Slavic mythology has two main differences from Greek and Roman myths. Firstly, many of the spirits are still part of legends and fairy tales among Slavic peoples. Secondly, there are very few records left about the old Slavic pantheon of gods, so scientists are trying to reconstruct information based on secondary documents. However, Slavic mythology is very fascinating.

1. Baba Yaga.

Among all the world's mythologies, Baba Yaga is found only in Slavic legends. Many other Slavic gods and creatures have equivalents in Roman or Greek mythology, but Baba Yaga is unique. At first glance, she seems indistinguishable from the witches in European folklore. Baba Yaga looks like old woman and has a very long nose. When travelers meet Baba Yaga, she blesses or curses them depending on her mood.
But Baba Yaga also has a number of features that are unique to this image. She lives in a hut on chicken legs, and she travels in a flying mortar. Like traditional witches, Baba Yaga always carries a broom with her, but she uses it to cover her tracks. No one knows exactly where the Slavs got this image in their myths.

2. banner.

The bathhouse has always been an important part of life in Eastern Europe. They especially often took a steam bath in the winter or when they had a cold. Considering how strong the social and cultural influence of the bathhouse was in Slavic society, naturally, it could not do without the spirit of the bathhouse - the so-called bannik. Bannik was a mischievous spirit who most often looked like an old man with long claws. Whenever people bathed in the bathhouse, they left soap and a heated bathhouse for the spirit so that it could also wash itself.
The myths claimed that the bannik could predict the future: when he was asked a question, the bannik would gently touch the back of the questioner if the future was good. But if the prediction was bad, then the spirit could scratch the person’s back. Before the young couple stayed in the bathhouse together for the first time, guests would throw stones and pots at the walls outside to scare away the bathhouse.

3. zduhach.

Among the Slavic peoples before Christianity, witchcraft was an important part of culture. Witches and warlocks protected people and settlements from villains and spirits. Chief among these defenders of the ancient Slavs were the zduhachi - people who used supernatural powers to protect their village and attack other villages. Scientists suggest that the zduhachi traditions are most likely a modified form of Eurasian shamanism.
Shamanic traditions were most likely brought to the West by Trans-Siberian Finno-Ugric and Uralic ethnic groups. The ancient Slavs were a superstitious people, and the idea of ​​a supernatural protector fit well into their belief system.

4. brownie.

Brownies are household spirits that were found everywhere in pre-Christian Slavic myths. Although Christian missionaries were largely successful in ridding themselves of old pagan ideas among their new flock, brownies continued to be believed in for centuries. Brownies were household spirits, masters and patrons of the home, who were generally considered good spirits. Most often they were depicted as small bearded male creatures, similar to Western European household spirits.

Many legends claim that brownies were often seen working in the yard in the guise of the owner of the house, although he was fast asleep in bed at the time. Less often, the brownie took the form of a cat or dog; if the people in whose house he lived were rude and slobs, then the brownie began to plot various intrigues for them. Only if they behaved decently and left milk and cookies for the brownie, then he helped with the housework.

5. kikimora.

The opposite of a brownie was a kikimora - an evil spirit in the household Slavic mythology, which is especially common in Polish and Russian stories. A kikimora was a witch or the spirit of the deceased who took up residence in a house and was usually seen as a source of evil. Usually the kikimora lived behind the stove or in the basement of the house and began to make noise when it became hungry. Most of the time, the kikimora terrorized the family, especially if the house was not in order.
According to Slavic traditions, the kikimora entered the house through keyhole and tried to strangle people while they slept. To prevent this from happening, they read prayers at night and placed a broom next to the door. However, kikimora usually played dirty tricks on people who did not keep their home in order. Thus, if she liked the house, she would help take care of the chickens as well as other household chores.

6. wetness.

Before the advent of the Christian era, Mokosh was the Slavic goddess of fertility. She was traditionally considered a servant of mother earth - the goddess of nature. Unlike mother earth, mokoshi continued to be worshiped in the 19th century. The belief in mokosh most likely came to the Slavic lands from the Finno-Ugric tribes. Mokosh was usually depicted as a wanderer who was responsible for yarn, childbirth and the protection of women.

7. radegast.

Radegast is one of the oldest gods in Slavic mythology. Its name comes from two ancient Slavic words that mean “Dear Guest”. This is why it is believed that Radegast was worshiped as the god of feasts and guests. It is believed that Radegast wore black armor and was armed with a throwing disc.
Researchers believe that he was an important god for leaders and city councilors, as there was a tradition where the person leading the city council would perform a ritual during which he would invite Radagast to visit.

8. Chernobog.

Of all the Slavic deities, Chernobog is one of the most famous and one of the most mysterious. Today is about him. Apart from the name, practically nothing is known. Mention of the Chernobog is found in the writings of Father Helmond, a German priest who lived in the 12th century. Judging by Helmond's works, Chernobog was the personification of evil.

In ancient Slavic mythology there is a god who is the personification of evil and the antagonist of the supreme god Perun. We are talking about Veles. Scientists have discovered many sources confirming the influence of Veles on the ancient Slavs. In Slavic myths, Veles was a supernatural force responsible for the earth, water, and the underworld. It is also associated with magic and cattle. The Slavs believed that Perun and Veles were in constant confrontation, and Perun defended the human world from Veles. Nevertheless, many temples dedicated to Veles were built. He was also the patron of musicians and wealth. Since the ancient Slavs generally did not have a clear distinction between good and evil, Veles was not considered completely bad.

Most scientists believe that among the ancient Slavs, the thunder god Perun was the supreme god. It is most often found in old Slavic texts, and Perun symbols are very common in Slavic artifacts. Usually the Slavs depicted Perun on a chariot with an ax in his hand (which he threw at his enemies, after which the ax returned back to his hand. Perun also used fire arrows or magical golden apples that destroyed everything.

Slavic bestiary. Brownie

The ancient Slavs believed that a brownie could predict the future by touching the sleeping person at night. If it seemed to a person that the brownie touched him with a soft, shaggy hand, he should expect happiness, wealth or a wedding; if it is smooth and cold - trouble, poverty or illness. In the North of Rus', women, with the help of rituals and fortune telling, asked the brownie whether her husband would return from the war.

As a patron, he protected the household, protected the household from thieves and looked after the children. According to legend, the brownie looked after the livestock he loved, usually a cow or horse. It was believed that he fed and treated animals, cleaned and braided the mane. The brownie, on the contrary, tormented the unloved animal: if the animal suddenly died, they said that the spirit disliked it. If strange sounds were heard in the house, they were also attributed to the brownie. Vladimir Dal wrote: “For the timid, the brownie is everywhere where only at night something creaks or knocks; because the brownie, like all spirits, visions and ghosts, walks only in the night.” If he was angry, then he could do harm - pinching sleeping people, hiding things, scaring, stealing food. Then the brownie had to be appeased with offerings: colored scraps and coins. If the owners thought that the brownie had left the house, then trouble awaited.

