Ivan da Marya

Among the Eastern Slavs, the Ivan da Marya flower was a symbol of Kupala celebrations. In many places, among Russians, it is also known under the names "flower of Kupala", "kupavka",

"Swimsuit", "Ivankovsky color". Belarusians call it “brother and sister” and “weeping flower”, and Ukrainians call it “brothers”.

The origin of this flower among the Eastern Slavs and some peoples neighboring them - Poles, Lithuanians, is associated with the folklore motif of punishing a brother and sister for incest - incestuous marriage. So, the Russians know a belief about the transformation of a brother and sister, who entered into a forbidden relationship, into a flower, which, according to their names - Ivan and Marya, began to be called Ivan-da-Marya. Legends with a similar plot are widespread among Ukrainians and Poles: brother and sister, separated in childhood, traveled around the world for a long time, and when they met, they did not recognize each other, got married and only later found out that they were brother and sister. Out of shame and grief, they turned into grass, the flowers of which are blue and yellow. In the folklore of all Eastern Slavs, there are ballads and songs that tell that a brother and sister almost got married or already got married, but before the wedding night they found out about their relationship:

And they got married on Sunday

On Monday they went to bed.

Began torturing the kid

What kind of girl.

"I'm from Kyiv Voytovna, According to Father Karpovna!"

The girl began to torture

What kind of kid:

"I'm from Kyiv Voytovich, According to Father Karpovich!"

“Oh, and where was it,

For a sister to follow a brother?

Sister does not follow brother

A brother does not take his sister!

We'll go to the field

We will throw off the grass

And what about brother and sister!

These ballads were most often used as Kupala songs. The involuntary violation of the marriage ban, found in ritual songs on this plot, correlates with the stories that existed among the people that on the Kupala night in ancient times the bans on love relationships between all men and women were lifted. This custom also explains the fact that incestuous motifs are the most frequent in Kupala songs. For example, the Kupala song story about a brother who wants to kill his temptress sister was widely circulated. Another song emphasizes that the initiative in the incest proposal belongs to the sister:

Konik walks

Raven.

On that horse

Ivan is sitting

Behind him Marya

Running after:

"Wait, Ivan

I'll say something!

Love you

I will go with you!

Three riddles.

What is growing

Rootless?

What is burning

Without firewood?

What is running

With no reason?"

This song contains an archaic motif of solving riddles of a cosmogonic nature (in this case, the solution is stone, soot, water), which in mythopoetic texts is related to the theme of testing for knowledge, indicating readiness for marriage.

Comparing the folklore and ritual material of the Eastern Slavs with the mythologies of other peoples, the researchers came to the conclusion that legends, beliefs, Kupala songs about incest, including texts about the origin of the Ivan da Marya flower, are based on an archaic myth about twins, one of which - Ivan - is associated with life and fire, and the other - Marya - with death and water. Their relationship in ritual songs correlates with the ancient motif of the mating duel of fire and water, that is, precisely those natural elements opposing each other that were of paramount importance in Kupala rituals.

Songs about the origin of the Ivan da Marya flower, associated with the violation of the marriage ban between brother and sister, were performed on the Kupala night until the wheel burned out and the ritual fire died out.

In Ukrainian beliefs, this flower is a symbol of salvation from the love of people close by blood. Among the Russians, Ivan da Marya, along with some other herbs, was used to make wreaths - girlish headdresses for the Kupala holiday. Throwing these wreaths into the water, the girls wondered about their fate: if the wreath is washed back to the shore, it means that this year they will remain girls; sail away to the other shore - to marriage; well, and if the wreath sinks, death awaits the fortuneteller. In the St. Petersburg province, girls, performing a ritual bath on the day of Ivan Kupala, entered the water with Ivan da Marya flowers and released them: if the flower sank, this foreshadowed death.

Like other herbs, the Ivan da Marya flower on the day of the summer solstice, when nature reached its peak, possessed, according to popular belief, magical power, which the peasants tried to use in time. Everywhere on the day of Agrafena Kupalnitsa and Ivan Kupala, herbs and flowers were collected in forests and fields. As a rule, girls and pullets - those who got married in the current year - went after them. In the Pskov province, they walked across the field in a "row" - holding hands, five or six people - and, collecting plants, they always sang:

Let's go, girls, meadow,

Let's become, girls, around,

I'll pick a flower

Sow a wreath

Where shall we put them?

We'll dress the bride.

In some places, along with the girls, the guys also went for herbs. Plants, among which the Ivan-da-Marya flower was the most common, were brought to the village in large armfuls. They were scattered on the floor in temples, dwellings and on the ground in the yards, laid to the windows and near the icons. These plants were also considered the best remedy for various troubles. During a thunderstorm, the preserved grass was thrown into the oven to protect the house from lightning strikes, that is, from the elements of fire. The Ivan da Marya flower, plucked on a Kupala night, was placed in the corners of the hut: according to legend, this helps to avoid theft. A thief will not enter a house where there is Ivan da Marya, because “brother and sister will talk; it will seem to the thief that the master is talking to the mistress. In the Belarusian tradition, this flower - "brother-sister" - was used as a healing agent: on Kupala morning it was given to cows to be safe. It was also believed here that it helps with coughing. In Polissya, until the second half of the 20th century, children were bathed with the same grass, called “brothers” here, so that they would sleep well.

