Celebration

I want to tell you about a holiday called Ivana Kupala. This ancient holiday combines Christianity's meaning and legends before Christianity.

According to legend, this holiday is about two divinities: Kupala and Marena. They symbolized water and the sun.

We celebrate this day at night from the 6th to the 7th of July. It is the middle of summer when the sun gives a lot of warmth and energy.

When Christianity appeared, this holiday fell on the same day as the birth of Ivan the Baptist. That is why the holiday started to be called Ivana Kupala. If I try to translate its name into English, it will be The Day of Ivan who bathes. Because Baptistes (The birth of Ivan the Baptist) from the Greek translates as "he who bathes’’.

The meaning of this holiday is cleansing, with the help of water and sun. It is said that on this holiday, not only all plants but water and trees have curative power, and all evil spirits walk on the Earth.

People need to go to the forest and seek the fern flower. It is said that this flower blooms only at midnight. It is believed that the person who finds this flower will have good luck and love. It is important to swim on this holiday. Also, people burn fires and jump across them.

It is an interesting holiday.