Chernobog is the god of cold, death, evil and madness. According to legend, he lived in the underworld (Navi) and could not get out of there, since the gates of Navi were sealed by Rod, Svarog and Belobog.

According to one hypothesis, the Slavs revered Chernobog so that he (the ruler of everything bad and dark) would not bring all sorts of troubles and adversity upon them, either in the afterlife or in this life. He was depicted as an old man with a black beard.

In all legends, songs and tales, he appears as a kind of black entity, the enemy of the light gods and the ruler of all the armies of the evil underworld, the underworld, hell, and the inferno world. In addition, Chernobog is called the Black Snake and all his sons, daughters, and descendants are called Zmeevichs or Zmievichs. So Viy is called Viy Zmievich.

In mythology Edit

After the creation of the world, Chernobog received Nav, the world of the dead, under his protection, in which he is both a ruler and a prisoner, since, despite all his strength, he is not able to leave its borders. The deity does not release from Navi the souls of people who ended up there for their sins, but the sphere of its influence is not limited to Navi alone. Chernobog managed to bypass the restrictions imposed on him and created Koshchei, who is the incarnation of the ruler of Navi in ​​Reality, while the power of God in another world is significantly less than the real one, but still allowed him to spread his influence to Reality, and only in Rule does Chernobog never appear.

Veneration Edit

Chernobog Day is traditionally considered to be Monday, which was also called the firstborn, evildoer, evildoer. It is not recommended to start any new business on this day. In ancient Rus', Monday was a day of public reprisal, punishment or execution for any crime.

The symbol of Chernobog is an animal or human skull. A black horse, a kite, a nut and a beech tree, the number 1 and a stake, the planet Saturn are also symbols of this God Navi.

Slavic beliefs about good and evil Edit

The world has always been divided, is divided and will be divided into black and white, good and evil. These forces must always exist and maintain themselves in harmony, so Chernobog is an integral part of the world, one of those laws without which existence is impossible. Belbog and Chernobog are inextricably linked forever.

The Slavic peoples represent this God as a warrior, clad in strong armor, who performs punitive functions on earth. He rules the underworld and judges sinners. However, he should not be confused with the Christian Devil. If the Devil is absolute evil in his ideal incarnation, then Chernobog is one of the main gods of the universe and can even help in certain cases, for example, if it is related to war or battles. The Slavs, honoring the gods at feasts, always mentioned the name of Chernobog as one of their heavenly parents. It is not for nothing that Belobog and Chernobog are siblings and do the same thing in heaven.

Our ancestors had a very developed mythology and it was in no way inferior to Greek, Celtic, or even more so Germanic. The Slavs believed that forests, swamps and rivers had their own guardian spirits; it cannot be said that they were afraid of them, rather it was more like respect. This is how they treat someone who is older and smarter, sometimes they appeased them, sometimes they asked for help, but sometimes they were at enmity. But our ancestors also believed in evil spirits, which were combined into one concept “undead” (that is, not living), although the habitats of these spirits were also very diverse. Well, now in more detail, what kind of spirits our ancestors believed in. For convenience, all spirits are divided into five groups according to their habitats (swamp, river, forest, mountain, home). Domestic Good Bagan is the patron spirit of cattle, he protects them from painful attacks and multiplies the offspring, and in case of his anger he makes the females infertile or kills lambs and calves at their very birth. The Belarusians set aside a special place for him in the cow and sheep sheds and arrange a small manger filled with hay: this is where the bagan settles. They feed the calving cow with hay from his manger, as if it were a healing medicine. Bayunok (Cat-bayun) is a house spirit, storyteller, night storyteller, lullaby songbook. Sometimes he appears in the form of the Bayun Cat. Vazila (stable keeper, herd keeper) is the patron spirit of horses; he is represented in human form, but with horse ears and hooves. Every householder has his own vazila, who lives in a stable (barn), takes care of the horses, protects them from diseases, and when they go to the herd, removes them from beast of prey. Vedogoni are souls living in the bodies of people and animals, and at the same time house geniuses, protecting family property and home. Each person has his own vedogon; when he sleeps, the vedogon leaves the body and protects his property from thieves, and himself from the attacks of other vedogons and from magic spells. If a vedogon is killed in a fight, the person or animal to whom it belonged immediately dies in his sleep. Therefore, if a warrior happens to die in a dream, then they say that his vedogon fought with the vedogon of his enemies and was killed by them. For the Serbs, these are souls that produce whirlwinds with their flight. The brownie-domozhil is a representative of the hearth; according to its original meaning, there is the god Agni, identical to Perun the Thunderer. As the embodiment of the fire burning on the hearth, the brownie was revered as the founder and ruler of the clan. This is a short old man, covered all over with warm, shaggy fur. If the brownie is angry, then he takes up the same tricks as someone else's brownie. That is why he is called the Jester, Bummer and Sadol. In Rus', in the person of the brownie, the initial founder of the clan, the first organizer, is honored family hearth, and therefore the concept of it is not divided into many homogeneous spirits: in each house there is only one brownie. The activities of the brownie are limited to the possessions of the family with which he is connected by sacred ties of kinship and cult; he only cares about his home. In Rus', the brownie is also the patron saint of chickens, and in his honor on November 1st a special celebration is held, known as “chicken name day”. Korgorushi (kolovershi) - in East Slavic mythology, the brownie's assistants; They look like cats, most often black. Icy - the spirit of straw. Like many spirits of Slavic mythology, the Ice One sleeps in winter. It wakes up only with the arrival of spring. In the summer, he stays awake and waits for the end of summer to climb into a fresh pile of straw and fall asleep. Nobody has ever seen him. Sometimes only on a hot afternoon will someone rustle in the straw and someone’s sigh will be heard. Evil Baennik (bannik, laznik, bainik, bathhouse) is an unclean spirit from the undead that settles in every bathhouse behind the heater, most often under the shelf on which they usually steam. He is known to all Russian people for his evil unkindness. “There is no meaner than the bannik, but no one is kinder,” they say in the native Novgorod region, but they firmly believe in his readiness to harm and strictly observe the rules of servility and ingratiation. They believe that the baennik always washes after everyone else, and therefore everyone is afraid of the fourth break or the fourth steam: “he” will attack, begin to throw hot stones, splash boiling water; if you don’t escape skillfully, i.e. backwards, it can completely scald you. The spirit considers this hour (i.e. after three breaks) to be its own and allows only devils to wash themselves: for people, a bath is supposed to take place around 5-7 o’clock in the afternoon. Baennik strives to own the bathhouse indivisibly and is dissatisfied with anyone who encroaches on his rights, even temporarily. Knowing this, a rare traveler caught at night will decide to seek shelter here. Since the baennik has a direct responsibility to remove waste from the bathhouse, it is his right to cause waste to those with whom he is dissatisfied. They curry favor with the baennik by bringing him a treat of a piece of rye bread sprinkled with coarse salt. And in order to take away his power forever, they bring him a black chicken as a gift. Baennik tries to be invisible, although some claim that they have seen him and that he is an old man, like all the spirits akin to him: it is not for nothing that they have lived in this world for such an innumerable number of years.

