What is paganism in ancient Russia. Paganism of Ancient Russia: the hierarchy of the gods, Slavic rites and amulets

History of Russia from ancient times to the beginning of the 20th century Froyanov Igor Yakovlevich

Paganism of the ancient Slavs

Religion Eastern Slavs was paganism. Its origins lie many millennia before the beginning of our era, and echoes persist to this day. The ideas of some researchers of the past that East Slavic paganism was a poor, colorless religion should now be abandoned. In East Slavic paganism, one can find all those stages that were characteristic of other pagan cults that existed among other peoples. The oldest layer is the worship of objects and phenomena of the immediate environment, which were woven into human life. Sources have survived to our time that testify to the worship of the ancient Slavs to such objects and phenomena. These are the so-called fetishism and animism. Echoes of such beliefs were worship, for example, stones, trees, groves. The cult of stone fetishes is very ancient. The object of worship was not only trees, but also the forest. Totemism was also widespread - this is the belief in the origin of the human race from some kind of animal. Along with the veneration of the oak, the Dnieper Slavs, for example, worshiped sacred animals - wild boars. The question of the totemic cult among the Eastern Slavs is rather complicated. It is possible that in a number of cases we are faced with the transformation of totemism into the cult of ancestors in the form of animals. The archaic layers of Russian folk tales testify to the existence of totemism among the Eastern Slavs.

A variation of the ancestral cult in the form of animals is werewolfism. So, in Russian epics, Volga hunts in the form of a falcon, turns into an ant. The Russian fairy tale makes extensive use of the motif of the transformation of a beautiful bride-maiden into a swan, a duck, a frog. The detachment of the spirit-"double" from the object to which it is inherent, along with totemism, gives rise to faith in the souls of the dead, as well as the cult of ancestors. Invisible spirits - the souls of ancestors and relatives, twins of fetishized objects and phenomena, objects of a totemic cult gradually "inhabit" the world surrounding the ancient Slav. The object itself is no longer the object of veneration. Worship refers to the spirit that lives in it, the demon. Not the object itself, but the spirit (demon) has a positive or negative impact on the course of events and on the fate of people. Paganism ascends to a new stage - the stage of polydemonism. Spirits, originally representing a homogeneous mass, are isolated. First of all, according to the habitat, becoming the "owner of the place." In the water element lived water and coastlines, the forest was the kingdom of the goblin or forest man, and field workers live in the fields in tall grass. In the dwelling, the “owner” of the brownie is a little hunchbacked old man.

Demonic beliefs brought the Eastern Slavs closer to the next stage - polytheism, that is, faith in the gods. Among the gods that were known in Russia, Perun stands out - the god of thunder, lightning and thunder. They also believed in Volos or Veles - the god of livestock, trade and wealth. His cult is very ancient. There were also Dazhbog and Khors - various incarnations of the solar deity. Stribog is the god of wind, whirlwind and blizzard. Mokosh, apparently, is the earthly wife of the Thunderer - Perun, who originates from the "mother of the damp earth." In ancient Russian times, she was the goddess of fertility, water, later the patroness of women's work and girlish fate.

Finally, Simargl is the only zoomorphic creature in the pantheon of ancient Russian gods (a sacred winged dog, possibly of Iranian origin). Simargl is a lower deity who guarded seeds and crops.

The shifts in East Slavic society, which are discussed below, led to pagan reforms. Archaeological research in Kyiv testifies that the pagan temple with the idol of Perun, originally located within the city fortifications, is transferred to a place accessible to all those arriving in the land of the meadows. Thus, Kyiv, being a political capital, turns into a religious center. Perun is nominated for the role of the main deity of all the Eastern Slavs. However, in 980 a new religious reform was undertaken - a pagan pantheon was built from the deities already known to us. “Setting idols” is an ideological action, with the help of which the Kyiv prince hoped to retain power over the conquered tribes.

Old Russian paganism was so widespread that even after the adoption of Christianity, in terms of worldview and practical actions, Ancient Russia was a pagan society with the formal existence of elements of the Christian faith and cult in it. Most of the pagan beliefs and customs continued to be observed without or with little introduction of Christian norms into them in subsequent times.

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The history of the pre-Christian beliefs of the Slavs has come down to us in the form of echoes of folk rituals, fairy tales and rare archaeological finds. Writing in Russia arose around the 9th century. n. e. Chronicle sources include the description of the marriage ceremonies of the Slavs by Nestor the chronicler in The Tale of Bygone Years and the description of the pantheon collected by Vladimir in 980.

The term paganism was introduced by later Christian theologians. The word itself comes from the ancient Slavic "language" - peoples, tribes. It is customary to call pagans all peoples who do not profess the three main (Abrahamic) world religions - Christianity, Judaism, Islam.

Slavic paganism was formed in the 2nd millennium BC, when our ancestors separated from the Indo-European group. Obviously, the beliefs of the peoples and tribes that inhabited Ancient Russia differed from each other. The traditional beliefs of Ancient Russia, like all ancient peoples, were worship of the forces of nature. It was on these forces that the very factor of survival of our ancestors depended. The sun, rain, nature surrounding man, fire became deified objects of veneration. The whole world around was filled with spirits, creatures from the world of the dead and gods.

The place of residence determined the name and properties of the spirit. A goblin lived in the forest - the owner of the thicket, an evil old man, the patron of forest animals and plants. The reservoirs were inhabited by water and waterwomen (mermaids) - insidious creatures seeking to drag a person to the depths. The owners of the fields - the field workers spoiled the crops, diverted the rains. In the dwellings, respectively, brownies lived, and in the baths - banniks. A good brownie keeps well-being in the family, an evil one spoils food and utensils. The female analogue of the brownie is a kikimora, a sloppy and ugly old woman, a petty dirty trick. As a rule, all these creatures were perceived by our ancestors as the spirits of dead people. This sends us to the cult of ancestors who magically participate in the life of descendants. So, one of the brightest spirits of Baba Yaga is the guardian of the border between the world of the living and the dead. Therefore, people cajoled the spirits, made offerings before the start of each important business.

