#russianholiday

[alt-lena-ve]

Unreal monumental old time #beauty #вднх #москва #moscow #lovemoscow #russianholiday #shooting (at Moscow, Russia)

[blazebayleyholdingthings]

An ice cream cone

[candydefleur]

Every year a pagan fertility rite called Ivan Kupala Day is celebrated in Ukraine and Russia during the summer holidays. Depending on the calendar, the celebration either takes place on the 24th of June if you use the Julian calendar or on the 7th of July if you use the Gregorian calendar.

Ivan Kupala is also an ancient Goddess of water and literally means “Water God” from pre-Christian mythology. The evening before this Holiday the elements of fire and water are used as part of the purification process. Children participate in various cleaning rites. Boys and girls are required to run and jump over a burning bonfire. Another of these rituals involves girls standing by a river with flower garlands in hand. When children drop the garlands into the water they watch how it moves and from this they can tell what will happen in their future. These purification exercises are believed to scare away the witches, werewolves, water spirits, nymphs and wood-goblins.