July 7 is a special holiday of the Slavic peoples, praising the highest flowering of nature - Ivan Kupala. According to the old style, the date falls on June 24 - the summer solstice. The waning rotation of the sun was the basis of the agricultural calendar and was reflected in religion. A strong natural phenomenon forced people to believe in the magical power of fire, water, and vegetation. The ancient Slavs did not have a written language, so it is difficult for modern scientists to establish what their deities were called. Different tribes had their own pantheon, sometimes quite different from each other, but each had its own sun god. Along with established gods, since the 15th century, very often, on the basis of folklore data, characters surrounded by myths and legends were invented. Sometimes a number of analogies were made with ancient Greek or Roman cultures. It has now been established that such “divine” characters as Lada, Lel, Kupala did not exist - they arose much later. With the rise of Christianity, pagan festivals were replaced by church ones. On this day, June 24, by the will of divine providence, John the Baptist was born. And the connection between ritual bathing and baptism by washing with water became inseparable in understanding. It is unknown what this holiday was called in ancient times. Ivan Kupala is the folk Christian name of John the Baptist, modified into a more understandable manner. It was always celebrated so vividly that the renaming had virtually no effect on the ritual among the common people. Its pagan, in the opinion of clergy, very blasphemous and demonic, manifestations have not been eradicated over the centuries. Visiting the temple and daytime prayers could not overcome the night of power. Surviving sources from the 15th and 16th centuries contain complaints from parish rectors about their flock. On such a pious day full of humility, residents organized songs, dances, played folk musical instruments, and did everything that always happened on this holiday, that is, “were in revelry and riots.” Of course, this had a basis, because on Kupala a little more was allowed than other festivities allowed in love and marriage relationships between the opposite sex. The celebration began with the ritual of ablution. Next came the turn of fire, live, new, produced by friction. They entrusted the ignition to the most honorable member of the community. The glorification of deities is impossible without bonfires, as symbols of the Sun, which means a good harvest. Jumping over fire is an important amulet ritual for health and good luck. Vegetation on this night was credited with healing powers, sometimes unrealistically miraculous, for example, having the ability to protect against the evil eye, damage, and evil spirits. The line between the worlds, otherworldly and human, became so thin that it made it possible to gain magical knowledge, look into the future and even change fate. They continue to believe in all this even now. Although the holiday has been moved to July 7, some followers celebrate it according to the old style in order to preserve cultural heritage and the opportunity to touch the present, thank wildlife and ask it for help in their affairs. And on July 7, many organizations hold regional festivals and folklore, thematic performances in honor of Ivan Kupala.

Global Forgiveness Day is an annual worldwide holiday. On July 7, they forgive all offenders, renounce negative emotions, feelings of pain, guilt, and hatred. This is the best date for parting with the past and starting a new stage in life. Forgiveness Day was first celebrated in 1994. July 7 was established as Forgiveness Day by the Christian Embassy of Christ's Ambassadors living in Canada. The national event gradually became popular in many countries. Therefore, Forgiveness Day was renamed Global Forgiveness Day. The purpose of Forgiveness Day is to create a positive attitude Negative thoughts and emotions, constantly repeated by a person, have a destructive effect on his life. Mental images become denser and form new chains of destructive events in reality. How to change these patterns and get out of the vicious circle of negativity? You need to show good will and refuse to constantly live in pain and gnawing feelings of guilt. A constructive solution is to renounce disagreements and conflicts. It is very important to find internal incentives for forgiveness. Negative emotions are not a harmless variation of our everyday behavior. People who harbor resentment and anger often experience severe stress during unpleasant memories. This “time loop” leads to increased blood pressure, anxiety, and depression. Resentment accumulates exponentially. Psychological traumas are formed that are difficult to heal. Statistically, people who forgive offenders are happier and more successful. Giving up anger leads to a decrease in stress reactivity and increased optimism. Due to changes in behavior, quick reconciliation with offenders is possible. Strong people are capable of consciously giving up negativity. Forgiveness is difficult to implement due to the moral and psychological characteristics of the human psyche. This behavior is associated with the need for a detached assessment of the situation. What to do if you have a breakdown? Reproduce the observation of an act of aggression that occurred in the past, at a distance of 50, 100, 500 meters, 1 kilometer. The greater the distance, the more insignificant the events, consequences, and injuries seem. Gradually, you will learn to manage your emotions and give up unconstructive thoughts that destroy your psyche. Regular exercise will help you find happiness not only for you, but also for those around you. It is better to learn correct behavior from childhood. Forgiving the guilty and admitting one’s own mistakes will free the psyche from the destructive burden. Use Global Forgiveness Day as a reason to give up conflicts and restore relationships with different people. Forgiveness will heal your soul and open up new opportunities for development!