Pagan gods of ancient Russia

Perhaps the only mention of a pagan temple in the annals we find in the "Tale of Bygone Years"

“And the beginning of Prince Volodimer in Kiev is one, and put idols on the hill, outside the courtyard of the tower: Perun is ancient, and his head is silver, and we are evil, and Kharsa and Dazhbog and Stribog and Smargl and Mokosh. And I zhryahu I call the gods "

These six gods were called the pantheon of Prince Vladimir.

Perun- God of thunder and lightning. Perun moved across the sky on a golden chariot drawn by winged horses. Since he was the patron god of the prince and his squad, he naturally became the eldest of the gods and head of the pantheon. Bulls were brought to him as a request. One of the attributes of Perun was considered an ax. Amulets in the form of axes were worn by the prince's combatants. The oak was also a symbol of Perun, a sign of strength and eternity. The princes swore by his name, concluding agreements. Perun's oaths are contained in prisoners after campaigns in 907, 945 and 971:

"... and Oleg and his husbands were taken to swear allegiance according to Russian law, and they swore by their weapons and Perun, their god, and Volos, the god of cattle, and approved the world."

Horse- the sun-god (according to another version - the god of the month, the "night sun"). They brought him pancakes (pancakes are similar in color and shape in the sun). On holidays dedicated to Khors, round dances were danced.

Dazhbog(Dazhdbog) - "giving prosperity", a solar deity, giving fertility. The patron saint of farmers. The author of "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" calls the Russians "Dazhdbozh's grandchildren."

Stribog- the patron saint of merchants and sailors, possibly the god of wind and air, this conclusion was made on the basis of a quote from "The Tale of Igor's Campaign": "Behold the winds, Stribozh's grandchildren, blow from the sea with arrows on Igor's brave plucks"

Simargl(Semargl) - a semi-divine character, perhaps a deity of the original fire, an intermediary between the world of people and the world of gods. Depicted as a winged dog.

Mokosh(Makosh) is the only female deity in the pantheon of Vladimir. Goddess of fate, abundance, fertility, family hearth, patroness of women. She also patronizes weavers, she spins the thread of fate of all living beings, people and gods.

But there were deities that were not included in the pantheon of Vladimir:

Veles- cattle god, one of the most revered gods among the Slavs. Unlike the god of the prince and the warriors of Perun, Veles is the deity of plowmen, cattle breeders, and merchants. His temple stood in Kyiv, below, on Podol near the trading piers of Pochaina. Patron of storytellers and poetry. His name was also sworn at the conclusion of contracts.

Svarog God of the sky and heavenly fire. There is a version that he was the supreme god of one of the tribal unions. God-smith, taught people to melt metals. The Ipatiev Chronicle claims that Svarog was the father of Dazhdbog.

Genus- more slavic god the creator of all living things. The patron of family and destiny. Mentioned with Rozhanitsy, spirits that determine the fate of a child at birth.

Lada- the goddess of youth, spring, beauty and love. The demand was laid to her in the form of a white rooster. According to some versions, she was the wife of Svarog, or his daughter.

temple

If communication with spirits and guardians among the Slavs took place daily at the household level, then the appeal to the gods required a special place. They became temples, pagan sanctuaries of the Russians. Since they were wooden, they have not survived to our time. Reconstructions of temples found by archaeologists are round platforms bounded by a moat and rampart. In the center is the idol of the deity to whom the temple is dedicated. Sometimes there are several idols of "younger" gods around him. The territory inside the temple was covered with clay, sand or stones. Numerous traces of fire and remains of coal indicate the burning of ritual fires. Finds of animal bones (and sometimes human skulls) indicate that sacrifices were made here or, as the ancestors said, they laid trebs.

Slavic priests - Magi - served in temples. They conveyed to the common people the will of the gods, were prophets, keepers of secret knowledge.

Rites of pre-Christian Russia

Pagan rites accompanied the Russian from birth to feast (funeral rite, feast in honor of the deceased).

V. M. Vasnetsov. Trizna according to Oleg. 1899

Many rituals of the ancient Russians have survived to this day. Shrovetide, Christmas mummers, fortune-telling, the night of Ivan Kupala, the offering of food to the graves of dead ancestors - all this came to us from the ancients.

In 988, the prince. The idols of the old gods were chopped up and burned, Perun was thrown into the Dnieper. From that moment on, paganism retreats before Christianity. It was a long and often bloody process. Until the 12th century, uprisings of the Magi and pagans broke out. Moreover, in 1534 Metropolitan Macarius wrote to Ivan the Terrible:

“In many Russian places, nasty idol prayer places were preserved, and until the reign of Grand Duke Vasily Ivanovich, they worship all creatures like a god and honor and sacrifice blood to demons - oxen and sheep and all cattle and poultry”

Vasily Ivanovich is the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III, father of Ivan the Terrible. He ruled from 1505 to 1533. Pagan holidays and rituals gradually merged into Christianity. There was a long period of dual faith, when official Christians in everyday life continued to make requests for household spirits and guardians. And even now, its echoes are heard in our lives, when a cat is the first to be let into a new home, they sit down “on the path”, leave food on the graves, commemorating the dead.

Literature:

Rybakov B.A. Paganism of Ancient Russia. M., 1988
Anichkov E. V. Paganism and ancient Russia. - St. Petersburg: Printing house of M. M. Stasyulevich, 1914.

This book is a direct continuation, as it were, of the second volume, of my study “Paganism of the Ancient Slavs”, published in 1981. In the first book, the author was primarily interested in the deep roots of those folk religious ideas that are covered by the vague term “paganism”.

In elucidating these roots and the depth of folk memory, it was necessary to widely use not only fragmentary information about the archaeological realities of antiquity, but also data from folk art and folklore of the 19th century. and medieval teachings against paganism, written in the XI-XIII centuries. These excursions to later eras served only one purpose - to help clarify the primary forms of mythology, its origins and, as far as possible, determine the time of the emergence of certain religious and mythological ideas. Deepening into the Paleolithic or Eneolithic was not an end in itself and by no means meant a complete and comprehensive outline of the ideas of these eras. It was important for the author to show that elements of the worldview of the deepest antiquity were preserved in the peasant environment of Russia until the 19th, and in some ways even until the beginning of the 20th century. This gave the right to widely use such precious material as ethnographic material for all intermediate epochs.

