Kupalo: The Sacred Wedding of Sky and Earth
The story of the June T-shirt is somewhat more complex. The image on it is an illustration of a festival our ancestors knew as "Kupalo" – an illustration of love, nature, earth, and sky.
Kupalo (folk name) – Midsummer Night; on this day, the sun is at its most powerful, the sky opens up, allowing our ancestors to connect with the gods. Folk tradition says that plants have the greatest power on this day, so they must be gathered and dried then. On this day, a person can understand the language of animals and plants if a fern seed accidentally falls into their pocket. Fern is the most important plant of the summer solstice.
Midsummer Night is associated with one of the greatest ancient Slavic holidays, taking place on June 23rd (Rožnik). On this evening, we celebrate the god Kresnik, who is a reflection of the summer solstice. Kresnik is one of the most important ancient gods, known only in Slovenia and northern Croatia. The origin of the name comes from the word "kresiti," which means to strike hard.
Over the centuries, the god Kresnik has had various roles. His name also comes from the word "kres," which has a double meaning – the fire representing the sun and his thunderous functions. Much like Perun, he fights enemies by throwing arrows ("kresati" = to strike), and in heavenly battles, he is aided by his four-eyed dog or his brother Trot.
The Mythological Story of the Wedding: At the summer solstice, we do not only celebrate the sun god in his greatest power but also the sacred wedding between the heavenly god and the earth goddess Mara. The mythological story tells of the wedding of Ivan Kresnik and Mara. They become engaged at the spring equinox (when Kresnik is still the god Jarilo) and marry on the summer solstice. Therefore, rituals include fire and water as their symbols and the "divine" union of sky and earth.
Mara is Perun's daughter, and her name derives from the root "mor," meaning to die. Later, Ivan (Jarilo/Kresnik) betrays her with the daughter of the snake queen, so Mara kills him and thus becomes Morana (the goddess of death), who eventually dies herself, as she can only live for one year. Another story about Jarilo's death says that his life is tied to the vegetation cycle – he must die after the harvest, so Mara kills him and becomes Morana. His death is a ritual sacrifice where Morana uses Jarilo's body to build a new house. Without her husband, she then turns into an old, terrifying, and deadly woman who rules over death, cold, and winter. At the end of the year, she also dies, and the following year, the myth repeats itself.
Due to the similarity between the names Krstnik (John the Baptist) and Kresnik, the worship of the Slavic god Kresnik was gradually transferred to the Christian saint. Kresnik's mythological cycle was partially preserved in the tradition of Midsummer (šentjanževo), which is why the celebration is still known today as "kresovanje" or "ivanovo."
Do not forget – the summer solstice is a magical night full of love. Couples used to jump over the fire to strengthen their bond, and many children were conceived on this night.