On July 7, every year, Russian citizens celebrate a significant date for our country, the day of Russia's Victory over the Turkish fleet in the Battle of Chesme. On this day, we remember the events that occurred in 1770, which served as the beginning of the end of the long-term war with Turkey, as well as the heroic act of a simple lieutenant Dmitry Ilyin, who, thanks to his courage and self-sacrifice, was able to destroy the Turkish fleet. Despite such an important event for Russia, the holiday was included in the list of official celebrations of Military Glory only in 2012, on July 10, when the state law “on memorable days” was changed. The celebration was given state status, the date of celebration was set for July 7, the day of the victory of our fleet, but this day is not considered a day off. During the Russo-Turkish War (1768-1774), it was decided to send part of the imperial fleet to the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea to strike the Ottoman flotilla and inflict an “unexpected” defeat on them, but their main goal was to distract the enemy from the Black Sea. Two squadrons were sent on the voyage, led by the great admirals Spiridonov and Elphinstone. Having moved at different times and along different routes, they eventually met near the Greek Islands to come under the leadership of General Orlov. The Battle of Chesme took place on July 5-7 (06.24-27.06 old style) on the western part of the Turkish coast, in Chesme Bay. The Ottoman army had one very “weighty” superiority, their fleet was twice as large as the Russian one (against 9 linkers, 3 frigates and 19 auxiliary ships, there were 16 liqueurs, 6 frigates, galleys and 32 light ships). At 12 noon the first linkers collided: “Real Mustafa” and “Saint Eustathius”. As a result, both ships caught fire, more than 1,200 people died, and less than two hundred survived. After the “death” of one of their main ships, the Turks were forced to retreat deeper into the bay. The fighting continued only the next day. The admirals and General Orlov came up with a cunning plan; the enemy flotilla was defenseless against fire, so it was decided to send 4 schooners filled with tar and gunpowder to the “heart” of the enemy. Three fireships did not reach their goal, one ran aground, another was captured by a Turkish galley, and others simply deserted. Only Lieutenant Ilyin’s schooner reached its goal and set fire to the enemy ship, but for this it was necessary to sacrifice the lieutenant’s life. As a result, the entire enemy fleet caught fire, killing more than 10 thousand people In memory of this important day for Russia, annually on July 7, the honorary delegation of the navy and military fleet, as well as all interested citizens, offer wreaths and bouquets of flowers to the monuments dedicated to these events. On ships and vessels of the Russian Navy, festive events, themed concerts are held, awards and extraordinary titles are given out for special services to the Motherland. Schools in our country organize open history lessons dedicated to a detailed discussion of the battle between Imperial Russia and the Ottoman Empire. The victory in the Battle of Chesme is yet another proof that one should not underestimate the enemy and hope for victory without winning it. Courage, intelligence and the ability to self-sacrifice can make anyone a winner, despite “apparent superiority.” On this day, let's remember the heroic deeds of our ancestors, who understood that anyone, even the smallest person, is capable of changing the course of history, as well as those who are currently protecting our maritime borders.