This second volume is devoted, firstly, to the analysis of East Slavic paganism throughout the entire 1st millennium of our era up to the meeting with Christianity; secondly, the complex symbiosis of the ancient folk religion with Christianity introduced from outside will be considered here.

The last stage in the development of the tribal system among the Eastern Slavs gave a lot of new things in the field of ideological ideas. Kievan Rus was created as a pagan state in which the religion of great-grandfathers reached its climax. With the adoption of Christianity, a kind of amalgam of old and new forms is created, called "dual faith".

Chronologically, this volume covers the time from the first mention of the Venedian Slavs by ancient authors in the 1st - 2nd centuries. n. e. before the Tatar invasion in 1237 - 1241.

East Slavic paganism on the eve of creation Kievan Rus and in its further coexistence with Christianity is reflected in a large number of materials that are sources for its study. First of all, these are authentic and accurately dated archaeological materials that reveal the very essence of the pagan cult: idols of the gods, sanctuaries, cemeteries without external ground signs ("fields of burials", "fields of funeral urns"), as well as with preserved mounds of ancient mounds. In addition, these are diverse products of applied art found in mounds, in treasures and simply in the cultural layers of cities, saturated with archaic pagan symbols. Of these, women's adornments are of the greatest value, often used as wedding sets in burial complexes and, for this reason, are especially rich in magical incantations and amulets-amulets. A peculiar, but very poorly studied remnant of pagan antiquity are the numerous names of tracts: "Holy Mountain", "Bald Mountain" (the residence of witches), "Holy Lake", "Holy Grove", "Peryn", "Volosovo", etc.

A very important source is the testimonies of contemporaries, recorded in the annals or in specially written teachings against paganism. Regarding the latter, it should be said that they are very different from the information of contemporaries about the Western Slavs. To the west, to the lands of the Baltic Slavs, missionaries went with the task of baptizing the local population and introducing them to the flock of the pope. The stories of Catholic bishops about Slavic pagan temples and rites were a kind of reporting to the Roman curia about the success of their apostolic work. The missionaries wrote according to the principle of contrasts: rampant, violent paganism with crowded festivities and bloody sacrifices, on the one hand, and splendor and humility after the success of preaching Christianity, on the other. The description of the pagan cult was one of the tasks of Western missionary bishops, and this makes their records especially valuable. Russian authors of the XI-XIII centuries. they did not describe paganism, but scourged it, did not list the elements of the pagan cult, but indiscriminately condemned all demonic actions, without going into details that could interest us, but were too well known to the environment to which the preachers addressed. Nevertheless, despite the indicated feature of Russian anti-pagan teachings, they are of undoubted value.

As for ethnography as such, as a science of the 19th-20th centuries, it should be said that without the involvement of the immense and highly valuable ethnographic and folklore material, the theme of paganism cannot be brought to an end.

With regard to Kievan Rus, we must say that those topics that can be so fully represented in the proposed ethnographic volume are not documented for the era of Kievan Rus or survived only fragmentarily. You can use the retrospective method in many cases, but this method has one weakness- we do not always know at what chronological depth we should stop in retrospection, where the exact scientific method ends and where the assumption begins.

A number of sections of the book "Paganism of the Ancient Slavs" are devoted to the search for these boundaries between the authentic and the alleged, in which the depth of memory of Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian peasants was clarified.

The identification of deep roots gives us the right to apply the method of extrapolation, i.e., the spread to Kievan Rus of those beliefs and forms of worship that are documented both for an earlier time and for a later one.

Considering the possibility of reliable extrapolation, we must also saturate our ideas about the paganism of ancient Russia with ideas about round dances, ritual songs, masquerades, children's games, and fairy tales. Almost all the wealth of East Slavic folklore recorded in the 19th century can be projected into the 1st millennium AD. e. and thereby bring our idea of that era closer to its real diversity and brilliance, which are completely insufficiently reflected by archeology or teachings against paganism.

For about a century and a half, Kievan Rus was a state with a pagan system, often opposed to the penetration of Christianity. In Kievan Rus IX - X centuries. an influential class of priests ("magicians") was formed, who led the rites, preserved the ancient mythology and developed thoughtful agrarian-incantational symbolism.

In the era of Svyatoslav, in connection with the wars with Byzantium, Christianity became a persecuted religion, and paganism was reformed and opposed to Christianity penetrating Russia: the so-called "Vladimir's Pantheon" was, on the one hand, a response to Christianity, and on the other hand, the assertion of princely power and domination of the feudal warrior class.

The performance of tribal ritual actions ("cathedrals", "events"), the organization of ritual actions, sanctuaries and grandiose princely mounds, the observance of the calendar terms of the annual ritual cycle, the storage, execution and creative replenishment of the fund of mythological and epic tales required a special priestly estate ("magi" , "sorcerers", "cloud chasers", "sorcerers", "indulgences", etc.). A century after the baptism of Russia, the Magi could, in some cases, win over an entire city to their side to oppose the prince or bishop (Novgorod). In the 980s, Greek Christianity found in Russia not a simple village quackery, but a significantly developed pagan culture with its own mythology, pantheon of the main deities, priests and, in all likelihood, with its own pagan chronicle of 912-980. The strength of pagan ideas in Russian feudal cities of the Middle Ages is evident, firstly, from numerous church teachings directed against pagan beliefs and pagan rites and festivals held in cities, and, secondly, from the pagan symbolism of applied art, which served not only ordinary people of the city. settlements, but also higher, princely circles (treasures of the 1230s). In the second half of the XII century. the pagan element was still fully expressed. The picture of the world of the then Russian townspeople was a combination of the scheme of Kozma Indikoplova with such archaic images.

