Summer Holidays in Russia

How did people in Russia spend summer and what did they fear during this time? What holidays were in the summer folk calendar? How did they predict the future using wreaths on Trinity? Why did they light bonfires and jump over fire on Ivan Kupala?

Summer in the folk calendar did not start on the date we are used to: its beginning depended on Trinity, and it ended on August 2, on Ilya's day. During this short time, people tried to live in harmony with nature and protect the future harvest. Therefore, the holidays were not only about fun but also about important rituals and prohibitions.

The book will tell you how people in Russia welcomed and saw off summer from Trinity to Ilya's day. You will learn why they decorated their homes with grass and birch branches, danced in circles, wove wreaths and made predictions, and gathered medicinal herbs. You will also get acquainted with the traditions of the Kupala night.