Scandinavian mythology is a beautiful and at the same time cruel world. A world made up of many interesting and instructive myths. The world is full of adventures and exploits that make you think about a lot.

Briefly about the Scandinavian gods

1. The main three gods in Scandinavian mythology are Odin, Thor and Freyr.
2. The gods of Norse mythology are divided into two families:
   1. Ases - the family of the supreme god Odin
   2. The Vanir are the family of the sea god Njord
3. In the myths and legends of the Scandinavians there are many minor gods who play minor roles and almost do not participate in the main events.
4. It’s difficult to count how many gods there are. Because many of them, in some sources refer to gods, and in others to creatures or giants.
5. There are about 120 characters in Scandinavian mythology.

Hello, dear reader. Thank you very much for taking the time to write my diary. My name is. I am interested in the history, mythology and culture of medieval Scandinavia, and this is my “Northern Diary” -. In this post I will introduce you to the gods and goddesses of Norse mythology.

The Scandinavian gods appear before us not only as wise and all-powerful arbiters of human destinies, but also as ordinary people. They often make completely human mistakes, resort to deception, act basely and unfairly, love cruelty and laugh at the misfortunes of others.

In this post, I have carefully compiled handy lists of all the gods and goddesses with short descriptions, for your convenience. I have separate entries for some characters - click on the name in the list.

Thor fights the giant king Hrungnir

Main gods

Aces

The Aesir are the family of the supreme god Odin and the gods who initially accepted him as their ruler. They live in a world called Asgard, where their palaces are located.

1. Odin is the supreme Scandinavian god, lord of Asgard and ruler. God of war, sage, wanderer, warrior and sorcerer. Founder of Scandinavian mythology. The main satellites and symbols of the god Odin:
2. - god of fire, cunning and deceit. The main culprit of all the events of Scandinavian mythology. Brother of Odin, son of the giant Farbauti and the goddess Lauveya.
3. Thor is the son of Odin, the god of thunder, protector of gods and people. Red-bearded strongman, bearer of the magic hammer Mjolnir. Thunderstorm of giants and slayer of monsters. The main symbols of the Thor:
   1. Hammer Mjolnir
   2. Chariot with two goats
   3. Iron gauntlets
   4. Megingyerd's Belt of Strength
4. Jord - mother of Thor, goddess of the earth
5. Siv - wife of Thor, golden-haired goddess of fertility
6. Modi - son of Thor, god of warrior rage
7. Magni - son of Thor, god of strength and power
8. Ull - stepson of Thor, god of bow and arrow, patron of skiers
9. Heimdall is the son of Odin, the guardian of the rainbow bridge "Bifrest", who foresees the future. On the day when Ragnarok comes, Gjallarhorn will blow its horn, calling the gods to the last battle. Heimdall symbols:
   1. Loud horn Gjallarhorn
   2. Golden sword
   3. Horse with a golden mane
10. Tyr is the son of Odin, the one-armed god of courage and military duels. Lost his right arm in the mouth of the wolf Fenrir
11. Hod - son of Odin, blind god of winter
12. Hermod - son of Odin, brave messenger
13. Vali - son of Odin, god of revenge and plants
14. Vidar - son of Odin, god of revenge and silence
15. Balder is the son of Odin, the most beautiful and well-built god, the patron of spring. The death of Balder will be the beginning of Ragnarok.
16. Nanna - Balder's wife
17. Forseti - son of Balder, god of courts and meetings
18. Bragi is the god of eloquence, keeper of the magical honey of poetry.
19. Idunn - wife of Braga, goddess of youth, keeper of the casket with golden apples of youth, which grant immortality to the gods

In addition to the wives of the Aesir, eleven more goddesses live in Asgard:

1. Eir - patroness of healing
2. Gefion - patroness of young maidens
3. Fulla - Frigga's maid and companion
4. Gna - Frigga's messenger on horse Hovvarpnir
5. Sevi - patroness of love between men and women
6. Lovi - connects lovers
7. Var - patroness of oaths
8. Ver - goddess of intelligence and curiosity
9. Shun - guardian of closed doors
10. Khlin - protects people from danger
11. Snotra - goddess of restraint and wisdom

Vanir

The Vanir are the family of the sea god Njord, who initially did not want to accept Odin as their ruler. They live in Vanaheim, but after the war of the gods they move to Asgard.

1. Njord is the god of fertility, lord of the seas, father of Frey and Freya.
2. Frey is the god of the harvest, fertility, and patron of summer. Freya's twin brother.
3. Freya is the goddess of beauty and love, it was she who taught the Aesir witchcraft. Twin sister of Frey.

Other gods and minor deities

• Valkyries are Odin's warrior maidens. Raises fallen warriors, can grant victory or defeat in battle
• Norns are three goddesses who weave the threads of fate for every living creature in the nine worlds. I talked about them in the entry about the World Tree Yggdrasil
• Andhrimnir is the chief digester in Valhalla, preparing a mountain of meat every day for the Einherjar warriors. Every morning he slays the giant boar Sehrimnir, who sacrifices himself to feed Odin's army. And the next morning it is reborn again
• Buri - grandfather of Odin, ancestor of all gods
• Bor - father of Odin and his two brothers Vili and Ve
• Bestla - mother of Odin, wife of Bor
• Vili - Odin's first brother, son of Bor and Bestla
• Ve - second brother of Odin, son of Bor and Bestla
• Aegir - sea giant, patron of the calm sea
• Ran - wife of Aegir, patroness of the raging sea
• Sigyn - Loki's wife, who bore him sons Vali and Narvi
• Angrboda - the wife of Loki who gave birth to the wolf Fenrir, the snake Jormungandr and the goddess Hel

That's all I have. If you want to get acquainted with all the myths and legends of Scandinavian mythology, I have a whole collection for you - Basics of Scandinavian Mythology

To always stay up to date with new posts and events, join our community. And all other entries and sections of my diary can be found in.

The recording is decorated with works by artists:

1. Conor Burke - Speedpainting Selection
2. Alvaro Estrada - Fierce attack
3. Unknown - Valkyrie

By the way, about artists, I really love beautiful and high-quality art drawings and sketches. If you do too, then in this section I will introduce you to many interesting and talented artists and their works on the theme of the medieval north.

The miracle of Yudo was left to the Slavs from even more ancient, pre-Slavic mythology. Modern researchers associate Miracle Yudo with sea animals from the ancient epic. The famous historian Vladimir Demin even proposes to correlate our native Miracle Judo with the ancient Greek Medusa Gorgon. All together, the archetypal image of Leviathan from the Old Testament may be common to many peoples.

Slavic mythology Creatures and gods. Gods as the basis of Slavic mythology

The basis of the mythology of the Slavs is the Slavic gods, amazing creatures whom our ancestors worshiped for centuries, offered gifts, and sang songs of praise. It is difficult to talk about whether there were real people behind the images of the gods, and this issue is quite controversial. Perhaps in a few centuries the secret of the origin of the gods will be revealed, but now we will talk about the pantheon of Slavic gods in a slightly different context - their symbols, essence and ideas that were invested by our ancestors in each bright and unique image.