Legend of Kupala

According to the legend of the ancient Slavs, Kupala had a sister, Kostroma. In childhood, they were separated by the Sirin bird, which took Kupala to distant lands. Many years later. Once Kupala was sailing in a boat on the river and picked up a wreath of a girl from the water, which turned out to be Kostroma. Brother and sister did not recognize each other, and according to custom they were supposed to get married. And only after the wedding, the spouses learned that they were blood relatives.

Deciding that their family could not endure such a shame, Kostroma threw herself into the river and became a mermaid (mavka), and her brother died by jumping into the fire. One of the gods took pity on Kupala and turned it into a flower, which was later called Ivan da Marya.

The history of the holiday Ivan Kupala

Before the baptism of Rus', our ancestors celebrated Kypala or the Solstice, which was of great importance, since people lived according to natural cycles. With the adoption of Christianity, the date and name of the holiday was associated with the birth of John the Baptist or the Bather, which is celebrated annually on July 7th. Since the date has shifted, the actual day of the solstice no longer coincides with the Kupala holidays. For example, in 2017, the longest daylight hours fell on June 21, and Midsummer Day will be celebrated on the night of July 6-7.

Traditions and rituals of the holiday Ivan Kupala
Ivan Kupala Day is full of traditions and rituals, many of which have survived to this day. The main role was given to the forces of nature, and the symbol of the holiday was the Sun. Ancestors believed that water and fire on this day are endowed with special properties and can save a person from troubles and illnesses. Washing with water and cleansing with fire have become an important tradition of the holiday in memory of Kupala and Kostroma.

On this day, it was customary to kindle fires on the banks of rivers and jump over them, dance, swim in ponds, collect herbs, weave wreaths, with which the girls could find out their fate. Also, according to beliefs, on the night of Kupala, evil spirits roam the area, but they can be scared away and driven away with the help of bonfires.

Early in the morning people usually went to bathe in rivers and lakes. It was believed that bathing in a pond cleanses a person, since on a festive night the water is charged with magical energy and protects people from spiritual and bodily diseases. For the same purpose, at dawn, one could wash with dew.

Fire also had special properties, so it was customary to make fires and jump over them. There was a belief that the one who jumped and did not touch the flame would be lucky for a whole year and be able to find happiness. Mothers burned the clothes of sick children on Kupala bonfires so that the child’s illness would burn with it.

On the night before Ivan's Day, the guys and girls split into pairs, exchanged wreaths and jumped over the fire, holding hands. It was believed that if sparks fly after the couple, and the lock of their hand is not disconnected, then there will be a wedding soon. And those who jumped the highest will be the happiest in marriage.

People paid special attention to plants that, on the night of Ivan Kupala, acquire magical powers and become especially healing, protect from evil spirits and diseases. Herbs were collected at night or at dawn, dried and used throughout the year, until the next summer.

The flower of Ivan da Marya was the symbol of the holiday. Our ancestors believed that the juice of this plant returns lost hearing and mental clarity to people. Ivan da Marya flowers were collected and placed in the corners of the rooms so that thieves would not enter the house. Wormwood also had protective properties, but already from evil spirits. This plant was dried and hung in the house, and also woven into wreaths. And in order to scare away witches, nettles were laid out on the windowsills and doorsteps of the house.

The legend of the fern flower

Talking about the holiday of Ivan Kupala, one cannot fail to mention the legend of the fern flower. According to beliefs, the fern blooms only once a year - on the Kupala night. A bud appears in the center of the bush, which blooms at midnight and becomes a fiery flower. Anyone who manages to break it will be able to see treasures in the ground, understand animals, open locks, take on any form and predict the future. But the flower hunter needs to be careful. When he finds a fern, he should draw a circle around himself with a knife and wait until midnight. Picking a fern flower can be prevented by forest evil spirits, which will call a person by name and make noise. You can’t respond or turn around, otherwise you will lose your life. Having picked a flower, you need to immediately run home without looking back.

Divination on the night of Ivan Kupala

The most common fortune-telling for Kupala were those that could predict an imminent marriage. For the holiday, the girls wove wreaths, inserted lit candles into them and lowered them into the water. If the wreath floats quickly, the wedding is coming soon, and the groom will come from the side where the wreath floated. If she drowns right away, the girl will be unmarried all her life. But the happiest one will be the one whose wreath lasts longer on the water, or the one whose candle burns out more time.