Both forestry workers and civil aviation pilots patrol areas with green spaces for fire protection. The area of ​​the Russian forest fund is 1,100 million hectares; only 700 hectares are available for fire suppression. The fight against fire in swampy, rugged and mountainous areas is carried out by professionals from a specialized service - Air Forest Protection. Her birthday is considered to be July 7, 1932, when the PO-2 biplane aircraft first took to the skies to extinguish a fire. The flight became part of an expedition conducted under the leadership of G.G. Samoilovich - professor, doctor of sciences and head of the department of the Leningrad Forestry Academy. As a result of the flights, 14 fires were discovered in the protected area, reports of which were delivered to the nearest populated areas using pennants dropped from the aircraft. Every year, in memory of this event, the Birthday of the Russian Aviation Forest Service is celebrated on July 7. In 1936 G.A. Mokeev made the first jump from an airplane to put out the fire. Thus, in addition to observation pilots and dispatchers, the position of “paratrooper-firefighter” appeared in the service’s staffing table. At first, Avialesookhrana was engaged in detecting fires, monitoring timber harvests and river rafting. Later, these functions were supplemented by air delivery of firefighters and special equipment to the emergency site, as well as pollination of areas with chemicals to combat insect pests. Modern aircraft BE-200, AN-32P, IL-76TDP and other models bear little resemblance to the biplanes of the 40s of the last century. Today's amphibians, landing both on land and on the water surface, carry on board up to 320 tons of fire-fighting fluid. Aircraft of the Ministry of Emergency Situations can refuel in the air, which significantly reduces the time spent fighting fire. Observer pilots and parachute firefighters are distinguished not only by their high professional training, but also by their courage and ability to quickly make decisions in emergency situations. Forest pyrology experts help them with this by giving advice and making forecasts. To extinguish fire, water from fresh rivers and lakes is used, which does not contain chemical impurities harmful to the soil and plants. Filling tanks on airplanes takes 12 to 16 seconds. For water collection, reservoirs located at a distance of 60-100 km from the fire site are selected. Air Forest Protection pilots take into account wind conditions and look for optimal flight paths to a lake or river. They are provided with operational information about the situation at the fire site by dispatchers, whose role in the work of the service is no less important than that of observer pilots. An effectively functioning Air Forest Protection Service is the key to preserving the nature of the Russian Federation and the ecological and economic stability of the country. Fighting the elements of fire, which devours forests, requires courage and bravery. The contribution of firefighting aviation employees to maintaining the balance of the environment and ecosystem in the entrusted territory is difficult to overestimate. Their dedicated work is the key to saving people, animals and trees that have been caught on fire. Therefore, every year on July 7, Avialesookhrana employees are honored by colleagues and relatives, sincerely congratulating them on their professional triumph.

On the seventh day of the seventh month according to the old calendar, that is, in mid-August, the Star Festival was held in China. In Japan, which adopted this tradition from its neighbor, after switching to the Gregorian calendar, the Tanabata Festival began to be celebrated on July 7. The celebration is dedicated to the symbolic reunion of the stars Altair and Vega, which represent two lovers. According to an ancient Chinese legend, this couple consisted of Zhinyu (Vega) and Niulang (Altair). In the Japanese version, the girl's name was Orihime (Weaver) and the guy's name was Hikoboshi (Shepherd). The couple, by the will of fate, was separated on both sides of the Amonagawa River - the Milky Way. This punishment was imposed on the girl by her father Tentei, to whom she stopped hiding her clothes, having become carried away by the young man who was in love with her. Over time, the king of heaven took pity on his daughter and allowed her to see Hikoboshi on Tanabata (in Japanese - “evening of the seventh”). Therefore, according to legend, once a year the reunion of Altair and Vega takes place, which has become for the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun a symbol of eternal love and the fulfillment of desires. During the Heyaga era, the festival was called "Petition for Mastery" and was a privilege of the imperial court, which at that time was located in the old capital of the country, Kyoto. Ordinary Japanese began to celebrate the Tanabata Festival in the early Edo period - in the second half of the 17th century. In honor of the holiday, girls were wished for skill in sewing and weaving, boys - in handwriting when writing poetry on thin pieces of paper. The hieroglyphs were written with the dew of taro leaves, the plant from which the ink was made. Over time, the ancient traditions mixed with the customs of the Buddhist Obon ceremony, part of which was the launching of paper lanterns. Today, the main ritual of the Tanabata Love Festival is for young people to write wishes in poetic form on long colored strips of paper, tanzaku. They are hung, like a thousand years ago, on young bamboo shoots - sasatake. The shoots were actively growing, so it was believed that the hopes of lovers would reach heaven faster. In addition to tanzaku, trees are decorated for good luck with paper lanterns and origami figures in the shape of cranes, wallets, kimonos and sea abodes. On the night before the holiday, parades and concerts are held, folk songs are heard and fireworks thunder. Most of the wishes of girls and boys are of a love nature, so tanzaku are often shaped like hearts. Bamboo branches decorated with strips of paper are found along riverbeds and lakes, near shopping centers, cafes and restaurants. On the night of July 7, the Japanese leave the house in light kimonos, raise their heads up and make sure that miracles happen and dreams come true. Because in the sky in Tanabata once a year two stars meet - Vega and Altair.

