On Ivan Kupala Editorial Image

Midsummer Festival falls on the night of Monday to Tuesday 6 July 7th. Our ancestors believed that this night - the most magical of the year, so for a long time decided to guess the future, as well as to narrow-maskers.   Midsummer Festival celebrated since pre-Christian times. Our ancestors associated it with the summer solstice. Kupala and Mara were the protagonists of the holiday. They represent the male (solar) and female (water) deity. It was decided to make them stuffed, for this use wood, grass and clothing. In the evening, the youth drove around them dance, sing a song, and then burned to swim and drowned Maru, thus returning them to their native element. Also, the festival has other names - Yarilin day Solntsekrest, Whit Monday. With the adoption of Christianity, the holiday was not forgotten, he was tied up with the birthday of John the Baptist. Many superstitions and divination have survived to this day.