Kupala

The commemoration of this demon Kupalo is still being celebrated in some of our lands by the foolish, from the 23rd of June, the eve of the birth of St. John the Baptist, up to the harvest and longer in the following way: in the evening, the plain folk of both sexes come together, and they wind wreaths from edible herbs or from roots.

In another place, they erect a green branch and, holding hands, they circle around this fire, singing their songs in which Kupalo is mentioned.

According to Vladimir Toporov, mythological figures known from later sources, such as Yarilo, Kupala, Pogvizd, Lada, Polel and others, cannot be considered gods.

[3] Folklorist and ethnographer Andrey Toporkov [ru] stated that Kupalo was only a folk holiday, and that recognizing him as a deity is questionable.

[5] Some researchers, such as Martin Pitro and Petr Vokáč,[6] and Linda Ivantis,[7] believe that Kupalo was not a deity, but a ritual figure or effigy used during Kupala Night.