At midnight, the girls plucked an armful of herbs and hid it under their pillows. In the morning they looked: if there are 12 different plants, this year there will be a wedding.

They also guessed on chamomile. To do this, water was poured into a wide and shallow container and two chamomile flowers without stems were placed in it. If they swim in different directions, the lovers will part. If the flowers stick together, the couple will be together all their lives.

One could find out about the future in the following way: light a fire at night and throw grass into the fire. If smoke spreads along the ground, it means that trouble awaits a person, and if it rushes up, there will be happiness, prosperity and prosperity.

It was also believed that if you climb over 12 fences at night, making a wish, it will surely come true within a year.

Photo: website of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

It is known that the Ivan da Marya flower got its name in honor of two loving hearts - the young Ivan and the beautiful Marya. Popular legend says that Ivan and Marya turned into beautiful flowers so that they would never be separated from each other. That is why the plant always has flowers of two sharply distinguishable colors: Ivan has a purple shirt, and Marya has a yellow handkerchief. In this publication, a general description of Ivan da Marya, the chemical composition, the use of Ivan da Marya in folk medicine, as well as methods for harvesting and storing the plant will be considered.
In the common people, the Ivan da Marya plant (Melampyrum nemorosum L.) has several more names: brother, brother and sister, jaundice, zheltyanitsa, Ivan grass, meadow bell, oak maryannik, honeydew, copperhead, fire flower, tricolor grass. However, the name Adam and Eve (Ivan da Marya) has gained great fame ... At the celebration of Kupalo Day, fortune-telling is carried out using wreaths made of four different colors - attributes. The composition of such a wreath also includes Ivan da Marya.

Previously, there was a belief that if Ivan da Marya flowers were collected on Kupala on June 21-22, they would protect the house from various evil spirits for a whole year, and the grass protects the family hearth and contributes to finding long and strong love between spouses. It should also be noted that the fragrant juicy seed sacs are very popular with ants. These forest workers spread the seeds throughout the forest, thereby contributing to the spread of the plant.

Magic use: anti-demon herb. She removes evil spirits due to the fact that with the help of the reserves of the organism itself, it eliminates energy holes into which evil penetrates. This beautiful grass has practically no effect on a person’s thoughts. Ivan da Marya is used only in infusions.
This herb allows the body to achieve harmony of Yin and Yang energy, helps a person achieve happiness in life, attracts to him what he lacks.
It calms the nervous system, with the constant use of this herb, a person becomes noticeably prettier. But this herb retains its strength for a very short time. Having collected it near the day of Kupala (when it ripens), you will be able to fully use it for no more than a full lunar month. When dried, it loses about 10 percent of its healing properties every lunar month, although its chemical composition remains the same. But even more so, try not to miss the opportunity to wash yourself with a whisk of Ivan da Mary on the evening of June 21-22 (Kupala Day) in order to wash off those entities that, having stuck to you, devour beauty and well-being.
Many legends were composed by the Slavs about this flower, common in Russian fields and forests.
These are mythical brother and sister, who, according to one version, did not know about their relationship and got married. For violation of custom, they were turned into a flower by God.
In another way - they turned themselves, so as not to be separated.
Thirdly, the brother intended to kill his sister because she wanted to seduce him, and she asked to plant a flower on her grave.
There is another beautiful legend: once Ivan da Marya went to the forest for mushrooms. They came to the forest, and then a thunderstorm began. The mushroom pickers had nowhere to hide, and Ivan shielded Marya with himself. The storm subsided, and Ivan and Marya returned home safe and sound. And in the place where the young man saved the girl, grass rose with beautiful purple leaves, which protect yellow flowers from bad weather, just as Ivan protected Marya from a thunderstorm.
Combining yellow and blue, the flower reflected the Kupala meanings of fire and water, which are so widely used during the festival. The central characters in the rituals and songs were Ivan and Marya. The holiday of the highest flowering of natural forces became the apotheosis of human love, therefore this flower was the embodiment of a strong love passion. Giving this flower to each other, they confessed their love, devotion and fidelity.
Not quite accurately, the flower is identified with a tricolor violet, or pansies. Pansies - this name has its own mythological explanation. Allegedly, this is a girl who was turned into a flower for excessive curiosity about someone else's life.

The Ivan da Marya flower has a racemose inflorescence, consisting of many individual flowers. Each flower is located on its own pedicel, hidden in the axils of the upper leaves. All flowers face the same direction. The upper bracts are purple, bright purple, crimson or blue. Moreover, the top of the bract has a more saturated color. The calyx is hairy, the corolla is bright yellow. The fruits of Ivan da Marya are oblong boxes, which, when opened, are divided in two. Ivan da Marya usually blooms in late spring and blooms until autumn.

plant habitat
Ivan da Marya is a medicinal plant and is found mainly in clearings, edges, shrubs and light forests of the European part of Russia, as well as in the North-West and West of the forest-steppe of Ukraine, in the Caucasus, and even in Siberia.

