan Kupala
In addition to traditional rituals, there were also fortune tellings that helped everyone who wanted to find out their future fate. Here are some of them:
On bathing night, you need to pick two blades of grass and insert them into a crack (on a wall or in a stream). The blade of grass should hang down. After a while, you should pay attention to the blades of grass. If they are intertwined with each other - happily ever after family life provided for, and if they “ran away” from each other, it means that there will be a quick break with your loved one.
You can find out your life expectancy using a candle. You should light a regular wax candle and see how long it burns. If it burns to the end, it means the fortuneteller will live long life, if it goes out quickly, it means trouble. There is no need to panic; it is possible that this sign indicates some kind of illness.
Fortune telling by ritual fire. Near a blazing fire you need to make a wish and watch the flames. If the fire burns brightly and evenly, then the answer will be positive, but if the fire is interrupted and weakens, the wish will not come true.
Famous signs
It rained on the holiday - hot and dry weather should be expected in a week.
On the night of Ivan Kupala, the stars shine brightly in the sky, and heavy 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 leave the bathhouse and throw the broom over your shoulder (like throwing a bridal bouquet). In which direction he flew - that’s where the betrothed lives.
The holiday of Ivan Kupala is one of the oldest preserved in modern Russia. It has acquired a huge number of traditions and rituals, which some people still observe today, despite the pagan roots of the holiday.
history of the holiday
The Kupala holiday was previously called Dome Day in honor of the pagan deity Kupala. Ivan is none other than John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus in the waters of the river. After the baptism of Rus', many celebrated on its territory and having a pagan background were either eradicated or replaced by Christian analogues. Kupala holiday celebrated traditionally on the day summer solstice. It was during this period (June 24) that the Nativity of John the Baptist fell - one of the few solemn holidays of Christian doctrine, on which the birth of a certain person is celebrated.
Date of celebration of Ivan Kupala in 2017
Due to a change in the calendar, the day of celebration of Ivan Kupala has shifted all the way to July 7. But some adherents of old traditions still try to celebrate this holiday traditionally on the day of the summer solstice in the period from June 20 to 24. But the established date for celebrating Ivan Kupala Day in 2017 it falls on the night of July 6-7.
Kupala rituals and traditions
This is the most magical and unusual holiday, the magic of which has survived more than one historical, political and social conflict, and has survived to this day. But there are certainly differences in the celebration of this day in the old days and now, and the main one is that we, as modern people, no longer depend on natural phenomena as much as people of the past. Science and progress are guarding our comfort, and we do not have to rely on the location of natural conditions alone. Previously, the entire human existence was fixated on natural phenomena, that’s why people were so good at listening to the world around them and tried to influence it in their own way. The holiday of Ivan Kupala was created as a date for the veneration of the main deity - the Sun, Kupala. It gives life, light and hope. 
Rituals on the night of Ivan Kupala
In order to celebrate Ivan Kupala Day, it was necessary to go to a river or lake early in the morning and take a good swim. Water on this day gained special healing powers that were bestowed on a person.
Another magical substance, without which no magical action is possible, was fire. Not far from the ponds, fires were made, through which one had to jump in order to cleanse oneself of all evil thoughts and diseases. On this day, young people tried to find a partner to perform another ritual: jumping over the fire together, holding hands. If they manage to do this without letting go, then their union will be strong and long.
Ivan Kupala is perhaps one of ancient holidays that have reached our time. This date has acquired many signs and traditions that are observed despite the fact that the holiday has pagan roots.
This holiday combines pagan and Christian traditions, which is reflected even in its name: the holiday is named after the pagan deity Kupala, and Ivan is the well-known figure of John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus himself in the waters of the sacred Jordan River. After baptism and the establishment of the Christian religion in Rus', many pagan rituals gave themselves up to persecution. They were everywhere eradicated as a source of ignorance and worship of ungodly idols and fictitious deities. However, the day of Ivan Kupala, the symbol of the summer solstice, was preserved and even in ancient times began to be revered as a date reflecting the interweaving of pagan and Christian religions.
Date of celebration of Ivan Kupala
Many adherents of this holiday continue to celebrate the date on the day of the summer solstice (from June 20 to 24), as it was in ancient times. However, due to a change in the calendar, this date has shifted to July 7. In 2017, Ivan Kupala is celebrated on the night of July 6-7.
Traditions of the holiday of Ivan Kupala
The night of Ivan Kupala is considered a mystical and magical time. At this time, everyone has the opportunity to attract good luck into their lives. A traditional activity for our ancestors was swimming at dawn in a natural reservoir. This healing ritual, according to legend, can cleanse everyone from illnesses and adversities.
