There are many the most controversial versions about what the Soviet leadership did on the last night on the eve of the attack of the German troops, what decisions it made. It is unlikely that it will ever be possible to dot all i, but you can try to present a plausible picture.
Was the attack "treacherous" and "sudden"
The fact that a military clash between the USSR and Germany was inevitable in the near future became obvious to the leadership of the USSR long before the summer of 1941. The fact that the USSR was preparing for a big war on the western border is obvious from a lot of data. If we accept the version that the USSR was preparing for a defensive war, then there was no one to fight there except with Germany. If the USSR itself was preparing to launch a liberation campaign in Europe, then the question of "suddenness" is all the more irrelevant. And, of course, Stalin, Molotov and other top communists were politically sophisticated enough to trust the leader of the imperialist state, so there was no "treachery" either.
But the question remains: was the German attack on June 22 exactly a surprise? Here opinions differ, and each historian cites as a "decisive argument" only those evidence that suits him. Some say that Stalin ignored all the signals about the imminent invasion of the Wehrmacht. This is explained in different ways: someone believes that Stalin believed Hitler's peace-loving assurances (which is absurd), someone that the German attack ruined Stalin's own plans to start the war, and he did not want to believe it (which is also at least strange).
Others are trying to prove that Stalin did everything in his power to prepare for the war, and the generals, including Zhukov, ignored his orders, as they allegedly wanted to subject the Red Army to brutal defeats and, against this background, overthrow Stalin. The analysis of such a version, obviously, goes beyond the scope of historiography and falls within the competence of psychiatry.
Still others most reasonably believe that the hypotheses that either Stalin or his subordinates are responsible for the disaster on June 22 have nothing to do with the complex reality in which mistakes in assessing the situation could easily be made by everyone. But the most important thing to pay attention to is that we still do not know exactly not only the pre-war plans of the Soviet leadership, but also its decisions on that fateful night.
You should not believe everything in memoirs
Thanks to the authority of the "chief marshal of the Victory", most historians uncritically accepted his version of the events of June 21-22. Late in the evening of June 21, under the influence of information from the border about the active movements of German troops, Stalin heeded the persuasion of the Chief of the General Staff G.K. Zhukov and People's Commissar of Defense S.K. Timoshenko and agreed to give "Directive No. 1" on bringing the troops of the border districts to combat readiness. However, according to this version, the directive was given too late to have time to carry out all the necessary preparatory measures. Therefore, the beginning of the war took most of the Soviet troops by surprise.
Already after the outbreak of hostilities, at 7:15 am on June 22, at the suggestion of Zhukov, Directive No. 2 was issued to repulse the invading enemy with all their might. Finally, on the afternoon of June 22, Directive No. 3 was sent to the troops, ordering counterattacks against the enemy and transferring the war to enemy territory.
In fact, it is completely incomprehensible why it was necessary to issue directive No. 2 if hostilities were already underway. But the main thing is not even that. All this numbering of especially important documents makes one doubt whether they were invented (including their archival copies) after the fact. Which authority issued these directives? Neither the State Defense Committee nor the Supreme Command Headquarters had yet been created at that moment. The orders of the People's Commissar of Defense and the directives of the General Staff were assigned serial numbers starting from January 1 of each year. Further, if we assume that Directive No. 1 means “the first military one,” then for some reason this numbering does not continue after Directive No. 3.
It is appropriate to recall that in his memoirs, setting forth the circumstances of his resignation from the post of chief of the General Staff on July 29, 1941, Zhukov deliberately incorrectly described the strategic situation at that time, so that readers would get the impression that he had already warned Stalin about a possible catastrophe near Kiev.
Where were Stalin and the members of the Politburo in general
It would be fair to admit that historians still do not know the exact content and nature of the orders of the Soviet leadership to the troops on June 21-22. But this is still a trifle compared to the ambiguity of where it was at all that night.
According to Zhukov’s memoirs, after issuing Directive No. 1, he left the Kremlin around midnight, called Stalin at half past one in the morning and reported on the situation, after which he called the leader again after the start of the first German bombing, at half past three in the morning, and Stalin had to be woken up. But Stalin, according to Zhukov, was in the Kremlin, and not a nearby dacha, as many historians say.
