Gods of the ancient Slavs ... What were they like? What did our ancestors believe and worship?
I want to talk about all this in my article.
Beliefs and mythology of the ancient Slavs
The gods of the ancient Slavs, who were part of the so-called pagan pantheon, belonged, as a rule, to one of two types: some of them were considered sunny, others are now called functional. Svarog, often also called the god Rod , was considered supreme .
Four ancient deities are referred to the solar gods: Khorsa, Yaril, Dazhbog and Svarog. And the functional pantheon included Perun, Semargl, Veles and Stribog.
The Slavs also had their holidays. For example, they noted a change in both the seasons and the solar phases. The ancient Slavic gods were responsible for these changes. Each for his own: Horse for spring, Yarilo for summer, Dazhbog for autumn, and finally Svarog for winter. It was in their “own” seasons that they were especially revered. Such a tradition in Russia had rather deep roots. By the way, one cannot fail to note the fact that after the Baptism of Rus, the gods of the ancient Slavs were not completely forgotten, but continued to be venerated en masse, but already under the guise of Orthodox saints familiar to us.
Solar gods of the ancient Slavs.
- The god of fire Svarog was considered supreme in the entire Slavic pantheon. In addition, he was also revered as the god of Heaven and the founder of life in general. According to legend, he once changed his gender and became a parent for a whole cohort of deities: Perun, Dazhbog and Semargl, endowing them with his fiery nature. According to the legend, possession of fire, metal processing and the creation of chariots, ticks and a plow by people are all the merits of the god Svarog. The ancient Slavs believed that it was he who awarded them with knowledge and presented laws that must be followed. A little later, Svarog passes the reins of government to his sons - the young Khors, Yaril and Dazhbog, so they also became known as solar or fiery.
- The sun god of Horse was often identified with a circle, fire, flame, or red in general. December 22, the day of the winter solstice, the Slavs celebrated the birthday of the god Khors. In general, he was a male deity, able to inspire both boys and adult men to spiritual growth, knowledge and overcoming difficulties.
- Yarilo was considered the god of conception, spring light and nature awakening in the spring. He was often identified with love and the birth of offspring. The ancient Slavs saw Yarilo in the image of a young guy, cheerful, full of health, taking part in all the festivities and seeking to find a wife. Yarilo expelled from the earth cold and winter.
- A fertility god named Dazhbog personified the power of light and any warmth. The ancient Slavs expected from him the fulfillment of desires, recovery, strength and other benefits. Symbols of Dazhbog were considered two glowing and light metals: silver and gold. He pleased with the rain, scared thunderstorms and hail and awarded a plentiful autumn harvest.
Functional gods of the ancient Slavs
- Veles is the master and master of wildlife, considered the patron saint of all travelers and the ruler of all the unknown. Also, farmers and herders attributed to him the care of livestock, and traders asked to bring wealth. Veles lived on the island of Buyan, wrote poetry and controlled the souls of the dead, either sending them to the Sun or leaving them on the Moon.
- But Semargl was considered the god of death. The ancient Slavs often depicted him as a winged wolf. He traveled in the company of the dog Cerberus.
- The god Perun, now known to any student, was not only the patron saint of warriors, but also the god of such natural elements as thunder and lightning. In the very first spring days, it was Perun who came to the earth, irrigating it with heavy rains and removing the long-awaited sun from winter clouds. Awakened and again revived nature. By the way, the gods of the ancient Slavs could also be bloodthirsty. Here, for example, it was customary for Perun to sacrifice animals, prisoners, and even children. An oak was dedicated to this deity, from which, according to legend, he made fire. The image of Perun itself was quite spectacular: a middle-aged man with silver locks of hair and a golden mustache and beard. The main weapon of Perun is stones, various kinds of axes and arrows. A warlike god, isn't it? According to legend, it was he who gave our ancestors a shield.
- Stribog has always been considered the god of wind and air currents. The very essence of Stribog is very ambiguous: being the master of the elements, he is able to bring moisture, but at the same time it is his fault that floods, hurricanes and droughts occur, and as a result of all this - death.