From this article you will learn:

How paganism arose and developed in Ancient Russia

What gods existed in the paganism of Ancient Russia

What holidays and rituals were held in Ancient Russia

What charms, amulets and talismans were worn by the pagans of Ancient Russia

The paganism of Ancient Russia is a system of ideas about man and the world that existed in the ancient Russian state. It was this faith that was the official and predominant religion among the Eastern Slavs until the Baptism of Russia in 988. Despite the efforts made by the ruling elite, it was paganism that continued to be practiced until the middle of the 13th century. most of tribes that inhabited ancient Russia. Even after Christianity completely supplanted it, the traditions and beliefs of the pagans had and still have a significant impact on the culture, traditions and way of life of the Russian people.

The history of the emergence and development of paganism in Ancient Russia

The name “paganism” itself cannot be considered accurate, since this concept includes too much cultural layer. Nowadays, terms such as "polytheism", "totemism" or "ethnic religion" are more commonly used.

The term "paganism of the ancient Slavs" is used when it becomes necessary to designate the religious and cultural beliefs of all the tribes that lived on the territory of ancient Russia until the adoption of Christianity by these tribes. According to one of the opinions, the term "paganism", applied to the culture of the ancient Slavs, is based not on religion itself (polytheism), but on one language used by numerous, unrelated Slavic tribes.

The chronicler Nestor called the whole set of these tribes pagans, that is, tribes united by one language. To denote the features of the religious and cultural traditions of the ancient Slavic tribes, the term "paganism" began to be used somewhat later.

The beginning of the formation of Slavic paganism in Ancient Russia dates back to the 1st-2nd millennia BC, that is, to the times when the tribes of the Slavs began to separate from the tribes of the Indo-European group, settle in new territories and interact with the cultural traditions of their neighbors. It was the Indo-European culture that brought into the culture of the ancient Slavs such images as the god of thunder, the fighting squad, the god of cattle and one of the most important prototypes of mother earth.

Of great importance for the Slavs were the Celts, who not only introduced a number of certain images into the pagan religion, but also gave the very name "god", by which these images were designated. Slavic paganism has much in common with German-Scandinavian mythology, this includes the presence of motifs of the world tree, dragons and other deities that changed in accordance with the living conditions of the Slavs.

After the active separation of the Slavic tribes and their settlement in various territories, the paganism of Ancient Russia itself began to change, each tribe began to have elements inherent only to it. In the 6th-7th centuries, the differences between the religions of the Eastern and Western Slavs were quite tangible.

In addition, the beliefs inherent in the upper ruling strata of society and its lower strata often differed from each other. This is evidenced by the ancient Slavic chronicles. The beliefs of the inhabitants of large cities and small villages could be different.

As the centralized ancient Russian state was formed, Russia's ties with Byzantium and other states were developing more and more, at the same time paganism began to be questioned, persecutions began, the so-called teachings against the pagans. After the Baptism of Russia took place in 988 and Christianity became the official religion, paganism was practically ousted. And yet, even today you can find territories and communities that are inhabited by people professing ancient Slavic paganism.

Pantheon of gods in the paganism of Ancient Russia

Ancient Slavic God Rod

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, Rod was considered the supreme god, commanding everything that exists in the Universe, including all other gods. He headed the top of the pagan pantheon of gods, was the creator and ancestor. It was the almighty god Rod who influenced the entire cycle of life. It had no end, no beginning, it existed everywhere. This is how all existing religions describe God.

The family was subject to life and death, abundance and poverty. Despite the fact that he is invisible to everyone, no one can hide from his gaze. The root of the name of the main god permeates the speech of people, it can be heard in many words, it is present in birth, relatives, homeland, spring, harvest.

After the Family, the rest of the deities and spiritual essences of the paganism of Ancient Russia were distributed according to different levels, which corresponded to the degree of their impact on people's lives.

On the upper step were the gods who controlled global and national affairs - wars, ethnic conflicts, weather disasters, fertility and hunger, fertility and mortality.

The middle step was assigned to the deities responsible for local affairs. They patronized agriculture, crafts, fishing and hunting, and family care. Their image was similar to that of a person.

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, there were spiritual entities with a bodily appearance different from human, they were located on the stylobate of the pantheon base. It belonged to kikimors, ghouls, goblin, brownies, ghouls, mermaids and many others like them.

Actually, the Slavic hierarchical pyramid ends with spiritual entities, this distinguishes it from the ancient Egyptian one, in which there was also an afterlife inhabited by its own deities and subject to special laws.

God of the Slavs Khors and his incarnations

Khors in the paganism of Ancient Russia was the son of the god Rod and the brother of Veles. In Russia, he was called the sun god. His face was like a sunny day - yellow, radiant, dazzlingly bright.

Horse had four incarnations:

Dazhdbog;

Each of them operated in its season of the year, people turned to them for help using certain rites and rituals.

God of the Slavs Kolyada

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, the annual cycle began with Kolyada, its dominion began on the day of the winter solstice and continued until the day of the spring equinox (from December 22 to March 21). In December, the Slavs, with the help of ritual songs, greeted the young Sun and praised Kolyada, the celebrations continued until January 7 and were called Svyatki.

At this time, it was customary to slaughter livestock, open pickles, and carry supplies to the fair. The entire period of Christmas time was famous for its gatherings, plentiful feasts, fortune-telling, fun, matchmaking and weddings. "Doing nothing" at this time was a legitimate pastime. At this time, it was also supposed to show mercy and generosity to the poor, for which Kolyada was especially supportive of benefactors.

God of the Slavs Yarilo

Otherwise, in the paganism of Ancient Russia, he was called Yarovit, Ruevit, Yar. The ancient Slavs described him as a young solar god, a barefoot young man sitting on a white horse. Where he turned his gaze, crops sprouted; where he passed, grasses began to sprout. His head was crowned with a wreath woven from ears, with his left hand he held a bow with arrows, with his right he held the reins. He began to rule on the day of the vernal equinox and ended on the day of the summer solstice (from March 22 to June 21). By this time, people's household supplies were coming to an end, and there was still a lot of work to be done. When the sun turned back, the tension in the work subsided, then the time of Dazhdbog came.

