Ivana Kupala Day – День Івана Купали

Ivana Kupala Day, a magical Ukrainian folk festivity that lands between July 6^th and 7^th celebrates the summer solstice when the nights are the shortest and the days are twice as long. In the olden times, following the Julian calendar, this expressive holiday was celebrated on June 24^th on the birthday of John the Baptist, and in theory the day is closer to the June solstice.  Ivana Kupala Day is a combination of the words Ivan, the Slavic name of John the Baptist, and Kupala, which stems from the Slavic word for bathing (purification). It is also believed that the day is associated with Kupajla or Kupalo, a harvest god.

The summer night tradition is typically celebrated with rituals that include elements of fire and water. Women are known to wear floral wreathes and traditional embroidered clothing or vyshyvanka. People leap over bonfires to purify their sprit, drive away sickness and bad luck in attempt to attract wealth and a lucky marriage in their future. Water is also known to be a purifying element and is a symbol for healing powers. People bathe in rivers, ponds, or lakes to cleanse themselves from negative energies.

Other elements of the celebration include decorating “kupaily” a branch of cherry tree or willow, with candle, flowers, herbs, and ribbons. Some even sing songs about loved ones, romance and marriage for good fortune.