Plant harvesting and storage
The plant Ivan da Marya (leaves, fruits, stems, flowers) is used for the preparation of medicines. For this, the fruits of the plant are stored in July - September, and the aerial part - in May - September. Dry grass should be in the shade, and store - separately from other plants and no more than 10 months.

The chemical composition of the plant
The plant contains elements such as the glycoside dulcite, alkaloids, and its seeds contain the poisonous glycoside aucubin.

The use of Ivan da Marya in folk medicine
The honeydew plant has an insecticidal, anti-inflammatory and good wound healing effect.
Infusion of grass has found application in folk medicine. It is used internally for hypertension, dizziness, heart disease, neuralgia, epilepsy, diseases of the stomach and organs of the gastrointestinal tract and externally in the form of washings and baths for skin tuberculosis, scabies, diathesis, eczema, various rashes, diseases of the chest, rheumatism and as a wound healer.
The crushed fresh grass of Ivan da Marya promotes rapid healing of wounds. A decoction of the fruits of this plant is used to kill harmful insects.

Recipes for making infusions

Infusion for external use:
In a bowl put 3 tbsp. l. crushed grass plants and pour 1 liter of hot boiled water. Insist for 2 hours, after which the filtered infusion is used as local washing and baths for skin diseases.

Ivan da Marya herb infusion is used as an effective remedy for baths and local washings in the treatment of scrofula, various rashes and scabies. For its preparation 3 tbsp. l. maryannik is poured with 1 liter of boiling water and, after insisting for about 2 hours, filtered.

In the treatment of hypertension, dizziness, heart disease, neuralgia, epilepsy, diseases of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract, another infusion of oak maryannik is used. For its preparation 1 tbsp. l. herbs are poured with a glass of boiling water, then insisted for half an hour and, after straining, take half a glass twice a day.

With the help of freshly chopped grass and its powder, they accelerate the healing process of wounds, and with a decoction of fruits they destroy harmful insects.

Infusion for use in epilepsy:
In a bowl put 1 tbsp. l. crushed herb plants and pour 1 cup of hot boiled water. Infuse for 30 minutes, after which the strained infusion drink half a glass twice a day.

Contraindications
Attention! The composition of the plant includes toxic glycosides, so its use requires great care!

That was a long time ago. The moss of oblivion overgrown with events that once happened and even rumors about them have sunk into oblivion.

In one village there lived a young man, well done - handsome. And next door lived a girl, next to whom the star shone brighter, she was so beautiful.

Everything was fine, they lived, they didn’t grieve, until one gloomy morning, at an unkind hour, disaster struck - a fierce beast from the surrounding forests and swamp marshes kidnapped the red maiden. For what, only he knows.

The young man was grieving, because he loved his Maryushka more than anything in the world. He went to the great Mages to help him in a difficult matter. But they nodded their heads that, they say, we know about your grief, but we won’t be able to help, because we need help not magical, but of a different kind.

The young man threw a cloak over his shoulders, took a bow and arrows to kill the uninvited beast, and set off.

And not far from the village, so to speak, in the suburbs, lived an old man, gray-haired, thin. But a master of all trades. And shoe a horse, and he could talk heart to heart.

So the path led the young man to the old man. The guy asked for help, to which the old man answered him -

Love hobbles any horse and turns a wild boar into a meek lamb, you just need to show the feeling in its entirety as if it were not a beast at all, but a fierce man wounded in the heart by anger, who decided to take revenge on the whole world for his unrequited feeling.

And the old man told that a long, long time ago, a fairy, a beauty and an enchantress, an enchantress, lived in this forest. She liked the Forester, who lived nearby. How much effort he made to be heard by her, how many arrows of love he fired from his heart, we do not know about that, we only know that the sorceress aimed at the death of his soul, and did not want to bestow a reciprocal feeling.

The spell worked. The soul of the Forester was enslaved by malice, and the atrocities turned him into a beast. Not a single beauty could melt his hearts, for stolen love is not love at all.

And so the beast lived, tearing his heart to pieces and taking revenge on everyone who was at least a little happy with love in return.

The young man listened and thought.

How to be?
After all, now it was not a fierce beast that stood before him, but a heart broken by bitterness.
And he decided to ask for help
At the Clear Light, the beautiful Sun,
At Voditsa - Moloditsa,
At the Wind - Bogatyr
And at the hope and support of all good people - Zemlitsy - Intercessor.

Having prayed three times, having bowed to the Four Directions of the World, he called on the Forces of Good and Order and managed to enlist their support in this difficult matter.

And with good fellow travelers -
Living Water, flowing Stream,
Descended from the Heavenly Source,
Holy Earth and Gray-winged Wind,
That fills with vivacity and strength,
And most importantly - the ability to GIVE
LOVE, and wait for the result
Only where the Light is manifested in full force
Lights of LOVE, giving wings to people.

