Belarusians of Siberia mark Kupala Night


Kupala Night was celebrated near the village of Akhiny (Russia’s Irkutsk region), once founded by Belarusian settlers in Siberia. The event was organised by Irkutsk-based youth club ‘Krivichi’.

On the night of June 21-22, about 300 persons were reeling off, jumping over the fire and making Kupala wreaths.

Kupala Night, also known as Ivan Kupala Day (Feast of St. John the Baptist), is celebrated in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia currently on the night of 6/7 July in the Gregorian calendar, which is 23/24 June in the Julian calendar still used by many Orthodox Churches.The celebration relates to the summer solstice when nights are the shortest and includes a number of Slavic rituals.

www.belsat.eu/en/, via irk.ru, photos by Ilya Tatarnikov

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