Zhukov's testimony is contradicted by the memoirs of A.G. Mikoyan and Sergo Beria, according to which the Politburo met all night and dispersed only at three in the morning on June 22, and soon, having learned about the beginning of the war, all members of the Politburo gathered again.
"Without declaring war..."
We note in particular that neither Molotov nor his interviewer, a well-known patriotic publicist, had any motives to contradict the official version start of the war.
Molotov said that at two o'clock, when Stalin was having a meeting, he was informed from the People's Commissariat for Foreign Affairs that the German ambassador von der Schulenburg wanted Molotov to urgently receive him in his office. Molotov's office was located in the same building as Stalin's, but in a different wing. Members of the Politburo stayed with Stalin. Between half past two and three in the morning, Schulenburg read out and handed Molotov a memorandum declaring war on the Soviet Union by Germany. This was obviously before the outbreak of hostilities.
“Excuse me,” they will object, “but what about the fact that Germany attacked the USSR without declaring war?!” That's it. Why would Molotov, even decades later, lie if the version of the attack without declaring war was true? It is more logical to assume that this circumstance was not invented by either the Stalinist People's Commissar or Chuev. The German ambassador actually delivered a note declaring war before the German troops crossed the border of the USSR and even a few minutes before the first air raids. The Politburo, headed by Stalin, indeed met that night later than two o'clock. What decisions it made remains to be seen.
When are the shortest and longest nights of the year? The answer to this question is simple and known to many for a long time.
The longest daylight hours (it is also accompanied by the shortest night of the year) and the shortest have their own scientific name and are denoted by the term "solstice".
It has long been of no small importance in the annual cycle of time. Due to the fact that they have always controlled the way of life of people, many peoples in their own cultures have developed traditional customs, rituals and holidays associated with such days.
In modern life, the duration of the solstice (summer and winter) can be calculated with an accuracy of one minute for several years in advance.
When is the shortest night of the year? You can learn about the traditions, rituals associated with such specific astrological phenomena (solstice and the shortest night), as well as the dates themselves, from this article.
Solstice types, traditions
During the periods of solstices on planet Earth, the longest and shortest daylight hours are observed.
In winter, the solstice occurs on December 21 or 22. The length of a day of light in this case is 5 hours 53 minutes. And, of course, the longest night falls on the same date. Then the length of the day begins to grow.
On one of the three days, from June 20 to June 22, the summer solstice is observed (the shortest night of the year also comes), lasting 17 hours 33 minutes. After that, there is a gradual shortening of the daylight hours and lengthening of the night period.
Various curious traditions are associated with the above natural events. In former times in Russia and in some of the countries of the near abroad it was popular. It was dedicated to the shortest day and was timed to Christmas time and Christmas.
According to historians, even the ancient Egyptians who built giant pyramids once knew about the longest day. This is evidenced by the fact that the highest of them are located in such a way that the sun set on this day exactly between them (this phenomenon becomes visible when you look at these buildings from the side of the Sphinx).
What happens during the longest and shortest days of the year?
All people notice that with the advent of spring, the sun rises higher and higher above the horizon at noon and every day leaves the sky later in the evening. At the beginning of summer, it reaches its highest point - this is the summer solstice.
The date of this phenomenon depends on the year (whether it is a leap year or not).
June 20 is the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, if June 21 - if there are 365 days in a year. In the Southern Hemisphere, the longest day in a leap year is December 22, and December 21 in a normal year.
What date is the shortest night? The answer is simple. It comes after the solstice.
Ivan Kupala Day
According to ancient Slavic beliefs, this time is magical: the strength of all useful plants, are shown in dreams and visions narrowed to girls.
Before this time, swimming was forbidden. It was believed that devils were sitting in the waters. And during the summer standing, they left the water until the very beginning of August.
But the time came when these pagan traditions were supplanted by Christian ones, and this ancient holiday received a different name - the day of John the Baptist. But since John baptized by dipping into the water, he began to be called the day of Ivan Kupala (this is the shortest night in summer). This holiday has taken root well and has come to the present.
The night on Ivan Kupala among the Slavs is considered magical, magical. On this night, people tell fortunes, jump over the fire (purification by fire takes place), collect healing herbs. An important attribute on this day is mass bathing.
So how long is the shortest night of the year? 6 hours 26 minutes.