God of the Slavs Dazhdbog

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, he was called Kupala or Kupail in another way, he was the god of the Sun with the face of a mature man. Dazhdbog ruled from the summer solstice to the autumn equinox (from June 22 to September 23). Due to the hot labor season, celebrations in honor of this god were postponed to July 6-7. That night, the Slavs burned a effigy of Yarila on a huge fire, the girls jumped over the fire and let wreaths woven from flowers float on the water. Both boys and girls were busy looking for a flowering fern that fulfills wishes. There were also many worries at that time: it was necessary to mow the grass, prepare supplies for the winter, repair houses, prepare the sleigh for the winter season.

God of the Slavs Svarog

Svarog, otherwise he was called Svetovid, took over the baton of power from Dazhdbog. The sun was sinking lower and lower towards the horizon, the Slavs represented Svarog in the form of a tall, gray-haired, strong old man. His eyes were turned to the north, in his hands he clutched a heavy sword, designed to disperse the forces of darkness. Svetovid was the husband of the Earth, the father of Dazhdbog and other gods of nature. He ruled from September 23 to December 21, this time was considered a time of satiety, peace and prosperity. People during this period did not have any special worries and sorrows, they organized fairs, played weddings.

Perun - god of thunder and lightning

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, the god of war Perun occupied a special place, with his right hand he squeezed a rainbow sword, with his left he held lightning arrows. The Slavs said that clouds were his hair and beard, thunder - his speech, wind - his breath, raindrops - fertilizing seed. He was the son of Svarog (Svarozhich) with a difficult temper. He was considered the patron saint of brave warriors and all those who made efforts for hard work, endowed them with strength and good luck.

Stribog - the god of the wind

Stribog in the paganism of Ancient Russia was revered as a god commanding other deities of the elemental forces of nature (Whistle, Weather and others). He was considered the master of the winds, hurricanes and snowstorms. He could be very kind and very evil. If he was angry and blew his horn, then the elements were in earnest, but when Stribog was in a good-natured mood, the foliage simply rustled, streams murmured, the breeze swayed the branches of trees. The sounds of nature formed the basis of songs and music, musical instruments. Prayers were offered to him for the end of the storm, he helped hunters to pursue sensitive and shy animals.

Veles - pagan god of wealth

Veles was revered as the god of agriculture and cattle breeding. He was also considered the god of wealth (he was called Volos, the Month). The clouds obeyed him. In his youth, Veles himself tended the heavenly sheep. In anger, he could send heavy rains to the ground. And today, after finishing the harvest, people leave one collected sheaf for Veles. His name is used when you need to swear honesty and devotion.

Lada - goddess of love and beauty

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, she was revered as the patroness of the hearth. The snow-white clouds were her clothes, the morning dew were her tears. In the wee hours, she helped the shadows of the dead to pass into the other world. Lada was considered the earthly incarnation of Rod, the high priestess, the mother goddess, surrounded by a retinue of young servants.

The Slavs described Lada as smart, beautiful, bold and dexterous, flexible in body, speaking flattering voices. People turned to Lada for advice, she talked about how to live, what to do and what not to do. She condemned the guilty, justifying those who were accused in vain. In ancient times, the goddess had a temple erected on Ladoga, but now she lives in the blue of the sky.

God of the Slavs Chernobog

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, many legends were composed about swamp evil spirits, only a part of them have survived to this day. The patron of evil spirits was the powerful god Chernobog, he commanded the dark forces of evil and whims, serious illnesses and bitter misfortunes. He was considered the god of darkness, who lived in terrible forest thickets, ponds covered with duckweed, deep pools and marshy swamps.

With anger, Chernobog, the ruler of the night, clutched a spear in his hand. He commanded numerous evil spirits - goblin who tangled forest paths, mermaids who dragged people into deep pools, cunning banniki, vipers and insidious ghouls, capricious brownies.

God of the Slavs Mokosh

Mokosh (Makesh) in the paganism of Ancient Russia was called the goddess of trade, she was a likeness of the ancient Roman Mercury. In the language of the Old Slavs, mokosh meant "full purse." The goddess profitably disposed of the harvest.

Another purpose of Mokosh was considered to be the management of fate. She was interested in spinning and weaving; with the help of spun threads, she wove human destinies. Young housewives were afraid to leave unfinished yarn for the night, it was believed that Mokosha could ruin the tow, and with it the fate of the girl. Northern Slavs attributed Mokosha to unkind goddesses.

God of the Slavs Paraskeva-Friday

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa was the concubine of Mokosh, who made her a goddess, who was subject to riotous youth, gambling, drinking parties with vulgar songs and obscene dances, as well as dishonest trade. For this reason, it was Friday in Ancient Russia that for a long time was a market day. Women at that time were not supposed to work, because Paraskeva, who disobeyed, could be turned by the goddess into a cold toad. The ancient Slavs believed that Paraskeva could poison the water in wells and underground springs. In our time, it is almost forgotten.

God of the Slavs Morena

In the paganism of the ancient Slavs, the goddess Marukha, or otherwise Morena, was considered the ruler of evil, incurable diseases and death. It was she who was the cause of fierce winters in Russia, rainy nights, epidemics and wars. She was represented as a terrible woman, who had a dark wrinkled face, deep sunken little eyes, a sunken nose, a bony body and the same hands with long curved nails. She had ailments in her servants. Maruha herself did not leave, she could be driven away, but she returned anyway.

The lower deities of the ancient Slavs

Animal deities.

In those days, when the ancient Slavs were mostly engaged in hunting, and not agriculture, they believed that wild animals were their progenitors. The pagans believed that these were powerful deities that needed to be worshiped.

Each tribe had its own totem, in other words, a sacred animal for worship. Some tribes believed that the Wolf was their ancestor. This animal was revered as a deity. His name was considered sacred, it was impossible to pronounce it aloud.

The owner of the pagan forest was considered the Bear - the most powerful animal. The Slavs believed that it was he who was able to protect against any evil, in addition, he patronized fertility - for the Slavs, spring came when the bears woke up from hibernation. Almost until the 20th century, bear paws were kept in peasant houses, they were considered talismans that protect their owners from illness, witchcraft and various misfortunes. In the paganism of Ancient Russia, they believed that bears were endowed with great wisdom, they knew almost everything: the name of the beast was used when pronouncing oaths, and a hunter who dared to break an oath was doomed to die in the forest.