According to the folk calendar, Ivan Kupala is celebrated on July 7 (June 24, old style). On this date, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Nativity of John the Baptist, the prophet who informed the people about the future Savior. John was born into the righteous family of the clergyman Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. Archangel Gabriel informed Zechariah of the appearance of his son - the future prophet. Since the father was quite old, he doubted the news, for which the Lord punished the old man with muteness until the birth of John. The Prophet lived for a long time in the desert, led an ascetic life, and years later he personally baptized Jesus Christ. The people called John Ivan, and he was called Kupala because of the custom of bathing. The holiday itself began to be celebrated the night before. For the residents, it was considered one of the most important of the year; it was considered to be a celebration of the summer solstice, so it was celebrated on a grand scale: they decorated their homes with fresh grass, dressed up in new clothes, laid sumptuous tables, started dancing and singing. The girls wove wreaths of herbs, held round dances, and told fortunes about their betrothed. An important attribute of the holiday was lighting a fire near a pond. A high pole with a circle symbolizing the sun was placed in the center of the fire. The fire had to be kindled by rubbing dry wood, just as it was mined thousands of years ago. They jumped over the fire in order to cleanse themselves of illnesses; they often burned a straw effigy and old things on it. Women were required to appear at the fire, since those who did not appear were considered witches. On the day of Ivan Kupala, mass swimming took place in reservoirs. They believed that during this period all evil spirits left rivers and lakes, and the water itself had healing powers. In addition to people, livestock were bathed in the water. If it was not possible to swim in a pond, then be sure to visit the baths and use fresh herbal brooms. It was believed that on Ivan Kupala, plants are in full bloom of their growth. Residents believed that the herbs and roots collected at Kupala had increased healing powers, so they were collected and dried, or tinctures were prepared from them. Some herbs were used to protect against evil spirits that ran rampant on the night of Ivan Kupala. The Ivan da Marya flower was a particularly magical plant on this day; it was associated with the union of water and fire. On this day, young people went in search of a fern flower. They said that it bloomed once a year on Ivan Kupala. The owner of the fern flower was expected to be able to understand animal speech and find hidden treasures, and the flower itself, when touching the treasure, unlocked all the locks. If you noticed an abundance of stars in the sky on Ivan Kupala, you prepared for a generous harvest of vegetables and mushrooms. A lot of morning dew foreshadowed large harvests of cucumbers. The palpable smell of grass announced the approach of precipitation. The falling rain on this day promised bad haymaking.

Orthodox holidays on July 7:

The Nativity of John the Baptist is celebrated by Orthodox Christians on July 7. In some countries this day is an official holiday. This great celebration for Christians coincides with the Slavic pagan holiday of the summer solstice - the day of Ivan Kupala. In the era of dual faith, there was an interweaving of pagan and Christian rituals. In the popular consciousness, Ivan Kupala became Ivan the Baptist (Buyer, Forerunner, Submersible). For the Slavs, Ivan Kupala Day is a holiday of youth, fun, and the coming summer. However, the church opposes public festivities and riotous games, because they fall on Peter’s Fast. And fortune-telling, so beloved by girls on Ivan Kupala, is generally considered a terrible sin. The birth of John the Baptist can be considered a miracle. Christians learned its exact date from the Gospel source, which claims that exactly six months passed between the birth of John and the birth of Jesus (January 7). John appeared to a couple who no longer dreamed of becoming parents. Archangel Gabriel came down to Zechariah and brought good news about the imminent birth of a son. The priest Zachary did not believe him, for which he was punished by muteness. The gift of speech returned to him only during the naming of the baby. John was the forerunner of Jesus, and it was he who baptized him in the Jordan. Christ himself considered him a man with a great spirit. Christian believers on this day abstain from a rich meal, because John lived in the desert, eating honey and locusts. In the morning they attend services that do not contain funeral and memorial prayers. On this day you need to listen to troparia and akathists. On the Nativity of John the Baptist, they try not to participate in the festivities, because the Baptist led an ascetic lifestyle. People pray to John for deliverance from ailments, especially headaches. Mothers pray for the health of their children. On this day you need to repent of your sins and enjoy life. People who adhere to pagan rituals wash in the bathhouse and in rivers, burn fires, jump over them, and collect medicinal roots and herbs. The girls tell fortunes about their betrothed, exchange wreaths, and cook a special ritual porridge. In the morning, it is customary to wash your face with dew, washing away all bad thoughts and illnesses.