This section is dedicated to all the gods who occupied a certain place in the life and way of life of our ancestors. Gods who were worshiped, feared, praised and revered. If we turn to the results of studies of chronicles and archaeological excavations, then on the territory of Ancient Rus' in different time periods the gods of Slavic mythology somewhat changed their meanings - Light (Yasuni) and Dark (Dasuni) in different parts The Russians were somewhat different. The reason for this was internecine wars, attacks by external enemies, a rethinking of the nature of things, and inevitable progress. But at the same time, the list of Slavic gods and the scheme of the Slavic gods remained practically unchanged - the supreme god was Rod (although there are references to Perun as the world ruler), Lada is one of the incarnations of Rod, which combines vital energy, loyalty and love. It is worth saying that the list of gods of Slavic mythology at different times varied somewhat and changed its composition, so it is impossible to say unequivocally who was on this list. It is impossible to say one hundred percent that the data about the gods presented on our website has real documentary evidence - we have collected maximum information not only from open sources, but from highly specialized scientific works, so we hope that this data will also appeal to connoisseurs of the commandments of the Slavic gods , and to everyone interested.

In the pre-Christian period, the Slavs did not have a single religion for all tribes. But at the same time, the ideas about nature, the elements ruling the world, among different tribes were very close to each other. This makes it possible to assume that the ancient Slavs had their own faith, in other words, paganism. Paganism – national religion, which is turned inward to the society in which it originated. In contrast to the world's great religions, Christianity, Islam and Buddhism, which do not recognize either national or geographical boundaries. The pagan world of the Slavs is very poetic, magic flows from everywhere and it is permeated with the belief that all nature around is alive. Distant Slavic ancestors they worshiped the elements and believed in the kinship between humans and animals, they believed that the ancestor - the beast of their kind - patronizes its descendants. The Slavs made numerous sacrifices to their deities, allocating for this part of the hunting, harvest or fish catch. Each Slavic tribe had its own especially revered deities, however, most often they differed only in the pronunciation of the name.

Not much information about the paganism of the ancient Slavs has survived to this day. Most of the information about the supreme Slavic gods has come to us from early Christian teachings against them. Metropolitan Macarius wrote, speaking about the pagans: “Their places of prayer are nasty: forests and stones and rivers, and swamps, and springs, and mountains, and hills, the sun and the moon, and the stars, and lakes. And simply put, everything that exists was worshiped as if it were God, and they were honored and sacrifices were made.” Deifying the world around them, the Slavs focus their beliefs on the three main phenomena of their life: hunting, agriculture and housekeeping. Three pillars: field, forest and house, Slavic pagan mythology is based on them.

The head of the divine pantheon of the ancient Slavs was the bear. The mighty image of a bear was perceived as the image of the owner of the forest - the strongest beast. The true name of the bear is forever lost, it was not pronounced out loud, apparently it was known only to the priests. Oaths and contracts were sealed with this lost name. In everyday life, their God was called “honey badger”, which is where the name “bear” comes from. There is an assumption that the bear’s home, “den,” comes from the Scandinavian word “ber,” which means brown.

Among the northern Slavs, the cult of the wolf was widespread. During holidays and rituals, warriors dressed up in wolf skins. The wolf was perceived as a devourer of evil spirits by the priests, and the warriors of this cult were considered the best healers. The Slavs considered the name of their deity sacred and did not pronounce it out loud, replacing it with the epithet “fierce.” This is where the name of one of the largest Slavic tribes “Lyutichi” came from.

In the forest era, the feminine principle among the Slavs was personified by a deer or a moose cow, but unlike real animals, the goddess had horns. The Slavs compared horns to the rays of the sun, so they were a talisman and hung at the entrance to the home.

In addition to the great gods, the Bear and the Wolf, the forest was inhabited elemental spirits. They did not have such power as the great gods, but they were able to help or destroy a person. So, for example, the owner of the forest was a goblin, a shaggy, sometimes shaggy spirit that lived in the most impenetrable thickets, mainly near swamps. It was believed that it was the goblin that made a person wander through the forest and lead him to lost places, but if he was appeased with offerings, he could lead someone lost in the forest.

Slavic idols The small number of surviving Slavic idols is explained not only by the persecution of paganism, but also by the fact that most idols are made of wood. The Slavs consciously preferred to carve idols from wood “living from the living.” All known idols that have come down to us were found on the Black Sea coast and in Transnistria. The idols depict a bearded god with a horn in his right hand, a sword at his belt and a mane around his neck.
The most studied pagan rite of the Slavs is the funeral one. This is explained by data from archaeological excavations and detailed descriptions ancient historians. The most common form of burial for the Slavs was kurgan. When burying the dead, the Slavs placed horse harness, killed horses and dogs, and weapons with the men. With the women were sickles, killed livestock and poultry, vessels with drink and food.

When a noble man died, one of his wives was buried with him - who voluntarily agreed to accompany her husband to afterworld and several of his servants. The funeral ended with military competitions and a feast.

Paganism is a huge layer of ancient culture, which from the depths of centuries merges with our modern life. And this in itself suggests that paganism cannot be “new or reconstructed.”

Sometimes we, without noticing it ourselves, prove that we are under the influence of centuries-old pagan beliefs: we believe in omens, tell fairy tales to children, bake pancakes for Maslenitsa, tell fortunes at Christmas time, although at the same time we consider ourselves atheists or believing Christians and go to church, we read prayers. The churchmen themselves talk about this: Archbishop Macarius (Bulgakov), the author of the multi-volume “History of the Russian Church,” wrote that “many of the Christians practically remained pagans: they performed the external rites of the Holy Church, but preserved the customs and superstitions of their fathers.” Also, Academician Viktor Nikolaevich Lazarev said that: “The Byzantine contribution lay on a powerful layer of pagan culture.”

Did our ancestors agree with the baptism of Rus'? More likely no than yes. After all, we ourselves know a bunch of funny and interesting things about paganism in our modern life: we break plates at weddings for good luck, we believe that you can’t say hello or pass something over the threshold, often in new house We let the cat in first, tie a red thread around her wrist, spit left and right and, at every opportunity, sprinkle proverbs….

The ritual side of many twelve Christian holidays, a reverent attitude towards nature, belief in talismans, amulets, omens - all this and much more testifies to the amazing vitality of our pagan cultural traditions even today, in the third millennium. In fact, today we are two-believers: both Christians and pagans at the same time, and pagans to a greater extent, because paganism has become integrated into our everyday life and our way of life.

