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ROD - Slavic God. The Supreme Almighty, the Almighty God is the beginning and cause of everything living and non-living in this world, he is in everyone, from here there are such Native and important words for every Slav as MOTHERLAND, NATURE, SPRING, etc. It identifies many Gods and Ancestors, it is one and many at the same time, when we remember all our ancestors: Fathers, Grandfathers, Great-grandfathers and Great-great-grandfathers, we say - this is our ROD. The genus is the most revered of the Slavic gods, and its image is the strongest amulet.

BelBog is the bright hypostasis of the supreme God of the Slavs of the Sort, the embodiment of light. God of good luck and happiness, embodying the universal forces of conservation and creation. He is the God of a bright and spring day, Happy life. Previously, our ancestors, the Slavs, did not start any serious business without glorifying Belobog. He is also considered the giver of wealth and fertility.

Svarog is the God of Heaven, the lord and father of the rest of the bright Gods.
Svarog is the patron and creator of heavenly and earthly fire, the patron and progenitor of the entire Slavic Family.
Svarog - God the blacksmith who created the obvious world, the visible universe (hence the word: “bung”, i.e. create, create something). Svarog sends the sun's rays to the earth, making it fertile, nourishes and warms the flora and fauna.

Lada - The female hypostasis of the Family. Goddess of love, beauty, marriage, abundance. In the name of Lada, the ancient Slavs called not only the original goddess of love, but also the whole system of life - Lad, where everything should be harmonious and fine.
The wife called her beloved Lado, and he called her his Ladushka.

Svetovid - many Slavic tribes honored Svetovid as the god of victories and war. A special feast was dedicated to Svyatovid - the name day of the barn, and they were celebrated only in the fall. Therefore, along with this, he was also recognized as the god of fertility; prayers were sent to him for an abundance of earthly fruits and prosperity in the house and in the Family!

Perun God - Thunderer, Slavic warrior, by his will prevents the forces of Darkness from destroying the Light, keeping the Forces of Reveal and Navi in ​​balance. This is God connecting the Earth and Sky with his Fiery Arrows, chasing evil spirits with strong lightning, and golden - fertilizing the fields. Perun is the god of thunder and just power, the protector of the Slavic lands and the patron of fearless warriors, the son of the God Svarog and the Goddess Lada. His path is the path of righteousness, alien to all wickedness and lies. Whoever follows him will certainly receive immortal glory and great power.

Makosh (Mokosh) - Great Goddess. She possesses the secret of Rule, the secret of the Destiny of all living on this earth. Both people and Gods obey her orders. She patronizes women in their household chores. Also, all divination and fortune-telling cannot do without Makosh, here she is revealed as the “Mother of the Lot” and the “Goddess of Fate”, fortune-telling, magic, to be under the auspices of this Goddess.
Makosh is a spinner, she spins the threads of fate into a ball, and, depending on our actions, weaves Share (good deeds) and lack (bad deeds and actions) into our ball of fate.
Makosh is also the patroness of marriage and family happiness, for one of the special secrets trusted only by Makosh was dreams of a betrothed.

Veles is one of the greatest gods of the ancient world, the God of wisdom and wealth, prophetic and Great.
Veles is the giver of earthly blessings and riches, the trustee of tillers and merchants.
He is the spiritual mentor of the wise magicians and storytellers, the patron of travelers, shamans and magicians. Veles is also the owner of Navi, the guide of human souls to another other world, the keeper of the ancient knowledge of the Vedas and the paths to the three worlds: Reality, Nav, Rule - Earth, Underground, Heaven. Depicted in a hat with horns or a horned helmet with a staff and a cornucopia in his hands.

Dazhdbog (Dazhbog) - Slavic God of white light, sun and heat. The giver of all blessings and the keeper of life on earth (hence his name Dazhdbog - the Giving God). Dazhdbog is the deliverer of people from the forces of the dark world of all wickedness. During the day he rides across the sky on a golden chariot, holding a shield in his right hand - the Sun, and at night he sails on a silver boat in the underworld.

Alive - the Slavic Goddess, the personification of all earthly life, as well as fruitful strength, youth, beauty, fertility and birth!
Goddess Alive, gives kindness, tenderness, cordiality and attentiveness to pregnant women and nursing mothers, so she protects all the girls who have yet to give birth to Slavic children.

GOD KUPALA (Kupalo) - God, who gives a person the opportunity to perform all kinds of Ablutions and conducts the Rites of Purification of the Teles, Soul and Spirit from various ailments and diseases. God guides to a joyful and happy life.

Kupala is a cheerful and beautiful God, dressed in light white robes decorated with flowers. On the head of God Kupala there is a wreath of beautiful flowers.

Kupala was revered as the God of the warm time of Summer, wild flowers and wild fruits.

Many Slavic-Aryan Clans engaged in field cultivation revered God Kupala along with the Goddess Makosh and Goddess Tara, as well as the Gods - Perun and Beles.

