The pagan holiday of Ivan Kupala, which came from ancient times, from pre-Christian times, was celebrated in Russia on the summer solstice on June 23. After the transition to the Gregorian calendar, this holiday falls on July 7th. The name was the result of a mixture of the pagan Agrafena Bathers and the Christian saint, who is mentioned on this day according to the calendar - John the Baptist.
Many folk legends are associated with the day of Ivan Kupala, and especially with the night, the shortest of the year, filled with mystical and deep meaning for an ancient Russian person. The holiday falls on the "crown" of summer, therefore it was associated with the flowering of the forces of nature, the personification of which was the Yarilo-Sun and water.
On this day, the Slavs expected not only a rich harvest from the generosity and riot of nature, but also success in finding treasures hidden in the ground. According to ancient legends, on the night of Ivan Kupala, a fiery fern flower bloomed in the forest, indicating the place where treasures are buried in the ground.
But this night is considered a time of rampant evil spirits, which lure greedy and selfish people into the forests. Popular beliefs claim that those who went in search of treasures risked witnessing the sabbaths that sorcerers and witches held in the swamps. Such a meeting did not bode well - the uninvited guest was dragged into the pool.
Because of the rampant evil spirits, it was impossible to sleep that night. The peasants, in order to save their livestock from the intrigues of evil spirits, dug up a thistle and hung it over the barn. Nettles were laid out on the windowsills in the huts. All this frightened off the sorcerers, who were afraid to inject themselves.
Young people gathered in the forest, where bonfires were kindled in high places, designed to scare away all evil spirits. You had to jump over them. This custom symbolized the purification of the soul and body. In addition to bonfires, witches were frightened off with burning wheels and barrels, which rolled them down the hills into intimidation.
Many legends are associated with the plant world. According to them, the herbs collected on Ivan Kupala have great healing power. They were collected after the dew fell, and then dried and used for a whole year to treat a variety of diseases. People believed that a bunch of such grass, thrown into the stove during a thunderstorm, protected the house from a lightning strike, and the grass was also used to make love drinks.
On this day, the girls wove wreaths of herbs, which then, at night, were dipped into the water, fixing a candle in them. If the wreath sank, then the girl was expecting illness or death. The safely flown wreath promised an early marriage.