In fact, all the twelve Christian holidays celebrated in Holy Rus' are Christian in essence, but on the ritual side, many of them are tightly connected with pagan traditions: Christmas (Christmas of whom? - God Kolyada, of course; that’s why the name - Carols , not “Christovka” or “Isusovka”), Candlemas, Maslenitsa, Annunciation, Krasnaya Gorka, Trinity, Intercession, etc. It is significant that all these holidays have long been associated among the people with one time or another of the year, a natural phenomenon. Where does this reverent attitude towards nature come from, if not from paganism, from its worship of natural phenomena? Isn’t it from paganism that there are multi-domed churches in Kievan Rus (Kievan Sophia - about 13 chapters, the Church of the Tithes - about 25), animal style in architecture, plant relief in the design of religious buildings, tent style of Russian architecture of later times ?

It has been established that at the very beginning of the construction of the city of Novgorod, where the Volkhov flows from Lake Ilmen, there was a pagan sanctuary of the ancient Slavic Gods - Perun and Veles, who were worshiped by Russian pagan warriors. In the Perynya tract there was a special sanctuary located in the open air, round in plan, with a sacrificial place and an idol in the center. Eight fires burned around him in separate recesses. Adam Olearius, who visited Novgorod in 1635, describes the legends about the eternal fire from oak wood around the idol of Perun. Thus, back in 1635 (and according to the official version, six hundred years after the baptism of Rus') there were still pagan sanctuaries in which the sacred fire burned.

Here are the official archaeological data from the Novorod excavations.

Small wooden figurines were associated with domestic cult bearded people. In them you can see images of brownies, ancestors or forefathers. Brownie figures were more common in the layers of the 10th-11th centuries, however, they are also present in the layers of the 12th-13th centuries.

An important indicator of a mixture of traditions can be called wands. The most ancient rods, an attribute of Perun, of the pagan era ended with a human head. With the introduction of Christianity, the heads of eagles, ducks, dogs, and moose appeared in their place. At the turn of the XII-XIII centuries. a final change in shape occurs: the wands end only with a large ball with geometric cutting. And in the 16th century. Bearded human heads reappear. In addition, at the same time there were manifestations of anti-clerical views and even a return to pagan ideas. This is the 16th century.

Moreover, the Russian village was pagan for a long, long time after that. There are very few items related to Christianity in the materials of rural mounds of this time. But there are numerous decorations based on pagan symbols.

Pendant amulets are of particular interest. They are associated with spell magic. Pendants in the form of stylized birds and animals. The image of teeth and claws of predators served to protect against evil. Comb amulets were amulets against illness and were often worn on the chest along with a blessed cross.

The ritual folklore of the Slavs was closely connected with calendar and non-calendar holidays. We celebrated the welcoming of winter - Kolyada and farewell - Maslenitsa. The holiday of Krasnaya Gorka and Radunitsa meant the welcome of spring, which was seen off during the seventh week. There were summer holidays - Rusalia and Kupala. Among the spring and summer holidays Three were especially revered by the people - Semik, Trinity and Ivan Kupala. Trinity is still celebrated on the 50th day after Easter, and Semik was celebrated the day before - on Thursday. Since it was the seventh post-Easter week, the holiday was called “semik”. He was associated with the cult of nature. Houses, courtyards, and temples these days were decorated with flowers and tree branches, mainly birch. Trinity week in Rus' was called “green”. These days, girls, dressed in their best clothes, went to a birch grove, found a young beautiful birch tree, curled its branches, decorated them with ribbons and flowers, danced in circles, sang songs praising the birch.

There are certain myths about paganism in general, and Slavic paganism in particular, let’s look at them in more detail.

Myth: Paganism as a whole concept does not exist.

On the one hand, in paganism there really is no single center or leader, like the Pope for Catholics, and there is no generally accepted code of sacred texts, like the Bible or the Koran. However, such polymorphism can be perceived not as weakness, but as flexibility and strength. After all, to any, even the most complex, question of the changing world, one of the currents of paganism will certainly find a worthy answer. Unified ideological currents with an unshakable structure are good for periods of stability that are in the past.

Myth: Paganism is a rejection of the possibilities of a developed civilization, a slide into the Stone Age and its values.

Some conservative and ecological strands of paganism are indeed wary of progress. But this view can be understood - society is destroying nature and the planet. But these people advocate for the preservation of the environment, at least in its modern form, and the return of people to a tried and tested way of life. In general, paganism does not deny the achievements of science; on the contrary, this value system may turn out to be ideal for the cosmic future of humanity.

Don't think that conservatives dominate among pagans. But their point of view is important, because on the path of progress it will be possible to assess possible difficulties. And being a supporter of progress, one cannot but deny that we use many of its achievements extremely ineffectively. What would be better for a schoolchild - to kill his time on the computer or to live the old fashioned way in a hut in the fresh air?

In modern paganism, the positions of progressors are quite strong. They understand that someday the construction wooden house together with iron forging were high advanced technologies.

Myth: Paganism is stupidity. Who in our time worships Perun and prostrates himself before wooden idols?

Modern pagans themselves will not argue with part of this statement. Worshiping Perun is indeed stupid, but no more stupid than worshiping pop idols and stars of show business, cinema, and modern religious systems.

Pagans have a common point of view that their gods should not be worshiped, but simply honored. And the strong, brave gods would be disgusted by the sight of people humiliating themselves for their sake. After all, we are their continuation, students, not slaves. The pagans see in each of their gods not a tyrant who must be given gifts and prostrate before him, but an ancient relative and ancestor.

The gods are our ancestors

In this regard, the faith of the pagans is in perfect harmony with the materialistic point of view of the emergence of religions from worship real people who lived at one time or another on the planet.

So what’s wrong with honoring ancestors, of whom not even a trace in the form of graves remains, but an ancient culture has been preserved?

The main thing for paganism is the understanding that there is no insurmountable and fundamental difference between man and the gods. This faith calls not so much to fulfill the will of higher beings, but to realize oneself by cultivating the qualities that the gods possess.

So if someone prostrates himself before wooden idols, then this has to do with the person’s personal psyche. There are individuals who simply need to worship someone in this way, but what does paganism have to do with it? Here it is customary to glorify the gods with creativity, knowledge, friendship, love, raising children and fun games.

Paganism as a whole concept does not exist, since we are talking about individual perceptions. On the one hand, in paganism there really is no single center or leader, like the Pope for Catholics, and there is no generally accepted code of sacred texts, like the Bible or the Koran. However, such polymorphism can be perceived not as weakness, but as flexibility and strength. After all, to any, even the most complex, question of the changing world, one of the currents of paganism will certainly find a worthy answer. Unified ideological currents with an unshakable structure are good for periods of stability that are in the past. And for a polymorphic world there is nothing better than a polymorphic ideology.
Paganism is a rejection of the possibilities of a developed civilization, a slide into the Stone Age and its values.

Don't think that conservatives dominate among pagans. But their point of view is important, because on the path of progress it will be possible to assess possible difficulties. And being a supporter of progress, one cannot but deny that we use many of its achievements extremely ineffectively. What would be better for a schoolchild - to kill his time on the computer or to live the old fashioned way in a hut in the fresh air? In modern paganism, the positions of progressors are quite strong. They understand that once upon a time, the construction of a wooden house along with the forging of iron were highly advanced technologies. If the Vikings had lived to this day, they would have gone on their campaigns in powerful submarines.

