Before the adoption of Christianity, our ancestors, the Slavs, worshiped a whole pantheon of gods. In some areas, they varied significantly. History has preserved more than a hundred names, whose functions are well-defined and utilitarian. It is believed that the gods of Ancient Russia were divided into several levels. First - the main god, followed by the gods of the Sun, then - the gods of everyday life, the latter - the powers of darkness.
Supreme god and his pantheon
Let us consider in more detail how the pagan gods of Ancient Russia differed.
The list is headed by the supreme god of the Slavs - Rod. It is located on top of the divine pantheon. The clan is the ancestor, creator and master of all living things. He himself does not have a physical body and is an incorporeal spirit that exists everywhere, not created and without beginning and end. Isn't it very similar to the Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu ideas about God? Rod is able to burst into thunder, throw lightning, rain. In his management, life and death, the abundance of the fruits of the earth and poverty. Everything is subject to him. Nobody saw him, but he sees everyone. His name is still present in words symbolizing our most important values - "homeland", "relative", "spring" (in the sense of pure water), "rhodium" (ball lightning, that is, fire), "birth", "harvest" etc.
By power and importance, the sun god follows him. In Ancient Russia, it has four implications: Kolyada, Svarog, Yarilo and Dazhdbog. All incarnations are seasonal. In autumn, winter, spring and summer, people expect appropriate help from each of them. Each of them is associated with ritual meetings and farewells, popularly known as great holidays and festivities. Even at present, we are happy to bake pancakes for Shrovetide, weave wreaths and make bonfires on the night of Ivan Kupala, and we are fortunate for Christmas time.
The participation of divine beings in everyday life
The gods of Ancient Russia, the list of which is very long, are mysterious entities that affect the entire cycle of life. They are divided into three levels according to authority among other deities and according to significance in everyday affairs. Upper - the gods responsible for global, national issues: war, weather, fertility. Middle - deities of more local governance - patrons of crafts, women's cares, hunting and fishing, agriculture. All of them are similar in appearance to people.
The lowest level is reserved for spiritual entities whose appearance is significantly different from gods and people. These are all kinds of forest and house creatures - mermaids, goblin, house, kikimors, ghouls, bath-houses, etc.
Carols
Without Kolyada, Yarila, Kupala and Svetovid it is impossible to imagine the paganism of Ancient Russia. The gods in charge of the seasons begin their cycle with Kolyada.
Kolyada, or Horse, reigns on earth from December 22 to March 21 - from the winter solstice to the spring equinox. This is the baby sun. Welcome his arrival in December. The celebration lasts two weeks, until January 7, at the very peak of winter, when agricultural work is not carried out, and a short daylight does not favor needlework. These days are well known as Christmas time.
By the time the cattle were specially fed and slaughtered, barrels of pickles and pickles were opened. Thrifty owners drove the surplus to the fairs. Most of the cattle just at this time was allowed from the burden of calves, goats, lambs. Adult animals were fed and sold, and dairy uterus with newborn cubs were content with one portion. Everything was very reasonable and appropriate.
Christmas time is the most fun time with songs, games, fortune-telling, matchmaking and weddings. These are the days and nights of unbridled fun, friendly gatherings, plentiful feasts and completely legitimate idleness. The carols were praised with special songs - they were thanked for preserving the reserves, they asked for a warm, snowy winter, health for themselves, their relatives and livestock. It was customary to show generosity and mercy to the poor so that Kolyada and benefactors did not pass over with their mercy.
Yarilo
This is followed by the more adult sun gods of Ancient Russia. The list goes on to Yarilo (Ruevit, Yar, Yarovit) - the sun god of a young age. Wherever he looks, there the cornfield will shoot up, where it will pass, there useful plants will sprout. Yarilo is also responsible for the fertility of animals. He is described as a young guy traveling around the horizon on a white horse. In hands - bow and arrow, bare feet, on the head - a crown of rye ears with wildflowers. Its time is from March 21, when nature is actively awakening from winter sleep, and until June 22. By that time, food supplies were running out, and there was a lot of work. In spring day feeds the year. Peasants plow and sow the land, planted on nests of chickens, check pastures, tidy houses and outbuildings. Rituals appeasing Yarila are held immediately after the day of the vernal equinox. Intensive work ends on the day of the summer solstice, when the luminary turns back.
Dazhdbog
Dazhdbog, or Kupayla, Kupala, is a god in his prime, a mature man. His arrival is celebrated on the longest night of the year - June 22. The gods of ancient Russia, according to legend, love noisy holidays. At Yarila’s wires and meeting Kupala, they arrange games, burn a scarecrow of Yarila, jump over fires, throw wreaths on the water, look for a fern flower and make wishes. The gods of Ancient Russia and the Slavs react to them with a good disposition.
As you know, our ancestors lived hearty and at ease. They knew how to work well and have fun from the heart. In the season of Dazhdbog, the earth gives all the juices to the fruits planted in it. A long daylight hours and a lot of work - haymaking, harvesting the first crop, harvesting fruits for the winter, repairs and housing construction - demanded selfless work from our ancestors. There is a lot of work in the summer, but it is not hard when Dazhdbog helps with rain and sunny days. September 23, the day of the autumnal equinox, the power of Dazhdbog ends.