And, having prayed to God three times,
Enlisting his support in the matter,
I walked boldly into the forest to test,
And everything, I tell you, was skillfully managed,
He covered the beast with solar chain mail,
He said that he would give love to him as a friend,
And the wind gave them a scent to drink
Wonderful flowers, and a magic board
He covered the dwelling dark, miserable,
By highlighting it, and on the way - the road
He flew away, thereby doing a good deed -
Salvation of the soul, Sage skillful!

And the young man, glad every time,
Began to be filled with a sunny diamond
From the Light of the rising Luminary,
Dawn Glorious - Hot Yaril!
ABOUT! As the Ray of Light disperses the darkness,
And this Ray from the heart sends
The youth is brave, and pierces the heart of the beast
With your love! Is it to be a loss?
After all, it has a small heart Ray
Epic Power, Mighty Valor!!!

And in a moment a sprout grew from the heart of the beast,
Filled with hope and trust
To the one who undividedly could
See in this monster a wonderful Light!

Krasna returned - the Maiden to Ivan,
They are glorious in honor, without deceit,
Ascended under the White Stone Vaults
In Love, Hope, Faith and Freedom!
They called themselves spouses gladly,
Each other became a fiery reward,
Warmly congratulated them, bread and wine
They ate, suddenly went into their house
A wanderer whose roads are sewn together by the wind,
He bowed to them, read prayers,
And wished them to be kept by fate
And for endless centuries - Beloved!

This traveler was able to comprehend a simple law -
You can become your favorite if you are in love
In endless fields, forests and clear rivers,
It is important to fall in love and remain a Human,
That even if the feeling is not shared
No need to take revenge, otherwise you will be a beast!

TO WHOM IS GIVEN TO LOVE, THAT WILL BE HAPPY,

AND THIS LIGHT WILL GIVE GOOD PEOPLE!!!

Natalia Kovaleva

/my8.imgsmail.ru/mail/ru/images/my/compass/icon-s6bdbb4381a.png" target="_blank">http://my8.imgsmail.ru/mail/ru/images/my/compass/icon -s6bdbb4381a.png); background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 0px -2878px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">GREEN FORCE MAKOSHI

The holiday of Ivan Kupala is celebrated every year on July 7 on the day of the summer solstice. This is one of the festivities especially loved by the Eastern Slavs and rightfully occupies an important place in the Slavic calendar. In the Christian tradition, this is a celebration dedicated to the (birth) of the holy Baptist of the Lord - John the Baptist. The clergy and adherents of Orthodoxy included the feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist in the category of great celebrations: since, compared with the Twelve, it is less significant, but most revered by the population in relation to the rest. In the Slavic tradition, the church holiday in honor of the Nativity of the Baptist John the Baptist coincided with the neo-pagan holiday of Ivan Kupala.

The History of the Holy Baptist of the Lord - John the Baptist

The gospel legend tells of events that took place in ancient times on this day. According to the prophecy of Gabriel the Archangel, a rather elderly married couple, the priest Zechariah and Elizabeth, had a desired child - a son. His parents named him John. He was destined for the people to become the proclaimer of the Mission, to announce to all the people about his appearance and the reign of the "day of the Lord." Therefore, along with the name John, he was called the Forerunner. Announcing the approach of the reign of the Lord, John the Baptist called on the sinful people to repent and be cleansed of their sins with the water of the Epiphany with the help of a rite in the waters of the Jordan River. The people calling John the Baptist amiably called him the Baptist. At the command of God, John the Baptist had a huge role to baptize Jesus Christ Himself in the Jordanian waters.

The feast of Ivan Kupala, the brightest and most beloved by the Eastern Slavs, has long been celebrated on the day of the Nativity of the Baptist John the Baptist. Like no other festival, he managed to preserve the unusual traditions of his pagan character. On the day of Ivan Kupala, instead of visiting churches and intensified prayers, the Slavic people led a wild manner, completely forgetting about humility, and remained in atrocities.

The holiday was celebrated at the junction of 2 half-periods of the annual solar cycle, which are the basis of the ancient agricultural calendar. This determined its significance during the most powerful solar activity and subsequent changes in the course of the daylight in the heavens, which gained momentum and brought everything in nature closer to winter. “Such a shift and fading of the heavenly body in all the months of the calendar year following the day of Ivan Kupala shortened the days and lengthened the nights,” the people gave this explanation for this milestone. The image of the “retreating” sun in the worldview of Christians began to be considered as a symbol of John the Baptist, whose Christmas coincided with the time interval of the summer solstice. In the East-West Slavic traditions, the saint is often referred to as a torch, a light emanating from the Sun, correlating it directly with the image of Jesus Christ. In ancient Rus', John the legendary was often called "bright sun." Reuniting John with the image of the “retreating” sun, the clergy identified Jesus Christ with the image of the “growing” sun, pointing to the birth of Jesus Christ during the winter solstice. In the folk calendar, the celebration of Ivan Kupala formed a triune ceremonial cycle with Peter's Day (in memory of the Holy Apostle Peter), with the days of Agrafena Kupalnitsa