Pagan reenactors are trying to recreate those examples of ancient material culture, and progressives accept reality. In the modern world, they are trying to cultivate in themselves the spirit and philosophy of life that was present among our ancient ancestors. In this way, we pay our predecessors, continuing the relay race they started. It is worth noting the fact that there are many specialists in paganism who, by virtue of their profession, move science forward. These are programmers, physicists, and engineers.

Paganism is stupidity; who in our time worships Perun and prostrates himself before wooden idols? Modern pagans themselves will not argue with part of this statement. Worshiping Perun is indeed stupid, but no less stupid as worshiping pop idols and show business and movie stars. Pagans have a common point of view that their gods should not be worshiped, but simply honored. And the strong, brave gods would be disgusted by the sight of people humiliating themselves for their sake. After all, we are their continuation, students, not slaves. The pagans see in each of their gods not a tyrant who must be given gifts and prostrate before him, but an ancient relative and ancestor. In this regard, the faith of the pagans is in perfect harmony with the materialistic point of view of the emergence of religions from the worship of real people who lived at one time or another on the planet. So what’s wrong with honoring ancestors, of whom not even a trace in the form of graves remains, but an ancient culture has been preserved?

The main thing for paganism is the understanding that there is no insurmountable and fundamental difference between man and the gods. This faith calls not so much to fulfill the will of higher beings, but to realize oneself by cultivating the qualities that the gods possess. So if someone prostrates himself before wooden idols, then this has to do with the person’s personal psyche. There are individuals who simply need to worship someone in this way, but what does paganism have to do with it? Here it is customary to glorify the gods with creativity, knowledge, friendship, love, raising children and fun games.

Myth - Foreigners who could not speak our native language were called pagans

For such people there was a completely different word “German” (Mute, unable to speak). The word “Language” itself can be disassembled into the components “I” and the adjective “Language” (loud, sonorous, sharp).

How are people different from animals? A person walks, eats, sleeps and reproduces in the same way as happens in the animal world; people also have sense and instinct and in this way they are also similar to animals. But besides all this, people have a Language of the Mind, consisting of letters, words and sentences.

How does language affect the world from a physics point of view? Let us consider not “written language”, but “oral” language, which comes out of our mouths and turns into sound. Sound is a physical phenomenon that is the propagation of mechanical vibrations in the form of elastic waves in a solid, liquid or gaseous medium. In a narrow sense, sound refers to these vibrations, considered in relation to how they are perceived by the senses of animals and humans. Sound waves can serve as an example of an oscillatory process. Any oscillation is associated with a violation of the equilibrium state of the system and is expressed in the deviation of its characteristics from equilibrium values ​​with a subsequent return to the original value.

Our bodies are on most consist of water, and sound greatly affects its structure, science has conducted experiments that have proven that negative words have a negative effect on water molecules, destroying their structure and shape, and vice versa, positive words have a positive effect. This can be seen very clearly in the video

To summarize, we can conclude that the Pagans are people who understood and knew the nature of language, and were in this sense “programmers” and not “users.” Language is a code with which we can write the programs of our lives. We are now just “users”. The difference between a “user” and a “programmer” is that the first one acts unconsciously, repeating after others, while programmers create their own reality themselves because they know and understand the language.

Myth: Paganism is not necessary to modern man, since this system of beliefs was formed in a completely different historical era.

If this were really so, then how would the number of followers of paganism increase? Recently, young people admired robots and astronauts, but today everyone is interested in elves, gnomes, magicians and hobbits. Tolkien, who stood at the origins of such a culture, himself did not suspect how widespread the interest in his work would be.

Slavic paganism is especially close to us. We all grew up on fairy tales about Baba Yaga and the Gray Wolf; as a result, the cultural tradition is close to us from childhood, without requiring additional interpretations or learned books to understand. For modern Russian people, Slavic myths, which contain ideas about the universe, are natural. Paganism was created by ardent lovers of life who liked our world and existence in it. These people appreciate the beauty of nature and are ready to glorify it here and now, and not hope for happiness after death. In the images of the gods, truly human traits are personified, albeit brought to a high standard in legends. In the pagan world, a person finds examples of how to behave in life situations that are rich in modern world. In addition, there are so many gods in the pantheon of paganism that everyone can choose the one who is personally close to him.

The last century has become very significant for civilization. Humanity survived two world wars, mastered flight in the sky and in space, and reached other planets. The man was dumbfounded by the surging changes, not understanding how to live in the new conditions. That is why it is time to think about who we are and where we are going. It’s worth stopping and looking back at the landmarks invented and tested by our ancestors. Even if the times were different, the methodology is worth paying attention to. To master the gifts of science, it is worth becoming a philosopher, coloring the idea with colorful images.

It is wrong to call Rus' pagan. Moreover, it is offensive. This is what the first Christians called other peoples (languages), all non-Christians.

Therefore, pagans are those who do not believe in God at all, and who profess any other religions. As for Rus', long before Christianity it had a harmonious, highly moral religion based on the correct worldview. It was monotheism. The existence of One God was recognized. The Mother of God was also in this religion.

Where is this religion? - you ask. In Rus', over the course of a thousand years, it was trampled, denigrated, desecrated, and then completely distorted. If you want to enslave a people, take the soul out of them. This is what our princes and kings tried to do, for whom the main thing was to keep the people in check. The princes called the Byzantine church fathers to Rus' precisely for this purpose. And they were not mistaken. They found in them faithful assistants in the enslavement of his own people.

What was the religion of our ancestors? Everyone knows the Indian Vedas or has at least heard of them. They are famous all over the world.

Beautifully published books of Indian epics are sold or given away at every crossroads in Moscow. But few people know that the Indian Vedas were preceded by the Russian Vedas. Much has been lost in Indian epic. Many events in the Russian Vedas are described in detail, while in the Indian Vedas time has erased many of these details. We used to be one people who came from the North, and after a long life on the Russian Lowland went to India, Iran and beyond. Therefore, the Avesta contains the same Vedas, only they have significantly lost their specificity.

Whoever wants to study the Vedas should begin studying with the Russian Vedas. There are many Indian Vedas, and even more Russian ones. Experts say that now, today it is possible to publish 1000 (thousand!) volumes of the Russian Vedas. Why weren't they published?

We tried to publish it, but almost to no avail. For example, in 1881, the Vedas of the Slavs were published in Bulgaria. But in Russia they were not noticed. Foreigners, mostly Germans, ruled the roost in Moscow. Our past was always unacceptable to them, because they tried to present our people as a bunch of slaves.

Alexander Asov wrote several wonderful books about the Vedic religion of our ancestors (“Slavic gods and the birth of Rus'”, “ Slavic runes and “Boyan’s Hymn”, etc.). He translated into modern Russian the priceless “Veles Book,” which sets out both the history and religion of our ancestors. We will not repeat what has already been done (and beautifully) by others. We refer the reader to these books.