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, herbivorous animals were also revered. The most respected was Olenikha (Moose Elk), the Slavs considered her the goddess of fertility, sky and sunlight. The goddess was represented with horns (unlike ordinary female deer), which symbolized the sun's rays. For this reason, the Slavs believed that deer antlers were amulets that could protect against various evil spirits; they were hung over the entrance to a dwelling or inside a hut.

It was believed that the heavenly goddesses - the Deer - could send newborn deer to the earth, which fell from the clouds like rain.

Of the domestic animals, the Horse was the most revered in the paganism of Ancient Russia. This was explained by the fact that for a long time the tribes that inhabited modern Europe and Asia led not a sedentary, but a nomadic lifestyle. Therefore, the golden horse, rushing through the sky, was for them the personification of the sun. And later there was also a myth about the god of the sun, who crossed the sky on his chariot.

domestic deities.

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, there were not only spirits that inhabited forests and reservoirs. The beliefs of the Slavs extended to domestic deities, they were well-wishers and well-wishers, who were led by brownies who lived under the stove or in a bast shoes, which were hung over the stove especially for them.

Brownies were considered the patrons of the economy. They helped diligent owners to multiply the good, and as a punishment for laziness they could send trouble. The Slavs believed that livestock enjoyed special attention from brownies. So, they combed the tails and manes of the horses (but if the brownie was angry, then, on the contrary, he could confuse the animal’s hair into tangles), they could increase the milk yield of cows (or, conversely, take away their milk), life and health depended on them newborn livestock. Therefore, the Slavs sought to appease the brownies in every possible way, offering them various treats and performing special ceremonies.

In addition to the belief in brownies, in the paganism of Ancient Russia they believed that relatives who had gone to another world helped the living. These beliefs were closely intertwined, so the image of the brownie was inextricably linked with the stove, the hearth. The Slavs believed that the souls of newborns come into our world through the chimney, and the souls of the dead leave through it.

People imagined a brownie in the form of a bearded man with a hat on his head. His figurines were carved from wood, they were called "chura", and, in addition to domestic deities, personified the deceased ancestors.

The Slavs, who lived in the north of Ancient Russia, believed that not only brownies, but also courtyards, cattlemen and kutny gods provided them with household help (the habitat of these well-wishers was a barn, they took care of livestock, and as an offering people left them bread and cottage cheese), as well as barns that guarded stocks of grain and hay.

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, the bath was considered an unclean place, and the deities living in it - banniks - were attributed to evil spirits. They cajoled them, leaving them brooms, soap and water, besides, they brought sacrifices to the banniks - a black chicken.

Even after Christianity became the official religion in Russia, belief in "small" gods persisted. First of all, they were revered less explicitly than the gods of heaven, earth and nature. The minor deities did not have sanctuaries, and people performed rituals designed to appease them in the family circle. In addition, the Slavs believed that the "small" gods constantly live next to them, they constantly communicated with them, and therefore, despite all the efforts of the church, they revered household deities in order to ensure their family and their home well-being and safety.

Deities are monsters.

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, the Slavs considered the lord of the underworld and underwater worlds, the Serpent, to be one of the most formidable monster deities. He was represented as a powerful and hostile monster, which can be found in the myths and traditions of almost all peoples. The ideas of the ancient Slavs about him have come down to our days in fairy tales.

The pagans of the north revered the Serpent - the lord of underground waters, his name was Lizard. Shrines of the Lizard were located among swamps, on the banks of lakes and rivers. Its coastal shrines were characterized by a perfectly round shape, it symbolized perfection, opposing order to the formidable all-destroying power of this deity.

For sacrifices to the Lizard, they used not only black chickens, which were thrown into the swamps, but also young girls. These beliefs are reflected in fairy tales and legends.

For all the Slavic tribes who worshiped the Lizard, he was the absorber of the sun.

Over time, the nomadic lifestyle of the ancient Slavs was replaced by a sedentary one, people moved from hunting to agriculture. This transition also affected many myths and religious customs of the Slavs. Ancient rites softened, losing their cruelty, human sacrifices were replaced by rites of sacrificing animals, and then completely stuffed animals. In the paganism of Ancient Russia, the gods of the time of agriculture were much kinder to people.

Sanctuaries and priests in the paganism of Ancient Russia

The Slavs had a complex system of pagan beliefs and an equally complex system of cults. The "small" deities did not have priests and sanctuaries, people prayed to them one by one or gathered in families, communities, tribes. In order to honor the "high" gods, more than one tribe gathered, people created special temple complexes, chose priests who were able to communicate with the deities.

For a long time, the Slavs chose mountains for their prayers, and “bald” mountains, on the tops of which trees did not grow, enjoyed special reverence in the paganism of Ancient Russia. At the top of the hills, "temples" were arranged, that is, places where a drop - an idol was installed.

Around the temple, a shaft was poured, shaped like a horseshoe, on top of which they burned sacred bonfires - thieves. In addition to the inner rampart, there was another one that marked the outer border of the sanctuary. The space formed between them was called a treasury, it was here that the pagans of ancient Russia used sacrificial food.

Ritual feasts assumed that people and gods ate together. Feasts were held both in the open air and in structures specially erected on the haunt, they were called mansions (temples). Initially, only ritual feasts were held in the temples.

Very few pagan idols of Ancient Russia have survived to this day. Their small number is primarily due to the fact that most of them were made of wood. The Slavs used wood for their idols, not stone, because they believed that it had a special magic power. In the paganism of Ancient Russia, wooden sculptures combined both the sacred power of wood and the power of the deity himself.

Pagan priests were called Magi. They were called upon to perform rituals in sanctuaries, create idols and sacred objects, and with the help of magic spells, they asked the gods to send abundant harvests.

For a long time, the ancient Slavs believed that there were cloud wolves that soared into the sky and dispersed the clouds or called for rain in dry times. The priests influenced the weather with the help of a special bowl (charm) that was filled with water. Spells were read over it, and the water was then used to sprinkle crops. The Slavs believed that such actions help increase the harvest.