On the day of the holiday, bonfires were lit everywhere on the banks of reservoirs. Fire, a symbol of purification and renewal, helped to get rid of not only physical ailments, but also negative thoughts, damage and the evil eye. Our ancestors jumped over the flaring flames and mentally gave away all the accumulated negativity to the fire.
Young people on Ivan Kupala were actively looking for partners in order to enter into marriage alliances in the future. The couple held hands tightly and jumped over the fire. If they managed not to untangle their hands, then their union promised to be strong and happy.
On this day, various magical rituals were performed everywhere. Our ancestors, with the help of special spells and rituals, attracted good luck, prosperity and love into their lives. With the help of special protective herbs, houses were fumigated in order to avoid fires and destruction.
Signs for Ivan Kupala
- If it rains on the day of the holiday, then seven days later the weather will be hot and dry.
- The bright light of the stars on the night of celebration and abundant dew before dawn promise a good harvest of vegetable crops, as well as an abundance of mushrooms and berries in the forest.
- To determine where the betrothed was, young girls steamed in the bathhouse and whipped each other with brooms, and then threw them over their shoulders. In which direction the brooms fly, from there you should wait for the matchmakers. If the broom fell with its handle towards the girl, then the wedding will not happen soon, but if with leaves and branches, then they were preparing for the imminent arrival of relatives from the husband’s side.
Ivan Kupala is one of the most mysterious holidays, in which the customs of paganism and the Christian faith are intertwined. On this day, believers pray for well-being in the family and ask the Higher Powers to send them graces to create a strong married couple for life. We wish you good luck and happiness, and do not forget to press the buttons and
13.06.2017 02:10
On the seventh of July comes one of the most mystical days of the year - the holiday of Ivan Kupala. IN...
Some people really feel that at this time energy begins to flow through their veins, many even see something inexplicable.
And since the date of Ivan Kupala 2017 is not accidental. It happens in July, but we switched to another calendar (Gregorian) and there is no longer any connection with this factor as an astrological one. Orthodox Church At this time, John the Baptist was honored in prayers; in order to fulfill the custom, he baptized Jesus Christ in the river, although he knew that he should not have done this. The Bible tells us that Ivan the Harbinger is only 6 months older than Jesus Christ. This celebration has a long history and many customs have formed around it, loved and performed by the people.
Ivan Kupala Day is originally a pagan celebration dedicated to the Sun and the Slavic god Kupala. Even before Russia adopted Christianity, this celebration was celebrated on June 22, the summer solstice. Nevertheless, already in Christian Rus' the celebration was timed to coincide with the day of the birth of John the Baptist, and now it was celebrated on June 24. In many villages, the holiday of Ivan Kupala began to be called Midsummer Day.
After the transition from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, the day of Ivan Kupala moved even further and is still celebrated on July 7th. Consequently, as we see, the original meaning of the celebration has already lost all meaning, since it no longer falls on the day of the summer solstice. Nevertheless, in a number of European countries, Ivan Kupala Day is still celebrated from June 20 to June 24.
The holiday of Ivan Kupala is accompanied by rituals associated with the water and fire elements, spirits and plants. The main action of the celebration began after sunset, when the earth was enveloped in darkness. The youth were especially riotous that night. Fully justifying the superstitions about the machinations of brownies, woodsmen, swamp and river spirits, the young men stole firewood from the yards, dragged carts onto the roofs of buildings, stole horses into the swamps, dark paint they covered up the windows, dragged gates and entire fences into the forest.
Prohibitions on Ivan Kupala Day
The holiday of Ivan Kupala is associated with many prohibitions that should be observed.
Among the Slavs living in the east and west, until the day of Ivan Kupala, girls did not eat any berries, so as not to provoke the death of small children;
On this day, not a single person went to bed, since housing and animals had to be protected from various unclean intrigues: brownies, goblins and mermaids came out of the shadows and could completely kidnap a horse or steal a cow;
In order not to fall into vegetation, one could not get carried away on this day by selling, making acquisitions or borrowing money;
Under no circumstances should cows be hit or hurried with sticks, as the udder could dry out;
Any thing found along the way was to remain unnoticed by the finder. If a person picked up a find, he could become a victim of a spirit - a woodsman, transforming his appearance into that of a loved one.
When Ivan Kupala in 2019 - the holiday falls on July 7. This is one of the most mystical events of the year, which in significance can only be compared with Halloween or Anti-Easter. Ivan Kupala was originally a pagan holiday with many folk traditions associated with it, such as jumping over bonfires for purification or searching for treasure using a magical fern flower.
Summer comes and the sun gains its strength, the time of long days comes and short nights. June, filled with warmth and juices, will show its strength on the days of the solstice and scorch the earth with the first summer heat. Then comes July - the month in which the day of Ivan Kupala (Kupalo) is celebrated according to the new style.