According to the old calendar, the summer solstice and the famous day of Ivan Kupala coincided, but now (according to the new style) this holiday has moved to July 7th.
winter solstice, celebration
The day gradually begins to decrease after summer solstice. Slowly, the Sun reaches its lowest point of ascent.
The shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere occurs on December 21 or 22 (depending on the year), and in the southern hemisphere, respectively, on June 20 or 21. And again, after the longest night, the countdown begins.
Even in ancient times, it was celebrated Before a long winter, people slaughtered all the cattle and arranged a feast. Then this day received the following meaning - the awakening of life.
This holiday is the largest and most famous among the Germanic peoples - the medieval Yule. On the night, after which the light gradually rises higher and higher, they burned fires in the fields, consecrated plants (trees) and crops, and brewed cider.
And the shortest night of the year, respectively, comes six months after these events.
In today's world, these significant dates do not have such of great importance just like our ancestors did. However, modern pagans continue to consider them holidays and certainly celebrate them, as was customary in the old days.
Vyacheslav Molotov, People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR:
"The adviser to the German ambassador Hilger, when he handed the note, shed a tear."
Anastas Mikoyan, member of the Politburo of the Central Committee:
“Immediately, members of the Politburo gathered at Stalin’s. We decided that it was necessary to make a speech on the radio in connection with the outbreak of the war. Of course, they suggested that Stalin do it. But Stalin refused - let Molotov speak. Of course, this was a mistake. But Stalin was in such a depressed state that he did not know what to say to the people.
Lazar Kaganovich, member of the Politburo of the Central Committee:
“We gathered at Stalin's at night when Molotov received Schulenburg. Stalin gave each of us a task - to me for transport, to Mikoyan - for supplies.
Vasily Pronin, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Moscow City Council:
“On June 21, 1941, at ten o'clock in the evening, Shcherbakov, secretary of the Moscow Party Committee, was summoned to the Kremlin. We had barely sat down when, addressing us, Stalin said: “According to intelligence and defectors, German troops intend to attack our borders tonight. Apparently, the war begins. Do you have everything ready in urban air defense? Report!" We were released at about 3 am. Twenty minutes later we arrived at the house. They were waiting for us at the gate. “They called from the Central Committee of the party,” the person who met him said, “and they instructed me to convey: the war has begun and we must be on the spot.”
- Georgy Zhukov, Pavel Batov and Konstantin Rokossovsky
- RIA News
Georgy Zhukov, General of the Army:
“At 4:30 am, Timoshenko and I arrived at the Kremlin. All the summoned members of the Politburo were already assembled. Me and the people's commissar were invited to the office.
I.V. Stalin was pale and sat at the table, holding a pipe not stuffed with tobacco in his hands.
We reported the situation. J.V. Stalin said in bewilderment:
“Is this not a provocation of the German generals?”
“The Germans are bombing our cities in Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltics. What kind of provocation is this…” S.K. Timoshenko replied.
... After some time, V.M. Molotov quickly entered the office:
"The German government has declared war on us."
JV Stalin silently sank into a chair and thought deeply.
There was a long, painful pause."
Alexander Vasilevsky,major general:
"At 4 o'clock with minutes, we became aware from the operational bodies of the district headquarters about the bombing of our airfields and cities by German aircraft."
Konstantin Rokossovsky,lieutenant general:
“At about four in the morning on June 22, upon receiving a telephone message from the headquarters, I was forced to open a special secret operational package. The directive indicated: immediately put the corps on combat readiness and advance in the direction of Rovno, Lutsk, Kovel.
Ivan Bagramyan, Colonel:
“... The first strike of German aviation, although it turned out to be unexpected for the troops, did not at all cause panic. In a difficult situation, when everything that could burn was on fire, when barracks, residential buildings, warehouses were collapsing before our eyes, communications were interrupted, the commanders made every effort to maintain leadership of the troops. They firmly followed the combat regulations that became known to them after opening the packages they had stored.
Semyon Budyonny, Marshal:
“At 04:01 on June 22, 1941, Comrade Timoshenko, People's Commissar, called me and said that the Germans were bombing Sevastopol and should I report to Comrade Stalin about this? I told him that it was necessary to report immediately, but he said: “You call!” I immediately called and reported not only about Sevastopol, but also about Riga, which the Germans are also bombing. Tov. Stalin asked: "Where is the People's Commissar?" I answered: “Here, next to me” (I was already in the People’s Commissar’s office). Tov. Stalin ordered the phone to be handed over to him ...