Asov wrote: “Russian Vedism should be distinguished from other faiths of Vedic root: all varieties of Hinduism, Zoroastrianism and others, for Russian Vedism is the essence of the Russian national variety of the Vedic faith. Accordingly, Russian Vedic culture is a Russian national variety of Vedic culture. Russian Vedism is international in content as much as the Vedic faith itself is international, and national in image, language and origin.”

So, in the “Veles Book” the god of our ancestors Svarog is called Tvastyr (Creator). In the Vedas of India there is a god Tvashtar. The image of Tvastyr Svarog in Indian mythology merged with the images of the Vedic Tvashtar, as well as Isvar (Lord Shiva), Indra (the owner of Svarga) and Brahma. The Shivants identified the creative power of Svarog with the Creative Shiva. The worshipers of Indra did the same. Brahmanists identified the creative Word of Svarog with Brahma, consisting of the Vedas. This can be clearly seen in the Slavic iconography of Svarog.

It is very similar to the Hindu iconography of Brahma. Few people know that for thousands of years before baptism, Rus' was Orthodox. Even in those distant times, Russians called themselves Orthodox, because they glorified the Rule and followed the Paths of the Rule. Even at that time, Orthodoxy was called the Righteous Faith, since the Slavs knew the Truth, knew the Righteous Vedas, the most ancient Vedas, sacred legends about the source of the Vedic faith. The Vedic faith was the first faith of almost all peoples of the world. Nowadays, a tenth of humanity professes the Vedic religion. Only we shyly talk about our ancestors as pagans who supposedly believed primitively and prayed to idols. No! Our ancestors were not pagans. They were monotheists, they believed in One God, the Mother of God and the Son of God. Rule, where Orthodoxy comes from, is the Heavenly Mother who patronizes Russia. Her name was Makosh. She personifies Heavenly Law. Our ancestors believed in the Trinity. The first face is God the Father, the second face is the Son of God, the third face is the Heavenly Mother. She is the Spirit of God who set the World in motion. All this is very deep meaning. The Mother gives life to the Son. This means that the World is changing: after the Father, the Son appears, then the Son becomes the Father and again gives birth to the Son.

Churchmen fought against this highly moral faith. But they could not overcome it. They could only rename Orthodox holidays. So religious holiday Annunciation is the ancient holiday of the Prophecy of Mokosh (April 7). There is no need to believe in the polytheism of the Slavs. They revered all the goddesses only with the faces of the One Mother of the world, Mokosh, the Mother of God.

Now judge for yourself whether our ancestors were pagans. Paganism is understood as the belief in the existence of many gods and the denial of the existence of the One Supreme God. In fact, Russian Vedism (pravedism) is the oldest monotheistic faith, faith in the existence of the Almighty. Russian Vedism has reached us in the form of oral traditions and in the form of sacred texts.

As for Rus', it did not begin at all from the moment of baptism. The Russian Vedas say that over the course of twenty thousand years Rus' was born, died and was reborn again.

It also says that the ancestral home of the ancestors of the Slavs (the first Aryans) was in the North. From here our ancestors, led by God, moved first to the Urals and the Semirechye steppes, then to India and Iran. Here, from the Indo-Aryan clans, the Slavs themselves stood out: those who glorified the gods and ancestors. Thus, Rus' was born thousands of years before the founding of Kyiv - on the Dnieper and the baptism of Rus'.__ The Russian Vedas speak of the Covenant of our ancestor with God. This Testament is called the “Laws of Svarog” or the “Testament of Father Arius.” The ancestor of the Slavs was Dazhbog. According to this Testament, all the grandchildren of Dazhbog should run away from Krivda and follow the Truth, honor the Heavenly Family and their family. Honor your friends and your family. Wives have only one husband. Divorce and polygamy were allowed in cases of extreme need. You could get married no more than three times (following the example of Dazhbog). It was supposed to celebrate great holidays and observe fasts. The power of the veche was sanctified by the Testament (Laws of Svarog). The highest princely power was inherited. The veche could excommunicate the prince from power if the prince's affairs were displeasing to the people. This last paragraph of the Law (Covenant) contains the reason why the princes needed the Baptism of Rus'. In this way they hoped to gain unlimited power, and with the help of the church they received it. And sympathy for “paganism” was punishable by death.

They wanted to erase the past from memory forever. And we have achieved a lot in this direction. Even today we have to prove the obvious, which is supported by documents. To prove that our ancestors had a real religion, a highly moral civil code, a humane structure of society and family.

Many well-funded people try to nullify this evidence and pass it off as a misunderstanding. Many political science centers, and not only foreign ones, but also those working in Moscow, purposefully discredit our past. So, in Moscow, Doctor of Anthropology and Ethnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences V.A. is doing this. Shnirelman, who successfully works simultaneously in Jerusalem at the Hebrew University. He was very interested in the “Book of Veles” and the myths of paganism. In his books, he paints our past with one black paint. “The Book of Veles,” of course, in his opinion, is a fake. He is echoed by U. Lacker, a professor at the Washington University for Strategic Studies. Our home-grown “marketeers” are also busy with this thankless task, who believe that everything can be sold, even their ancestors.

In this situation, we must unite and convey to our friends and family their rich spiritual heritage, to show them who our ancestors were, and therefore who we are.

In Ancient Rus', at a time when Christianity had not yet been adopted, the Slavs idolized otherworldly incorporeal creatures. The pagan gods of ancient Rus', according to the ideas of the ancients, are endowed with supernatural abilities to influence all things. They are responsible for all the fundamental principles of human existence, control both the fate of the people themselves and everything that surrounds them.

Each deity performs a specific, utilitarian function. The history of ancient times stores many dozens of names, of which we now know only a part. This part has survived to this day thanks to pagan rituals and rituals passed down from generation to generation, which over time became the basis of the customs of the Slavic family.

At the hierarchical top stands the supreme god, under him are the gods of the environment of existence of all living things, then are the gods of human destinies and the everyday life of people, at the bottom of the pyramid are the elements and forces of darkness.

Table of pagan gods of ancient Rus':

Ancient Slavic god Rod

This is the supreme god who rules over all things in the Universe, including all other gods. He heads the pinnacle of the pagan pantheon of gods. He is the creator and ancestor. He is omnipotent and influences the entire cycle of life. It exists everywhere and has no beginning or end. This description fully corresponds to the concept of God of all modern religions.

The genus governs life and death, abundance and poverty. No one has ever seen him, yet he sees everyone. The root of his name is sewn into human speech - into the words with which people interpret (voice) their dominant spiritual and material values ​​in the material world. Birth, relatives, homeland, spring, harvest - Rod is present in all this.

Hierarchy of pagan gods of Rus'

Everything is under the leadership of Rod Slavic deities and other spiritual entities are distributed according to levels corresponding to their impact on the everyday affairs of people.

The top level is occupied by deities who manage global and national affairs: wars and ethnic conflicts, weather disasters, fertility and famine, fertility and mortality.