Before the beginning of the harvest and the harvest of field fruits, in honor of God Kupala, a holiday was celebrated at which bloodless sacrifices were made to God Kupala, as well as to all the Ancient Gods and Ancestors.

On the holiday, the Orthodox Old Believers-Ynglings throw their bloodless sacrifices and trebs into the fire of the Sacred Swastika Altar so that everything sacrificed appears on the festive tables of the Gods and Ancestors.

After bringing bloodless sacrifices from the living fire of the Sacred Swastika Altar, the Community members light candles and fire pits, which are fixed on wreaths and rafts and sent along the rivers. - diseases, all sorts of failures, various problems, etc. This rite can be explained as follows.

A burning candle or firelight illuminates the request or desire of the Community, the water of the river remembers them and, evaporating, rises to Heaven, conveying to the Gods all the requests and desires of the Orthodox Old Believers.

At the feast, each of the Orthodox Old Believers must undergo a complete purification in order to fully cleansed begin to collect field fruits and begin the field harvest. The complete cleansing of the Orthodox Old Believers consists of three parts:

First Purification (Purification of the Body)

Everyone present at the celebration on the Day of God Kupala must wash his body in sacred waters (rivers, lakes, ponds, etc.) to wash away fatigue and dirt.

Second Purification (Purification of the Soul)

In order for those present at the celebration on the Day of God Kupala to purify their Soul, they light large bonfires, and everyone who wants to jump over these bonfires, because Fire burns all negativity and purifies the aura and Soul of a person.

Third Purification (Purification of the Spirit)

Each Community Old Believer present at the celebration on the Day of God Kupala, as well as those who wish, can purify and strengthen their Spirit. To do this, a Fiery Circle is created from the burning coals of a large fire, along which the Old Believers-Ynglings from various Tribal, Slavic and Aryan Communities walk barefoot. Those wishing, who for the first time decided to walk on the coals in order to purify and strengthen their Spirit, the Community members lead by the hand through the Fiery Circle.

This holiday is inextricably linked with another event of antiquity. In ancient times, God Perun freed his sisters from captivity in the Caucasus and sent them to purify themselves in the waters of the Sacred Iriy (Irtysh) and in the Sour Cream Clean Lake (Zaisan Island). This event is also narrated in the fifth ball of Songs of the Gamayun Bird.

Due to the fact that Kupala is the Patron God of the Heavenly Hall of the Horse in the Svarog Circle, on this day it is customary to bathe horses, braid colorful ribbons into their manes and decorate them with wildflowers.

Khors - the God of the Sun among the Slavs, the God of the solar disk, was widely revered in all Slavic lands. The tribal memory transferred this god to such kind words as a good round dance - the oldest sacred dance, holding hands and leading him, our ancestors thereby welcomed Khors, merging with him with common energy and becoming a particle of God.
Until now, among many Slavic peoples, the solar disk is denoted by the word "horo".
And the ancient sanctuaries of Khors and other Gods were called mansions, hence the word Temple.

Yarilo - Slavic god of fertility, spring, an ardent god of awakening nature and the spring Sun, inspiration and youth, natural strength, love delight and fighting rage. He is the very embodiment of the solar jari - a riot of vitality that raises ears of corn filled with power to the sky. It is embodied in a person as a strong will to continue his Family and the will to live in general.

Lel - love passion, the god of love and marriages. He was portrayed as a handsome and cheerful fair-haired shepherd boy. Who, playing a gentle melody of love on his magic pipe, awakens passion in the hearts of Slavic boys and girls!
We still have the Tribal memory of this beautiful and cheerful god of love, innocent passion, this is the word that we use to this day - “cherish”, that is, love, undead ...
In some Slavic languages, the Stork, which was considered the sacred bird of Lel, is called - Lelka!

StriBog - the old God, the grandfather of the winds The deity of the air, the sky. This is the old and mighty God, whose dominion extends in the space between Heaven and Earth. Stribog controls elemental forces: lightning, winds, storms, whirlwinds and hurricanes. They turned to him if they wanted to influence the weather. Stribog was revered by the ancients as the destroyer of all kinds of evil intentions and atrocities. Mentioned in "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" "Behold the winds, Stribozh's grandchildren, blow from the sea with arrows on Igor's brave regiments"

Chur - God is the patron, protector of native lands, borders, protects the hearth of the home. He protects the ancestral possessions from unclean forces Since ancient times, a conspiracy has been preserved from evil spirits and all sorts of troubles, which we still use, saying “Chur, me” or “Chur, on your tongue” to protect yourself from an unkind word.
His name goes back to ancient times, when the Great Deified Ancestor was called Chura, Ancestor.

Chernobog is the dark hypostasis of the supreme Slavic Deity of the Family, Chernobog is the lord of Navi, Darkness and the Pekelny kingdom.
Embodies the universal forces of destruction and change for subsequent rebirth at a new level.