The Magi knew how to make amulets, that is, special jewelry for men and women, on which spell symbols were written.

Holidays and rituals in the paganism of the ancient Slavs in Russia

Since ancient times, people have been interested in the ability to influence various natural phenomena. Cold snowy winter or dry summer many were threatened with difficult survival. By all means, the Slavs had to hold out until the onset of heat, to achieve a harvest. That is why the basis of the paganism of Ancient Russia was the seasons. Their influence on the life and life of people was enormous.

Pagan holidays, ceremonies and rituals were aimed at arousing the favor of the mighty forces of nature, so that they would allow a weak person to get what he wanted. Cheerful songs and dances were obligatory attributes of the meeting of spring and nature awakening from hibernation.

Winter, summer, autumn - every season deserved to be celebrated. The beginning of each season was the point of the calendar year that influenced the conduct of agricultural work, construction, and the performance of rituals aimed at strengthening friendship, love, and family well-being. These days were used to plan work for the coming season.

The months of the years were named in such a way that their main feature was reflected in the name (January - prosinets, February - lute, April - pollen). Each month has its own holidays.

The beginning of the January holidays in the paganism of Ancient Russia was given by Turitsa - on behalf of the Tour (son of Veles). This day (January 6) testified to the end of the winter holidays, at the same time they performed the ceremony of initiation into men. Then came the time of the feast of Babi Kash (January 8) - at this time all women and midwives were praised.

On the day of the abductions, which fell on January 12, rituals were performed to help protect and protect girls and women. To glorify the revived Sun and healing water, there was a holiday - Prosinets. There was also a day in January when it was supposed to appease brownies - people entertained them, sang songs.

There were five February holidays in the paganism of ancient Russia. In Gromnitsa one could hear thunder peals. Veles Day was celebrated on February 11 - from that moment the cold weather began to disappear, and spring and warmth were approaching. The Candlemas was celebrated on February 15 - the Slavs believed that on this day the snowy winter gives way to spring. On this day, the Yerzovka doll was burned and the spirits of the Sun and Fire were released. February 16 was Repair Day, when it was necessary to repair all inventory that had become unusable in a year. And on February 18 - the day of Remembrance - the soldiers who died in battles were commemorated.

The first month of spring in the paganism of Ancient Russia was marked by six holidays, among which were the feast of the Invocation of Spring and Maslenitsa (March 20-21). During Maslenitsa, it was necessary to burn the Marena doll, which personified winter. The Slavs believed that this rite entails the departure of winter.

There were many holidays in the summer. In June, Rusal celebrated the week, Kupalo, Snake Day, Bathing suit. In July, only one day was festive - July 12, when the day of the Sheaf of Veles was celebrated. On Perun's Day, which fell in the paganism of Ancient Russia in August, the warriors had to perform a special ritual with their weapons, after which they brought victory in battles. August 15 was the day of Spozhinok, at which time the last sheaves were cut. On August 21, the day of Stribog came - the Slavs asked the lord of the winds to save the harvest and not demolish the roofs of houses.

The paganism of Ancient Russia also had its own holidays in the autumn months. On September 8, on the day of the Family or the Mother of God, the family was honored. On the day of the Volkh Fiery, they began to harvest the autumn harvest. September 21 - the day of Svarog - was a holiday of artisans. November 25, the day of Marena, the ground was covered with snow.

The December holidays were Karachun, Kolyada, Shchedrets. During Kolyada and Shchedrets, various performances were staged on the streets and preparations for the new year began.

Among the pagan rites of ancient Russia are known:

A wedding ceremony that included a ritual of dressing, and on the day of the wedding itself, the kidnapping of the bride and her ransom. The bride's mother had to bake a kurnik and take it to the groom's hut. And the groom was supposed to bring a rooster to the bride's parents. At the time when the newlyweds were being married around the old oak tree, the wedding bed was being prepared in the groom's hut. As required by the paganism of Ancient Russia, a large and generous feast usually ended with merrymaking.

The rite of naming was performed if a person needed to be given a Slavic name.

Children under the age of seven were subjected to the rite of tonsure. It was believed that at the end of the ritual, the babies passed from the care of their mother to the care of their father.

With the help of rituals dedicated to the beginning of the construction of a house, they fought with evil spirits that prevented the owners or interfered with the construction through natural phenomena.

The rite of Trizna consisted in the glorification of the soldiers who fell on the battlefield, during the rite they resorted to songs, competitions, games.

As the understanding of the world by the ancient Slavs changed, so did their funeral rites.

The turning point occurred in the Proto-Slavic times, when the burial of the twisted corpses was replaced by the burning of the dead and the burial of their ashes.

Giving the bodies of the dead a crooked pose was supposed to imitate the pose of babies in the mother's womb; ropes were used to give the corpses this position. The relatives of the deceased believed that they were preparing him for the next birth on earth, in which he would reincarnate into some living being.

In the paganism of Ancient Russia, the idea of reincarnation was based on the idea of a life force existing separately from a person, which gave a single physical appearance to the living and the dead.

The dead were buried in a twisted form until the Bronze Age was replaced by the Iron Age. Now the dead were given an elongated position. However, the most significant change in the funeral rite is cremation - the complete burning of corpses.

During excavations, archaeologists have come across both forms of ancient commemoration of the dead.

Cremation in the paganism of Ancient Russia brings to the first place new idea, according to which the souls of the ancestors are in heaven and contribute to celestial phenomena (such as rain, snow) for the benefit of those who remain on earth. After the burning of the body of the deceased, when his soul went to the souls of his ancestors, the Slavs buried his ashes in the ground, believing that in this way they provide the advantages characteristic of ordinary burial.

Among the elements included in the funeral rites are burial mounds, burial structures, representing a human dwelling, burial of ashes in a simple pot, from those that were used for food.

During excavations in the pagan burial mounds of the ancient Slavs, pots and bowls of food were often found. Pots for cooking from the first fruits were revered as sacred objects. This type of dishes in the paganism of Ancient Russia symbolized the benefits, satiety. Most likely, the beginning of this symbolism dates back to the times when agriculture and the use of clay utensils were born.