At this time, fire, water, nature were characterized by magically strong, protective, cleansing, producing, healing properties. At the interval of the boundary, the sun was at its zenith, the vegetation was at the peak of flowering and fruit ripening. The day was the longest of all days of the year, and the night time was the shortest. The use of magical power provided good luck for a year. At the same time, the Kupala holidays fell into the most “dangerous” calendar period (similar to the Yuletide): otherworldly forces were also in a state of great activity and activity. Most of all, the ancient peasants were afraid of the Kupala night, which was the crown of the celebration, because it was at night that it was necessary to perform the main rites. But irrepressible strength and loss of fear appeared in young girls, women, boys and men. And it is natural that young people on the night of Ivan Kupala were drawn to outrages, cheerful festivities. Their physical state was inexplicable, but to match the state of all natural and otherworldly forces, which also had a peak of the highest activity.

The most ancient feature of the traditional-ritual combination on the Kupala holiday is its connection with the heavenly and earthly elements - fire (the Sun) and water, which is found in the very word "Kupala", which comes from the verbs "bath", "boil". At the end of the 19th century, ethnographers of traditional Slavic culture suggested that “the Kupala holiday with atrocities came to life in honor of the solar wedding, during which the heated sun bathes in cool waters.

Ivan da Marya - the flower of Kupala

In the Kupala legends of the Eastern Slavs, fire and water are interpreted as brother Ivan and sister Marya. Violating an ancient prohibition, the twins, separated in childhood, brother and sister, not knowing about family ties, entered into a love relationship and got married. The love was so strong that when Ivan and Marya found out that they were brother and sister, they could not imagine life without each other. They decided to turn into a two-color flower, the petals of which are different in color: yellow and blue. Among Russians, the flower is called the "flower of Kupala", Ivan da Marya, Ivankovo ​​color. It is he who is the symbol of day and night on Ivan Kupala. In addition, a mythological legend tells about the origin of the flower. Ethnographers, having studied numerous ancient myths about twins, concluded that brother Ivan directly symbolizes life and fire, Marya - death and water. Therefore, the ritual is traditional, kindling fires on the banks, reminiscent of the Kupala night about the connection between fire and water.

Traditions of the holiday of Ivan Kupala

Traditionally, from ancient times at dawn, sometimes at night on the feast of Ivan Kupala, they certainly performed the Kupala rite of bathing with water, from mass bathing in water sources, washing in baths with water to washing with dew, in accordance with beliefs, according to which the sun “played” early in the morning and "bathed". In many villages, the entire sex and age population bathed together. A person who refused the ritual of bathing was suspected of witchcraft. There were legends about the healing and invigorating actions of Kupala ablutions. The peasants believed that on Midsummer's Day it was necessary to plunge into the water at least once in order to feel safe in it during the summer season. In a number of farms and villages, after night festivities, only girls swam in the reservoirs. Having completely stripped themselves, they dipped naked into river and lake waters, in many cases taking with them Ivanovo herbs.

In places where rivers and lakes were abundant, there was a ban on swimming in water bodies. Mass ablutions could only be performed at holy springs. In special cases, mass bathing was replaced by washing and soaring in baths, which, according to custom, were heated in the morning. In the steam room, Ivanovo brooms and water infused with Ivanovo herbs were used. There was a widespread belief that bathing in a bath on Ivan Kupala helps to restore and strengthen health and vitality.

Ritual of washing with dew

Girls, and often young women, performed the ritual of washing with dew at dawn. To collect the morning dew, they dragged the cleanest tablecloth over the meadow grass, and then squeezed it into a trough. It was sacredly believed by everyone that by washing the skin of the face and hands with dew, they would thereby exterminate all diseases and cleanse the skin of unwanted acne and blackheads. Dew was also used for eye diseases. For this purpose, early in the morning on Ivanov's day, they collected it in a bowl in order to wash and treat the eyes in the future.

Ritual outrages

Quite widely in the numerous Slavic territory, the custom was popular, on Kupala day, to pour clean or dirty water on all smartly dressed onlookers. It was based on ritual youth atrocities. Young people made supplies of water, which they often collected at the same time as mud, and splashed the festively dressed girls. The girls, not embarrassed or shy, answered them in the same way. Often they united, and poured water on everyone who met on their way, pitying only the oldest kids. When the youth got tired of this ritual mischief, they went to the reservoirs, where, without any hesitation, they undressed completely and arranged joint bathing.

