The religious scholar named the main prohibitions on Kupala night

Kupala night in popular beliefs was accompanied by a number of strict prohibitions, among which the key was the requirement not to sleep during this period because of the belief in the activation of evil spirits. Such taboos were believed to be associated with ideas about sacred time and the increased danger of the night. Religious scholar Nikita Pavlov reported this in a conversation with Izvestia.

According to him, the system of Kupala prohibitions formed the boundaries of sacred time and behavior through taboos. Such restrictions were aimed at regulating daily activities during a period that was considered particularly dangerous and full of supernatural phenomena in the folk tradition.

"It was believed that it was on the night of Ivan Kupala that all kinds of evil spirits come to life and become especially active — witches, mermaids, werewolves, who can take over the soul of a sleeping person or lead him away. Men were advised to refrain from contacting strangers in order to avoid a love spell, and everyone, without exception, was advised not to pick up coins from the ground and not to pick mushrooms, which could acquire poisonous properties that night," he said.

The most mysterious summer holiday is Ivan Kupala: when in 2025, the main Russian rituals, events

The night of Ivan Kupala is considered the most magical of the year

The religious scholar noted that it was strictly forbidden to work, do hard work, or sort things out — any abuse or conflict during this magical period could lead to long-term hostility and failure for the next year.

Earlier, Philip Ilyashenko, a priest, candidate of Historical Sciences, deputy dean of the Historical Faculty of St. Tikhon's Orthodox University for the Humanities (PSTU), told Izvestia about the preparation of pagan Russia for the adoption of Christianity.