The ancient Slavs celebrated the onset of summer with the beginning of rosehip flowering, in early June. Until the eighteenth century, summer in the calendar was designated from the celebration of the Nativity of John the Baptist (June 24), and it ended with the Feast of the Conception of the same saint, approximately September 23. The month of June was previously called Cherven in Rus', because there were a lot of cherries at that time, as well as grain growth and cresen, i.e. fire.
Fire and water - the main symbols of Ivan Kupala
This choice of holiday symbols may seem strange to you. Indeed, what could fire and water have in common? It turns out there is something. Both elements bring cleansing, only water cleanses the body, and fire cleanses the soul.
On Ivan Kupala, people really swam en masse in rivers and other bodies of water. But, it should be noted that there were certain. In particular, approaching bodies of water after sunset was strictly prohibited - so that evil spirits would not drown. While jumping over the fire, everyone tried to jump as high as possible. It was believed that the one who jumps the highest will be the happiest for the year.
What date is Ivan Kupala celebrated in 2019?
At one time, the day of Ivan Kupala was an ancient one. The event was timed to coincide with the Solstice (summer solstice).
Are you wondering what is causing this discrepancy in dates? To answer this question we need to turn to pagan traditions ancestors Initially, Ivan Kupala was a purely mystical holiday. On this day (or rather, the night before), rituals were performed, conspiracies were pronounced, and fortune telling was performed.
Nature transforms on Ivan Kupala
Wreaths were launched into the water,
to tell fortunes for the groom
At Solstice, the earth returned its power to the sun. On this day, rituals were held to cleanse children from diseases with dew and fire. Early in the morning, the kids ran through the dew, gaining strength from the earth and plants. Mothers sat their children on a wide wooden shovel and placed it in the oven for a moment so that diseases and damage would go away. This ritual was called “baking a child”; it was believed that it helps against “canine old age” (rickets). Do not rush to be amazed at the “barbaric” customs of your ancestors - children were placed only for a short time, and not in a hot oven, but in a warm, cooling oven.
The week preceding the Solstice is called Rusal. At this time, rituals were held to say goodbye to the mermaids; people brought gifts for mermaids, leaving them in the forest or near a reservoir next to birch trees.
A wonderful and fabulous atmosphere reigned during the days of the Solstice celebration, people sang songs, told fortunes and had fun, and bonfires were lit. Burned old clothes to renew and cleanse. By jumping over the sacred fire, they purified their spirit and renewed their connection with their ancestors.
Fern flower on the night of Kupala
According to ancient folk beliefs, on Kupala night you should look for the color of the fern or, as it was also called, “fern”. People believed that whoever finds and brings the mystical flower to his home will soon know where the treasures are buried.
finding the treasured flower is not easy...
However, to get untold riches at your disposal, you need to be a desperate daredevil. On the night of Kupala, all evil spirits come out to protect the fern flowers. So the lover of quick money will have a hard time - if he meets with him for a short time, he will perish forever! In addition, as legend says, the fern flower is given only to selected people with a pure soul.
But what to do if you really want to gain wealth? In this case, you will need to find a wild fern on the night of Ivan Kupala. Your own flower in an indoor pot or on a summer cottage will not work, so you will have to go outside the city, to a wooded area. You need to take it with you, without which you won’t be able to get the treasured flower.
Only the most persistent will find the color of ferns!
Near the found fern you should draw a protective circle that will protect you from evil spirits. Wait patiently until the flower appears, which may be fiery or silver. Immediately pick the color as soon as it appears! This moment cannot be missed, because the fern blooms for just one moment.
It will be very difficult to return home; evil spirits will call out to you, try to frighten you with terrible visions, and “confuse” the road. The obstacles that must be overcome are described in great detail in Gogol's "May Night". Anyone who looks back, responds to the call of evil spirits, or goes astray will most likely not be able to leave the forest alive.
Why is bloodflower dangerous?
There is another version of the legend about a fern plucked on the holiday of Ivan Kupala. This is what the ancient text says:
Find a dead place in the forest and go there on Kupala night. Wait until the moon appears from behind the clouds, and then look around - the moon will show you the bloodflower! Don’t hesitate for a second - quickly cut the treasured flower. Sprinkle it with fresh blood, and you will be happy...
At first glance, the task does not seem too difficult. Finding a dead (i.e., desolate, neglected) place in the forest will not be difficult. The evil spirit itself will tell the person where to look for the bloodflower, but there will be no happiness from this! The devil's flower will open a treasure for a person and make him rich. But in return, the bloodbloom will drive a person crazy and force him to kill the one who is dear to him...