Beliefs and signs of the holiday of Ivan Kupala

Numerous rituals and beliefs associated with the floristic world were part of the integral ritual and mythological complex of the Kupala holiday. Villagers everywhere told and passed on to their descendants information about the miraculous power of plants, as well as about inexplicable phenomena obtained at that time from herbs. The idea that plants on Ivan Kupala have miraculous powers that have a beneficial and healing effect on health is reflected in the tradition of making bath brooms and stocking them up on Agrafena Kupalnitsa. Our ancestors were sure that a broom prepared before this day would do more harm to the skin than good - it would be itchy.

The close attention of the peasants was demanded on this day by the sowing of grain crops, on which the ears were already ripening, and they gained strength every day. All the main activities of this period were aimed at preserving the poured ripe ears from the influence of otherworldly forces. For this purpose, girls and young women rolled across the rye field. In agrarian-magical rites, the main role belonged to the girls, but they were always led only by adult women, who were symbolically connected with the earth, which was in the position of fruiting. Women and girls were considered the main labor force during the harvest season. It is also interesting that the maiden holiday Semik, constantly moving in the calendar, sometimes approached the holiday of Ivan Kupala.

On the day of Ivan Kupala, porridge served as ritual food. She was trusted to cook only by experienced women - "knowing". The women put the finished ritual porridge in their apron and carried it out into the street, where the girls were waiting. Having got a piece, the girls sang a song and went to the rye field to make a ritual meal. It was necessary for them, periodically stopping, to go around all the rye crops 10 times in order to protect them from harmful witchcraft damage on the Kupala night.

Kupala night

Kupala night, according to legend, was one of the most dangerous and terrible nights of the year. The border between the human and other worlds was too permeable, so the people could come into contact with different natural ones, the chosen people could get magic items, grass and even knowledge into it. According to tradition, on the Kupala night they tried to prepare as many magical, witchcraft and medicinal herbs as possible, they wondered about the future using Ivanovo magical herbs.

Indefatigable activity was acquired by sorcerers, witches. On this night, livestock could become a victim of the witchcraft of otherworldly forces. Having taken the form of various animals (dogs, pigs, cats) or birds (ravens, owls), sorceresses and witches diligently tried to penetrate other people's yards. Once in the barn, they milked the cows in order to permanently deprive them of milk. A spoiled cow quickly lost weight, small milk yields were mixed with blood; and good milk, according to the judgment of the peasant women, flowed into the sorcerer's trough. To prevent this, on the Kupala (Ivanov) night, the peasant women removed the milking benches, hid collars and tie-down ropes. So that the witches could not enter or fly into the barn, the owners went around the whole yard with Sunday prayer, and at the entrance to the barn they laid a young aspen uprooted. Fearing for damage to the household, the head of the family, on the eve of the night of Ivan Kupala, went around the whole courtyard with a prayer. For this, crosses were painted with tar on the gates, and in front of the gates themselves they laid a harrow with the teeth up. At night, nettles were laid out near all windows and doors.

On the night of Ivan Kupala, young people had a characteristic unpredictable behavior, called by ethnographers "ritual outrage." Uniting on the eve of the Kupala night in groups, the guys walked through the streets of the village, made a lot of noise, rioted. Doors, gates, pipes were blocked with firewood and inventory. After all, in this way they wanted to find where the sorcerer lives. By tradition, they knew that people not associated with witchcraft would calmly react to their pranks, while the sorcerer would certainly try to disperse the youth. The whole group went to the banks of the reservoirs, to the forests, where the festivities continued. The guys made fires on the shore and jumped over them, they all galloped over the nettles together, the girls rode through the rye crops, the guys fought in the rye.

Traditionally, the holiday of Ivan Kupala allowed the most free communication between male and female representatives, which is why they called it "a depraved Slavic celebration", "a celebration of universal free marriage." Descriptions in the legends tell that on the Kupala night, all prohibitions on love relationships between the sexes were lifted. In Kupala songs, a story about a sister and brother, about a father-in-law and a daughter-in-law, who violated traditional marriage norms, is widespread. Rampant games on the Kupala night were condemned in the Word of St. John Chrysostom. Ethnographic materials of the 19th century also testify to premarital free contact between boys and girls. For many girls, at the summer solstice, the cycle of transition to adulthood was completed; and they had every right to marry. The girls could afford any liberties in relations with the young men, and their suitors, if they were, had no right to oppose them in this.

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Ivan Kupala is an ancient pagan holiday marking the summer solstice. Once it was one of the most revered and bright holidays of the Slavs, being a holiday of the sun, the crown of summer and the maturity of nature.

History and name of the holiday

In ancient pre-Christian times, it was Kupala who divided the ancient agricultural calendar into two solar cycles, according to which our Slavic ancestors lived. The days of the holiday were the time of the highest solar activity and the flowering of nature. After the day of the solstice, the light gradually faded away, turning to winter. The nights became longer and the days shorter, nature fell asleep.