Thus the war began!
- RIA News
Iosif Geibo, deputy regiment commander of the 46th IAP, ZapVO:
“... My chest went cold. In front of me are four twin-engine bombers with black crosses on their wings. I even bit my lip. Why, these are Junkers! German Ju-88 bombers! What to do? .. Another thought arose: "Today is Sunday, and on Sundays the Germans do not have training flights." So it's a war? Yes, war!
Nikolai Osintsev, chief of staff of the division of the 188th anti-aircraft artillery regiment of the Red Army:
“On the 22nd, at 4 o’clock in the morning, we heard sounds: boom-boom-boom-boom. It turned out that it was German aircraft that unexpectedly flew into our airfields. Our planes did not even have time to change these airfields and all remained in their places. Almost all of them were destroyed."
Vasily Chelombitko, head of the 7th department of the Academy of Armored and Mechanized Troops:
“On June 22, our regiment stopped to rest in the forest. Suddenly we see planes flying, the commander announced a drill, but suddenly the planes began to bomb us. We understood that the war had begun. Here in the forest at 12 noon they listened to Comrade Molotov's speech on the radio and on the same day at noon received the first combat order of Chernyakhovsky about the division moving forward towards Siauliai.
Yakov Boyko, lieutenant:
“Today, i.e. 06/22/41, day off. While I was writing a letter to you, I suddenly hear on the radio that the brutal Nazi fascism bombed our cities ... But this will cost them dearly, and Hitler will no longer live in Berlin ... I now have only one in my soul hatred and the desire to destroy the enemy where he came from ... "
Pyotr Kotelnikov, defender of the Brest Fortress:
"Woke us up in the morning swipe. Broke the roof. I was stunned. I saw the wounded and the dead, I realized: this is no longer an exercise, but a war. Most of the soldiers of our barracks died in the first seconds. Following the adults, I rushed to the weapon, but they did not give me rifles. Then I, with one of the Red Army men, rushed to extinguish the wares.
Timofei Dombrovsky, Red Army machine gunner:
“Airplanes poured fire on us from above, artillery - mortars, heavy, light guns - below, on the ground, and all at once! We lay down on the banks of the Bug, from where we saw everything that was happening on the opposite bank. Everyone immediately understood what was happening. The Germans attacked - war!
Cultural figures of the USSR
- All-Union Radio announcer Yuri Levitan
Yuri Levitan, announcer:
“When we, the announcers, were called to the radio early in the morning, the calls had already begun to ring out. They call from Minsk: “Enemy planes over the city”, they call from Kaunas: “The city is on fire, why aren’t you transmitting anything on the radio?”, “Enemy planes are over Kiev.” Women's crying, excitement: "Is it really war"? .. And now I remember - I turned on the microphone. In all cases, I remember myself that I only worried internally, only experienced internally. But here, when I uttered the words “Moscow is speaking”, I feel that I can’t continue to speak - a lump in my throat got stuck. They are already knocking from the control room - “Why are you silent? Go on! He clenched his fists and continued: "Citizens and citizens of the Soviet Union ..."
Georgy Knyazev, Director of the Archives of the USSR Academy of Sciences in Leningrad:
V.M. Molotov's speech about the attack on Soviet Union Germany. The war began at 4 1/2 in the morning with an attack by German aircraft on Vitebsk, Kovno, Zhitomir, Kyiv, and Sevastopol. There are dead. The Soviet troops were ordered to repulse the enemy, to drive him out of our country. And my heart trembled. Here it is, the moment we were afraid to even think about. Ahead... Who knows what's ahead!
Nikolay Mordvinov, actor:
“Makarenko was rehearsing... Anorov bursts in without permission... and in an alarming, muffled voice says: “War against fascism, comrades!”
So, the most terrible front has opened!
Woe! Woe!”
Marina Tsvetaeva, poet:
Nikolai Punin, art historian:
“I remembered the first impressions of the war ... Molotov’s speech, which A.A. ran in with disheveled hair (grayed) in a black Chinese silk robe . (Anna Andreevna Akhmatova)».
Konstantin Simonov, poet:
“The fact that the war had already begun, I learned only at two o'clock in the afternoon. All morning on June 22, he wrote poetry and did not answer the phone. And when he came up, the first thing he heard was war.
