TODAY UKRAINE IS CELEBRATING MIDSUMMER

In the Orthodox tradition John the Baptist plays a more significant role than in the Catholic

 

Today, Eastern rite Christians celebrate the Nativity of the forerunner and Baptist John, or, as they say - Ivan Kupala.

 

The life of John the Baptist - simple, short, and tragic at the same time. His parents did not have any children, which among the Jews was a shameful sign. They were already in a fairly advanced age, when their son was born. The boy not long amused the old parents sooner left his parental home and settled in the wilderness. Ate "locusts and wild honey, wore rough clothes made of camel wool. Approximately thirty years and began his sermon, which lasted five years. It can be characterized by one word: "Repent" (in Hebrew "repent" means "return").

 

In the Orthodox tradition John the Baptist plays a more significant role than in the Catholic. He is (along with the Virgin Mary) is one of the closest to Christ. If the Catholic tradition sees John the Baptist primarily as a prophet, truthful witness to the coming of Christ, and a fearless denouncer of the princes, Orthodox, no denying that, emphasizes her characteristics of the ideal of the ascetic, the hermit and Postupalenko, the ideal of the monk, which is representative of the "angelic order". That is why in many ancient Orthodox icons of John the Baptist is depicted with a wide angelic wings. This iconographic type was called "John the Baptist angel of the desert".

 

In addition, July 7 is considered in Ukraine the best time of harvesting of medicinal plants. "Svatojanske potion" - the so-called Midsummer herbs were not good to touch with bare hands, "because the force will lose". Collect exceedingly had before sunrise, or when the dew and so that no one not seen. Each herb had its own separate spell. A unique and rich cultural formation are closely intertwined with ancient Ukrainian rituals, is the Midsummer song.