Svarog
The fourth age of the sun god begins on the day of the autumnal equinox on September 23 and ends on December 22, the day of the winter solstice. The God of Ancient Russia Svarog, or Svetovid, is the old god, the husband of the Earth, the father of the Sun, Dazhdbog and the gods of the most significant natural phenomena. Dazhdbogu he gave fire and gave power to throw thunder and lightning. In legends, he is represented by a gray-haired old man. His time is a period of prosperity, satiety and rest. For three months the people enjoy the stored fruits of the earth, play weddings, organize fairs and do not worry about anything. According to the annals, the god of Ancient Russia Svarog is a tall man with four heads on four necks. He looks to the north, south, west and east. In the hand is the sword with which God strikes the powers of darkness.
Perun
Perun is the son of Svarog. In his hands are lightning arrows and a rainbow bow. The clouds are his face, beard and hair, thunder is the verb of god, the wind is breath, and the rain is the fertilizing seed. The Vikings and Varangians believed that the best god in the pantheon is, of course, Perun. What is God in Ancient Russia the son of Svarog and the Earth? Endowed with a steep and changeable disposition, the formidable and mighty Svarozhich is considered the patron saint of brave warriors. He gives them good luck in military affairs and strength in opposing any opponent.
The Slavs ascribe to him love and protection for blacksmiths and plowmen. Both of them performed the most difficult work, and Perun patronizes everyone who does not shy away from putting physical strength into his work.
Perun - the god of war in Ancient Russia. Going on military campaigns or waiting for an attack by the enemy, the Slavs offered him sacrifices. Altars dedicated to Perun were decorated with military trophies, armor and weapons. A statue of God was carved from the trunk of the largest tree. A fire was lit in front of her, on which a sacrificial animal was burned. Dances with horns and rattles accompanied songs containing the words of a request for victory over the enemy.
Veles
Veles is the beloved god of farmers and herders. He is also called the bestial god. The Slavs did not share these areas of peasant life - everyone had cattle, and all plowed the land. Veles (Hair, Month) - the god of wealth. Initially, Veles was identified with Perun. He also commanded the clouds and was a shepherd of heavenly sheep, but later he was ordered to look after the earthly herd. Veles sends rain to fields and meadows. After the harvest, he always left one sheaf uncut. This tradition is also still preserved. It was the gods of Ancient Rus that Veles and Perun were always the most revered people. Our ancestors swore allegiance and honesty to them. This is mentioned in the "History of the Russian State" by N. M. Karamzin.
Stribog
If we analyze what gods were worshiped in Ancient Russia with the greatest zeal, then these are mostly gods of the elemental forces of nature. For modern Russians, the great difficulty is not to confuse them with each other. Take the same Stribog. How to distinguish it from Perun, Veles, Whistle, Weather and other lords of wind and rain?
Stribog is the lord of wind, clouds, storms and blizzards. He is both evil and good. God holds a horn in his hands. He blows into it and causes the elements. From his wind came music, songs and musical instruments. Understanding the magical effect of music on the human psyche was born from the sounds of nature - the sound of water, foliage, whistling and howling wind in pipes, crevices and among trees. All this is the Stribog Orchestra. Striboga is prayed for rain and for its cessation, as well as for the abatement of a strong wind. Hunters ask for his help before going for a shy and sensitive animal.
Lada
Most of the information about this goddess has been preserved. Lada is the female incarnation of the supreme god Rod. Her clothes are clouds, and the dew is tears. In the morning haze - the blanket of the goddess - the shadows of the dead are moving, which she leads into the underworld.
The main temple of the goddess stood on Lake Ladoga. The High Priestess was chosen very carefully. This can be compared to how the Dalai Lama is chosen. At first, the magi singled out the women most suitable for the role of the mother goddess. They should have been distinguished by intelligence, beauty, dexterity, strength and courage. Then their daughters, who have reached the age of five, were collected for the competition. Several winners became students of the Magi. For eight years they comprehended the intricacies of various fields of knowledge, sciences and crafts. At thirteen, they were again tested. The most worthy became the high priestess - the embodiment of Lada, and the rest served as her retinue.
Lada's sacrifices consisted of flowers woven into wreaths, and pancakes or fritters. They were burned at a ritual fire. It happened on the feast of Ladodania. The best young men and women lit torches from the sacrificial fire and, passing the baton, smashed throughout Russia. On the morning of the feast, the priestess made a speech. She went out to people dressed, in a wreath of the most beautiful flowers. It was believed that at this moment the goddess Lada herself entered her body and mouth. She talked about what awaits her fellow tribesmen, how they should live, what can and should be done, and what cannot. If she called the name of a person, then woe to him, if it was a censure. The whole clan turned against the rejected goddess. She could justify the innocently accused. Having finished the speech, the woman knelt down. It was a sign that the heavenly Lada had left the body of the priestess. The Magi put on her a beautiful dress, and the fun began.