Alexander Tvardovsky, poet:
"War with Germany. I'm going to Moscow."
Olga Bergolts, poet:
Russian emigrants
- Ivan Bunin
- RIA News
Ivan Bunin, writer:
"22nd of June. From a new page I am writing the continuation of this day - a great event - Germany this morning declared war on Russia - and the Finns and Romanians have already "invaded" its "limits".
Pyotr Makhrov, lieutenant general:
“The day the Germans declared war on Russia, June 22, 1941, had such a strong effect on my whole being that the next day, the 23rd (the 22nd was Sunday), I sent a registered letter to Bogomolov [the Soviet ambassador in France], asking him send me to Russia to be enrolled in the army, at least as a private.”
USSR citizens
- Residents of Leningrad listen to the message about the attack Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union
- RIA News
Lydia Shablova:
“We were tearing shingles in the yard to cover the roof. The kitchen window was open and we heard the radio announce that the war had begun. Father froze. His hands dropped: “We will probably not finish the roof ...”.
Anastasia Nikitina-Arshinova:
“Early in the morning, a terrible roar woke me and the children. Shells and bombs burst, shrapnel screeched. I grabbed the children and ran barefoot into the street. We barely had time to grab some clothes with us. The street was terrified. Above the fortress (Brest) planes circled and dropped bombs on us. Women and children rushed around in a panic, trying to escape. In front of me lay the wife of one lieutenant and her son - both were killed by a bomb.
Anatoly Krivenko:
“We lived not far from the Arbat, in Bolshoy Afanasevsky Lane. There was no sun that day, the sky was covered with clouds. I was walking in the yard with the boys, we were chasing a rag ball. And then my mother jumped out of the entrance in one combination, barefoot, running and shouting: “Home! Tolya, go home immediately! War!"
Nina Shinkareva:
“We lived in a village in the Smolensk region. That day, my mother went to the neighboring village for eggs and butter, and when she returned, father and other men had already gone to war. On the same day, residents began to evacuate. A big car arrived, and my mother put on all the clothes that my sister and I had, so that in winter we also had something to wear.
Anatoly Vokrosh:
“We lived in the village of Pokrov, Moscow Region. On that day, the guys and I were going to the river to catch carp. Mother caught me on the street, told me to eat first. I went to the house and ate. When he began to spread honey on bread, Molotov's message about the beginning of the war was heard. After eating, I ran away with the boys to the river. We rushed about in the bushes, shouting: “The war has begun! Hooray! We will defeat everyone!" We had absolutely no idea what it all meant. The adults discussed the news, but I don't remember any panic or fear in the village. The villagers were doing their usual things, and on this day, and in the following cities, summer residents gathered.
Boris Vlasov:
“In June 1941, he arrived in Oryol, where he was assigned immediately after graduating from the Hydrometeorological Institute. On the night of June 22, I spent the night in a hotel, as I had not yet managed to transport my things to the allotted apartment. In the morning I heard some fuss, turmoil, and the alarm signal overslept. It was announced on the radio that an important government message would be broadcast at 12 o'clock. Then I realized that I overslept not a training, but a combat alarm - the war began.
Alexandra Komarnitskaya:
“I rested in a children's camp near Moscow. There, the camp leadership announced to us that the war with Germany had begun. Everyone—the counselors and the children—began to cry.”
Ninel Karpova:
“We listened to the message about the beginning of the war from the loudspeaker at the House of Defense. There were a lot of people there. I was not upset, on the contrary, I became proud: my father will defend the Motherland ... In general, people were not afraid. Yes, women, of course, were upset, crying. But there was no panic. Everyone was sure that we would quickly defeat the Germans. The men said: “Yes, the Germans will drape from us!”.
Nikolay Chebykin:
“June 22 was Sunday. Such a sunny day! And my father and I dug a cellar for potatoes with shovels. About twelve o'clock. Somewhere at five minutes, my sister Shura opens the window and says: “The radio broadcasts:“ A very important government message will be transmitted now! Well, we put down the shovels and went to listen. It was Molotov. And he said that the German troops, treacherously, without declaring war, attacked our country. Crossed the state border. The Red Army is fighting hard. And he ended with the words: “Our cause is right! The enemy will be defeated! Victory will be ours!".