It is interesting that the pagan nature of the Kupala holiday was preserved even with the advent of Christianity. It began to be celebrated as a holiday in honor of the Nativity of John the Baptist, or as he is also called John the Baptist. This saint baptized Christ in the waters of the Jordan. Curiously, in both traditions, purification is associated with water.

Combining the ancient pagan and Christian customs, the people began to call this day the holiday of Ivan Kupala or Ivan's Day.

When is Ivanov's Day celebrated in 2016

Kupala night, full of magical secrets, comes the day before from July 6 to 7. Midsummer Day people associate with ideas about miracles. In the old days, they did not sleep on the night of Kupala. They believed that at that time witches, mermaids, werewolves and other evil spirits came to life and came to the world of people.

An ancient Slavic myth, which has come down to our days in Kupala songs and folklore tales, tells about the twins Ivan and Marya. Separated in childhood and not knowing the truth, they got married. As punishment, the higher powers turned them into a two-colored plant, whose petals are colored in the yellow color of fire and the blue color of water.

This flower, which has become a symbol of the holiday, is called Ivan da Marya or the Kupala flower. Ivan personifies life and fire, Marya personifies death and water. Kupala night is fraught with rites, specifically associated with fire, water and herbs.

Kupala bonfires were made on the banks of rivers, symbolizing the unity of the elements of fire and water.

One of the main customs of this night was the tradition of lighting fires. They became the center of the youth festivities of the Kupala night and burned until sunrise. According to legend, on Ivanov's day the main celestial body played and bathed in the flames of bonfires. Often, old rubbish was burned in the Kupala bonfire, which was specially brought from houses to the outskirts of the village or the river bank.

Games and festivities unfolded around the fires. Usually unmarried youth and young people who got married last winter took part in them. Tables with a meal were laid around the fires, large swings were installed. Girls and boys danced, sang songs and danced. The culmination of the night celebrations and one of the important actions around the fire was jumping over the Kupala fire.

They jumped in pairs and one at a time. It was believed that in this way you can gain good health and good luck for the whole year. If a guy and a girl jumped over the fire holding hands and did not separate them, then soon they will get married and their family will be happy. There was a tradition to burn the patient's clothes in the Kupala fire. It was believed that the disease burned along with the clothes.

Sometimes mothers carried small children over the fire, believing that the Kupala fire would give them good health. Fire was understood by our ancestors as a cleansing force that brings light and warmth, maintains and develops the vital energy of all things.

The tradition of lighting fires on the eve of the summer solstice speaks of the Kupala fire as a symbol of the sun, heavenly fire and is not welcomed by the Orthodox Church as a pagan sign.

The celebration of Ivan Kupala was necessarily accompanied by washing with water. It could be mass bathing in rivers and lakes, washing in baths, all kinds of dousing and washing, and even washing with dew. Everyone swam - from young to old. A person who refused to bathe could invite suspicion of witchcraft.

They believed in the healing effect of Kupala ablution. It was believed that having plunged into the water on this day, you can feel safe in the reservoirs all summer. Sometimes the girls went to the reservoirs together after night festivities and dipped naked into rivers and lakes.

It was customary not only to swim in the rivers, but also to bathe in the baths. Usually they were drowned in the morning. And when washing, they took Ivanovo brooms and water infused with Kupala healing herbs. Belief said that a bath on the day of Ivan Kupala strengthens and restores vitality and health. Kupala night was full of events. Medicinal and witchcraft herbs were collected according to custom.

Girls guessed the future with the help of Ivanovo herbs.

On the day of Ivan Kupala, unmarried girls wove wreaths of herbs. With sunset, they lowered them into the water, watching how the current picks them up and where they carry them. If the wreath was sinking, this could mean that the betrothed had fallen out of love or this year the girl would remain in the girls.

Girls and women gathered dew at dawn. For this, a tablecloth was dragged along the morning, full of moisture grass, and then it was wrung out over a bowl. The collected dew was used for ritual washing. They washed their face and hands with dew. They believed that the dew of Kupala herbs preserves youth and beauty.

Kupala night gave magical powers to plants. There are many legends and tales about miraculous phenomena that took place at this time. One of the beliefs about the amazing fern flower that blooms only once a year at Kupala midnight. All the wishes of the lucky person who saw the fiery red flower will come true.

It is impossible to pick a flower, but to those who find it, a magical fiery flower will show untold riches buried deep underground, reveal secret knowledge, teach them to understand the language of animals and birds. But only the chosen ones can get this flower. But the collection of Kupala herbs filled with healing powers is available to everyone.

First of all, Kupala herbs benefited human health. Sometimes used in divination. The tradition of preparing bath brooms for Ivanov's day was timed to coincide with the holiday. It was believed that brooms, collected ahead of time, can only harm health.

There are a lot of rituals and traditions of Ivanov's long summer day and Kupala's shortest night of the year. Many of them are familiar to us from childhood from Russian fairy tales and cheerful summer games, and once these were days full of secret meanings, kept by the fern flower and revered by our ancestors.