Speaking about the connection between the sacred pots for the first fruits and the urns for the ashes, one cannot but recall the anthropomorphic stove-vessels. These are small vessels of a simple shape, to which cylindrical or truncated-conical oven-trays were attached with round smoke holes and an arched recess at the bottom, which made it possible to fire with a torch or coal.

The pots that the ancient Slavs used to boil the first fruits during a special celebration in honor of the gods of heaven were the very link that connected the god of heaven, the god of fruitful clouds and cremated ancestors, whose souls were not reborn on earth in the guise of living beings, but remained in heaven.

The rite of cremation arose almost at the same time as the separation of the Proto-Slavs from the Indo-European tribes took place in the 15th century. BC, and existed in ancient Russia for 270 years before the reign of Vladimir Monomakh.

The burial in the paganism of Ancient Russia took place as follows. A funeral pyre was formed, on which the deceased was laid, then a regular circle was outlined, a narrow deep ditch was dug around its perimeter and a fence was built from twigs and straw. The fire and smoke from the burning fence did not allow the participants in the ceremony to see how the deceased burned inside the circle. It is believed that the burial mass of firewood and the regular circumference of the ritual fence that separated the world of the dead and the living were called "steal".

The pagan traditions of the Eastern Slavs suggested that at the same time as the deceased, animals, not only domestic, but also wild, should be burned.

The custom, according to which dominoins were supposed to be erected over the graves of Christians, survived until the beginning of the last century.

Amulets, amulets and talismans in the paganism of Ancient Russia

According to the ancient Slavs, charms or amulets, on which there was an image of a revered deity, made it possible to cope with problems and achieve what was desired. And today these items have their value, it is only important to use them correctly.

In Ancient Russia, everyone had amulets and amulets: both old people and babies. Natural phenomena frightened, illnesses and family troubles upset. People wanted to have influence on what was going on around them. So the gods and beliefs in them appeared.

The gods had their own spheres of influence, and their images and symbols were sacred. The deities were depicted on small objects that could not be parted with. Carrying his amulet with him, the man believed that strong and wise celestials helped him in this world.

The meanings of talismans in the paganism of Ancient Russia became known thanks to archaeological excavations. The sources of information about the life and customs of the ancient Slavs were bronze or metal household items.

And, although almost everyone has heard of pagan amulets and charms or pagan talismans, not everyone knows that these concepts are not identical.

amulets- items intended to be worn by a specific person, which contained positive or negative energy. They were painted, depicting symbols of deities or natural phenomena on them. In order for them to be useful, they had to be charged with the help of higher powers. In the culture of the ancient Slavs, amulets that were made by a mother, sister or beloved woman were especially important.

amulets were items or spells used to ward off evil forces. They could not only be carried with you, but also placed in houses, then they were able to protect the family from evil encroachments. Amulets were not charged, this was their main difference from amulets. They were originally able to protect their carrier. Spells or appeals to the gods could also protect a person.

Talismans considered objects that bring good luck. They were charged, but still they owed their action to faith. These things were made on purpose, they could be children's toys or something that was donated by a loved one.

The main purpose of amulets, amulets and talismans in the paganism of Ancient Russia was the protection of the gods. The symbols on them were great importance in the culture of the Slavs.

Depending on the goals for which they were created, the pagan amulets of Ancient Russia helped in solving the following tasks:

protected from an unkind look;

provided protection for deceased ancestors;

guarded the dwelling from hostile forces and uninvited guests;

helped in protection against illnesses;

attracted luck and wealth.

On pagan amulets and amulets depicted a swastika, celestial bodies, images of the gods. Some amulets that protected from the evil eye or patronized the family could be worn by both men and women. However, in the paganism of Ancient Russia there were also such symbols that were applied only to male or only to female amulets.

Symbols for women's amulets and talismans

Women in labor - were an interlacing of rectangular patterns. These symbols were applied to the amulet of a woman dreaming of a child. After she became pregnant, it had to be worn until childbirth. Then this item was hung near the baby's cradle, so the strength of the whole family protected the baby.

Lunnitsa - the image of an inverted month symbolized female prudence, humility and patience in the paganism of Ancient Russia.

Yarila - with the help of signs and symbols they depicted the pagan god Yarila. The ancient Slavs believed that amulets, symbolizing the god of the sun, were able to preserve love and prevent feelings from cooling down. Although this item was intended for couples in love, it was usually worn by girls.

Mokosh - the symbols denoted the goddess Makosh, designed to strengthen the power of the clan. With the help of these amulets and amulets, peace and harmony were maintained in the houses.

Odolen-grass - a sacred grass that protected from dark forces and enemies. Signs symbolizing her were applied to protective amulets.

Molvinets - guarded the family from troubles, was depicted in the form of a rhombus. A charm with such an image was presented to pregnant women for a safe resolution of the burden and the birth of a healthy baby.

Wedding - in the paganism of Ancient Russia, it was four intertwined rings. A charm with this symbol was given to brides and young wives - the keepers of the hearth. He protected families from adversity and helped save love.

Lada-Bogoroditsa - pagan talismans with her were worn by young girls who dreamed of love and a happy marriage.

Symbols for male amulets and talismans

Veles seal - was a pattern with rounded weaves, which was applied to the amulets of gambling men. This item protected its owner from troubles and failures.

Hammer of Perun - in the paganism of Ancient Russia, it was a generic sign of men, guarding the clan along the male line, not allowing it to be interrupted, conveying the wisdom of the ancestors.

Sign of Vseslavets - protected the house from fire. Nowadays, the amulet helps protect against disagreements.

The sign of the Dukhobor - such items gave men spiritual power, strength and helped to improve themselves.

Symbols of Kolyadnik - in Ancient Russia they helped in battles, in our time they help to defeat rivals or competitors.

The Slavic tradition is rich in rituals, beautiful holidays, powerful symbols. If you also want to celebrate the holidays of your ancestors, conduct traditional rituals and use village incantations, know signs and songs, use Slavic amulets, you cannot do without reliable sources of knowledge and some preparation.