German generals
- RIA News
Guderian:
“On the fateful day of June 22, 1941, at 2:10 am, I went to the command post of the group and went up to the observation tower south of Bogukala. At 03:15 our artillery preparation began. At 3 o'clock 40 min. - the first raid of our dive bombers. At 04:15, the forward units of the 17th and 18th Panzer Divisions began to cross the Bug. At 6 hours 50 minutes at Kolodno, I crossed the Bug in an assault boat.
“On June 22, at three hours and minutes, four corps of the tank group, with the support of artillery and aviation, which was part of the 8th aviation corps, crossed the state border. Bomber aircraft attacked enemy airfields, with the task of paralyzing the actions of his aircraft.
On the first day, the offensive proceeded completely according to plan.
Manstein:
“Already on this first day, we had to get acquainted with the methods by which the war was waged on the Soviet side. One of our reconnaissance patrols, cut off by the enemy, was later found by our troops, it was cut out and brutally mutilated. My adjutant and I traveled a lot in areas where enemy units could still be located, and we decided not to surrender alive into the hands of this enemy.
Blumentritt:
“The behavior of the Russians, even in the first battle, was strikingly different from the behavior of the Poles and allies who were defeated on the Western Front. Even being in the encirclement, the Russians staunchly defended themselves.
German soldiers and officers
- www.nationaalarchief.nl.
Erich Mende, Oberleutnant:
“My commander was twice my age, and he had already had to fight the Russians near Narva in 1917, when he was in the rank of lieutenant. “Here, in these endless expanses, we will find our death, like Napoleon ...” he did not hide his pessimism. “Mende, remember this hour, it marks the end of the old Germany.”
Johann Danzer, artilleryman:
“On the very first day, as soon as we went on the attack, one of ours shot himself with his own weapon. Clutching the rifle between his knees, he inserted the barrel into his mouth and pulled the trigger. Thus ended the war and all the horrors associated with it.
Alfred Dürwanger, lieutenant:
“When we entered into the first battle with the Russians, they clearly did not expect us, but they could not be called unprepared either. Enthusiasm (we have) was not in sight! Rather, everyone was seized by a sense of the grandeur of the forthcoming campaign. And then the question arose: where, at which settlement will this campaign end?!”
Hubert Becker, lieutenant:
“It was a hot summer day. We walked across the field, suspecting nothing. Suddenly, artillery fire fell upon us. That's how my baptism of fire happened - a strange feeling.
Helmut Pabst, non-commissioned officer
“The advance continues. We are constantly moving forward through enemy territory, we have to constantly change positions. I'm terribly thirsty. There is no time to swallow a piece. By 10 am, we were already experienced, fired upon fighters, who had time to see a lot: positions abandoned by the enemy, tanks and vehicles wrecked and burned out, the first prisoners, the first killed Russians.
Rudolf Gshöpf, chaplain:
“This artillery preparation, gigantic in terms of power and coverage of the territory, was like an earthquake. Huge mushrooms of smoke were visible everywhere, instantly growing out of the ground. Since there was no talk of any return fire, it seemed to us that we had completely wiped this citadel off the face of the earth.
Hans Becker, tanker:
“On the Eastern Front, I met people who can be called a special race. Already the first attack turned into a battle not for life, but for death.
June 21-22 is the peak of the year, marks the turning of the Sun for the winter and is called the Kupala holiday. This rotation of the Sun, dividing the year into two halves, was accompanied by a special festival since ancient times.
The history of Kupala goes back thousands of years. The union of fire, water, earth and sky is the name of the summer solstice. The main sacrament of the Kupala holidays begins on the night of June 21-22. During the day they collect and weave wreaths, and at night they make offerings to fire and water, earth and sky, dance around the fire and sing songs. By jumping over the fire and dancing on the coals, fiery cleansing is carried out. Water during this period is filled with miraculous power that can heal, protect, attract, endow with health, beauty and peace. Astronomically, on July 2, the Earth passes perihelion. Perihelion is the point in the Earth's orbit farthest from the Sun. At noon, the sun is at its highest above the horizon. The sun for a short time becomes in a special position, symbolizing unity with God. Three days later - from July 5 to July 7 - all the waters of the Earth are charged with a special, miraculous power. The sun, as the face of God, sends its divine mercy through the element of Water. A person can receive spiritual illumination given directly by God.