At the middle level there are deities responsible for local affairs. These are the patrons Agriculture, crafts, fishing and hunting, family concerns. People liken their face to their own.

The stylobate of the base of the pantheon is assigned to spiritual entities whose physical appearance is unlike that of a human. These are kikimoras, ghouls, goblins, brownies, ghouls, mermaids and many others like them.

The Slavic hierarchical pyramid ends here, unlike the ancient Egyptian one, where there was also an afterlife with its own governing deities and laws, or, for example, where the basis was a numerous pantheon of gods.

Slavic gods by importance and power

God of the Slavs Horse and his incarnations

Khors is the son of Rod and the brother of Veles. This is the sun god in Ancient Rus'. Horse's face is like a sunny day - yellow, radiant, dazzlingly bright. He has 4 incarnations:

• Kolyada
• Yarilo
• Dazhdbog
• Svarog.

Each hypostasis operates in a specific season of the year, and people expect help from each divine incarnation, which is associated with the corresponding rituals and ceremonies.

We still follow the traditions of the ancient Slavs: we tell fortunes on Christmastide, fry pancakes on Maslenitsa, burn bonfires on Ivan Kupala and weave wreaths.

1. God of the Slavs Kolyada

Kolyada begins the annual cycle and reigns from the day winter solstice until the spring equinox (December 22 – March 21). In December people cheer young sun and praise Kolyada with ritual songs; festivities last until January 7. It's Christmastide.

By this time, the owners are slaughtering livestock, opening pickles, and taking supplies to fairs. Throughout Christmas time, people organize gatherings, rich feasts, tell fortunes, have fun, get married and have weddings. In general, doing nothing becomes completely legal. Kolyada treats with its mercy all benefactors who show mercy and generosity to the poor.

2. God of the Slavs Yarilo

He is also Yarovit, Ruevit, Yar - the solar god of young age with the face of a barefoot young man on a white horse. Wherever he looks, shoots will sprout; wherever he passes, the grass will sprout. On his head is a crown of ears of grain, in his left hand he holds a bow and arrows, in his right hand are the reins. Its time is from the spring equinox to the summer solstice (March 22 – June 21). People's supplies at home are depleted and there is a lot of work to do. When the sun turned back, the tension in the labors subsided, the time of Dazhdbog had come.

3. God of the Slavs Dazhdbog

He is also Kupala or Kupaila - the solar god with the face of a mature man. Its time is from the summer solstice to the autumn equinox (June 22 - September 23). The reunion celebration is postponed on July 6-7 due to work commitments. On this mysterious night, people burn Yarila (or rather, a scarecrow) on a large bonfire and jump over it, girls throw wreaths of woven flowers down the river. Everyone is looking for the blooming fern of desires. There is also a lot of work during this season: mowing, harvesting fruit, repairing the house, preparing the sleigh.

4. God of the Slavs Svarog

The tired Sun sinks lower and lower towards the horizon. In its slanting rays, the tall, strong old man Svarog (aka Svetovid), whitened with gray hair, takes up the baton of power. He looks north, clutching a heavy sword in his hand, with which he slays the forces of darkness. He is the husband of the Earth, the father of Dazhdbog and all other gods natural phenomena. His time from September 23 to December 21 is a period of satiety, peace and prosperity. People are not sad about anything, they organize fairs and have weddings.

Perun god of thunder and lightning

This is the god of war. In his right hand, Perun holds a rainbow sword, in his left - lightning arrows. The clouds are his hair and beard, the thunder is his speech, the wind is his breath, the raindrops are the fertilizing seed. He is the son of Svarog (Svarozhich), and is also endowed with a formidable disposition. He patronizes brave warriors and gives them luck and strength to everyone who puts in the effort to hard work.

Stribog god of the wind

He is the god above the gods of the elemental forces of nature (Whistling, Weather and others). Stribog is the lord of the wind, hurricanes and blizzards. He can be touchingly kind and furiously evil. When he angrily blows the horn, the elements arise; when he is kind, the leaves simply rustle, streams gurgle, the wind howls in the crevices of the trees. From these sounds of nature came music and songs, and with them musical instruments. They pray to Stribog for the storm to subside, and hunters ask him for help in pursuing the sensitive and timid animal.

Veles pagan god of wealth

This is the god of agriculture and cattle breeding. Veles is also called the god of wealth (aka Hair, Month). He commands the clouds. When he was young, he tended the heavenly sheep himself. In anger, Veles sends torrential rains to the earth. After reaping, people still leave him one collected sheaf. In his name they swear word of honor and fidelity.

Lada goddess of love and beauty

Goddess Lada is the patroness of the hearth. Her clothes are snow-white clouds, and the morning dew is tears. In the predawn haze she sees off the shadows of the departed other world. Lada is the earthly incarnation of Rod, high priestess, the mother goddess, is surrounded by a retinue of young servants. She is beautiful and smart, brave and dexterous, flexible with a vine, ringing flattering speech flows from her lips. Lada gives people advice on how to live, what they can do and what they can’t do. She condemns the guilty and exonerates those falsely accused. A long time ago, her temple stood on Ladoga, now her abode is the blue of heaven.

God of the Slavs Chernobog

Many ancient legends have been told about the evil spirits of the swamp, but not all of them have reached us. After all, they are protected by the powerful Chernobog - the ruler of the dark forces of evil and whim, serious illnesses and bitter misfortunes. This is the god of darkness. His abode is terrible forest thickets, ponds covered with duckweed, deep pools and marshy swamps.

He holds a spear in his hand with malice and rules the night. Subordinate to him devilry numerous: goblin, confusing forest paths, mermaids, drawing people into whirlpools, cunning banniki, malicious and insidious ghouls, capricious brownies.

God of the Slavs Mokosh

Mokosh (Makesha) is the goddess of trade, like the ancient Roman Mercury. In Old Slavonic, mokosh means “full wallet.” She uses the harvest prudently. Another of its purposes is to control fate. She is interested in spinning and weaving; With spun threads she weaves the destinies of people. Young housewives were afraid to leave an unfinished tow overnight, believing that Mokosha would ruin the yarn, and with it, fate. Northern Slavs consider Mokosha an unkind goddess.

God of the Slavs Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa

Paraskeva-Friday is Mokoshi’s concubine, who made Paraskeva a deity ruling over riotous youth, gambling, drinking bouts with vulgar songs and obscene dances, as well as dishonest trade. Therefore, Friday was a market day in Ancient Rus' for a long time. On this day, women were not allowed to work, because for disobedience Paraskeva could wrap the naughty girl in a cold toad. It poisoned the water in wells and underground springs. Today this goddess has no power and is practically forgotten.

God of the Slavs Morena

The goddess, ruler of evil, incurable diseases and death, is Maruja or Morena. She sends severe winters, stormy nights, epidemics and wars to the Earth. Her image is a scary woman with a dark, wrinkled face with deep-sunk small eyes, a sunken nose, a bony body and the same hands with long curved nails. Ailments serve her. She herself never leaves. They drive her away, but she appears again and again.