Ivan Kupala Day 

Ivan Kupala Day or Kupala Night is enthusiastically celebrated in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus on the night of 7 July. The celebration relates to the summer solstice when nights are the shortest and includes a number of Pagan rituals. The Russian, Ukrainian, and Belarusian name of this holiday combines “Ivan” (John — the Baptist) and Kupala which is related to a word derived from the Slavic word for bathing, which is cognate. The latter is reinterpreted as John’s baptizing people through full immersion in water (therefore his biblical title of the Baptist). However, the tradition of Kupala predates Christianity. Due to the popularity of the pagan celebration, with time it was simply accepted and reestablished as one of the native Christian traditions intertwined with local folklore.

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Ivan Kupala Day or Kupala Night 

International Children's Day

       If today nature gave a warm sunny day, it becomes doubly joyful because on the first day of summer in many countries is the International Children's Day (International Children's Day) . This holiday is familiar to many Russians as the International Children's Day.

         International Children's Day - one of the oldest international holidays. The decision to hold it was made in 1925 at the World Conference on Child Welfare in Geneva. History is silent, why this children's holiday, it was decided to celebrate it on June 1st. According to one version, in 1925, Consul General of China in San Francisco gathered a group of Chinese orphans and arranged for them at the celebration of Duan Jie (Dragon Boat Festival) , the date of which just fell on June 1st. By happy coincidence, the day coincided with the timing of "child& ... Читать дальше »