Lada is primarily the patroness of women. Under her protection is the hearth, procreation and love. Some sources draw a parallel between the Slavic Lada and the Roman Venus.
Friday is a day dedicated to Lada. Women rested on Friday. It was believed that any business undertaken by a woman on this day of the week would back off, that is, slow down all other work.
Mokosh
Mokosh, or Makesha, is another goddess guarding the family hearth. Translated from Old Slavonic, her name means "full wallet." Mokosh is a deity of trade, final harvest, already existing fruits, their realization and the most proper use. The statue of the goddess is made holding a large horn. Her arms and head are larger than those of the average person, and disproportionate to the whole body. She is credited with managing the fruits of the earth. Therefore, another destination of Mokoshi is fate management.
Mokosh is of particular interest to weaving and spinning. The spinning of the thread in many beliefs is associated with the weaving of fate. They say that an unfinished tow can not be left overnight, or Mokosha will spoil the yarn, which means fate. In some northern regions, she was considered an evil goddess.
Paraskeva-Friday
Goddess Paraskeva-Friday is the successor to Mokoshi. She walks in a white dress. He patronizes trade and youth festivities with games, songs and dances. For this reason, Friday has long been a market day in Russia, when women cannot work. For disobedience, she can turn a naughty girl into a frog.
The goddess is responsible for the purity of water in the wells, helps to find underground keys. So that Paraskeva-Friday always helps, women sew pieces of a wool tow in their aprons.
Semargl
One of the most ancient and, so to speak, stable gods is Semargl. This god is one of the seven most revered. The origin of the name is shrouded in mystery. Another name, Pereput, seems more Russian, but its meaning has been lost over the past years. Smargl is the only god who has the appearance of an animal - a winged dog. He acts as an intermediary between people and gods. Semargle passes the sacrifice. He is the god of fire.
Once Semargl brought to the earth a branch of the tree of life. Since then, he took under his protection seeds and crops. He is the god of plant roots and knows how to heal diseases.
Chernobog
Forest thickets, swamps, pools and ponds with stagnant water are terrible. Many tales of the various evil spirits that inhabit them have been preserved by Ancient Russia.
Slavic gods are not all good and pleasant for Russian people. Such is Chernobog - the lord of the forces of evil, the god of darkness, disease and misery. In his hands is a spear, and his face is full of anger. He rules the night. And although Belobog confronts him, the unclean power subordinate to Chernobog is very numerous and insatiable. These are mermaids, dragging into the water pools, gobbies, confusing forest paths, capricious brownies, tricky banners.
Moraine
Morena, or Maruha, is the goddess of evil and death. She rules the cold winter, rainy night, during wars and epidemics of diseases. She is represented in the image of a scary woman with a black face, a bony body, a failed snub nose and long curved claws. Her servants are diseases. During the battle, she sticks to the wounded and drinks their blood. Morena never leaves herself. Perun drives her away. During the celebration of the meeting of the god Perun, the Slavs ruthlessly destroy the idol of Morena.
The penetration of Christianity into pagan rituals
There is an opinion that Christianity is less close to Russian than paganism. It is no coincidence that, for more than a thousand years, we have not outlived many ancient customs, such as: the celebration of Maslenitsa, wedding rituals, house pleasing, faith in a black cat, a woman with an empty bucket, etc. Nevertheless, the expediency of introducing a new religion no doubt. In the time of Prince Vladimir, who christened Russia, there was great disunity between individual principalities and tribes. Only a common ideology could reconcile everyone. Christianity has become such a bonding force. His rituals, the time of the holidays and fasts organically fit into the annual cycle of everyday affairs and everyday life, and Christian saints no less effectively help believers who have been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ in no less effective ways. The very word "Orthodoxy" came from Ancient Russia. The gods of the Slavs helped our ancestors no worse than Christian saints. Appeal to them was the right word, that is, Orthodoxy.
The rejection by many of us of the present form of Orthodoxy is the rejection of church officials who profit in an unrighteous way. In pre-Christian times, there were also priests who weaved intrigues and grew rich on offerings received by cunning.
The gods of Ancient Russia and the Slavs from time to time changed their functions and from good turned into evil, passed from one hypostasis to another. Their pedigree varied in many places. This created conflict situations. The great gods of Ancient Russia did not disappear anywhere, just as the one God, the creator of the whole world, did not disappear. They simply began to be called by other names - the names of Christian saints, and at the head of the divine pantheon was the Creator's son, Jesus Christ, who died martyrly on the cross in order to atone for our sins. He brought the New Testament - the law of people's love for each other. This was not before him. In earlier times, only physical strength resolved disputes. Correctly understanding and adopting this law is what we must learn and teach our children. If the pagan gods of Ancient Russia, the list of which with various incarnations and transformations, as well as broken down by locality, exceeds hundreds, often served as a cause of strife between separate genera, then Christian saints have never been the reason for disunity between Christians of different faiths.