Marena - in Slavic mythology, the goddess of death, responsible with the seasonal rituals of dying and resurrection of nature, as well as with the rituals of causing rain. In the spring rituals of the Slavs, Madder was called a straw effigy - the embodiment of death (mora) and winter, which was drowned, burned during the celebration of the ancient holiday of Shrovetide at the time of the Spring Equinox, which was intended to ensure the harvest. Marena can be asked to destroy all the bad and evil that you have accumulated.

Triglav is the unity of the three main essences-hypostases of the gods and the embodiment of the ancient Slavic vision of the universal world - these three worlds are Yav, Nav, Rule. - Svarog (Right), Perun (Yav) and Veles (Nav). This is the deity of the trinity of the way of the world, which reflects the very essence of our world order.

GOD SEMARGL (Fire god)- The Highest God, the keeper of the Eternally Living Fire and the guardian of the exact observance of all the Fiery Rites and Fiery Purifications.

Semargl accepts Fiery Gifts, Trebs and bloodless Sacrifices at ancient Slavic and Aryan holidays, especially on Krasnogor, on the Day of God Kupala and on the Supreme Day of God Perun, being an intermediary between people and all the Heavenly Gods.

The Fire God Semargl is the Patron God of the Hall of the Heavenly Serpent in the Svarog Circle.

The Fire God gladly blesses all people from the Clans of the Great Race, who, with a pure Soul and Spirit, observe all the Heavenly Laws and the Many-Wise Commandments of the Light Gods and Ancestors.

Semargl is also called upon in the treatment of sick animals and people, in order to save the sick from various ailments and diseases. When a person's temperature rose, they said that the Fire God settled in the Soul of the sick person. For Semargl, like a Fire Dog, fiercely fights against ailments and diseases, which, like enemies, have made their way into the body or Soul of the sick person. Therefore, it is considered unacceptable to bring down the patient's elevated temperature. The best place for cleansing from ailments is considered to be a bath.

GOD KOLYADA - the Supreme God, who controls the Great Changes in the life of the Clans of the Great Race and the descendants of the Heavenly Clan.

In ancient times, the Supreme God Kolyada granted many Clans who moved to the western lands a system for calculating seasonal time for field work - the Calendar (Kolyada Dar), as well as his Wise Vedas, leads and instructions.

Kolyada is the Patron God of military people and Priests. Kolyada was often depicted with a sword in his hand, and the blade of the sword was pointed down.

The sword, pointing down, in ancient times meant the preservation of the Wisdom of the Gods and Ancestors, as well as the unshakable adherence to the Heavenly Laws, as established by God Svarog for all the Halls of the Svarog Circle.

The holiday in honor of God Kolyada falls on the day of the winter solstice, this holiday is also called Menari, i.e. Day of Change. On a holiday, groups of men dressed in the skins of various animals (mummers) walked around the yards, who were called the squads of Kolyada. They sang hymns glorifying Kolyada and arranged special round dances around sick people in order to heal them.

And finally, a little about Domovoy:
In Russia, the brownie is directly called the owner, hostess. In fact, the brownie is the ideal of the owner, as the Russian person understands him: he sees every little thing, tirelessly busies himself and makes sure that everything is in order and ready - here he helps the worker, there he corrects his mistake.
If he likes housing, then he serves the household and their elder, looks after the whole house and yard "more than the master's eye", looks after family interests and takes care of the property "more than a caring peasant."
The brownie cares only about his relatives, his house, his yard, and that is why they call him a brownie, these names indicate the space within which his power is honored and gifts and gifts are brought to him.

The ancient Slavic pantheon is very complex in structure and numerous in composition. Most of the gods were identified with various forces of nature, although there were exceptions, the most striking example of which is Rod, the creator god. Due to the similarity of the functions and properties of some gods, it is difficult to determine for sure which names are just variations on the names of the same god, and which belong to different gods.

The entire pantheon can be divided into two large circles: the elder gods who ruled all three worlds in the primordial stage, and the second circle - the young gods who took the reins of government in the new stage. At the same time, some older gods are present in the new stage, while others disappear (more precisely, there are no descriptions of their activities or interference in anything, but the memory that they were, remains).

In the Slavic pantheon, there was no clear hierarchy of power, which was replaced by a tribal hierarchy, where sons obeyed their father, but brothers were equal among themselves. The Slavs did not have pronounced evil gods and good gods. Some deities gave life, others took it away, but all were revered equally, since the Slavs believed that the existence of one without the other is impossible. At the same time, the gods, good in their functions, could punish and cause harm, while the evil ones, on the contrary, help and save people. Thus, the gods of the ancient Slavs were very similar to people, not only outwardly, but also in character, since they simultaneously carried both good and evil.

Outwardly, the gods were similar to people, while most of them could turn into animals, in the form of which they usually appeared before people. From ordinary beings, the gods were distinguished by superpowers that allowed the deities to change the world around them. Each of the gods had power over one of the parts of this world. The impact on other parts beyond the control of the deities was limited and temporary.

The most ancient supreme male deity among the Slavs was Rod. Already in Christian teachings against paganism of the XII-XIII centuries. they write about Rod as a god worshiped by all peoples.
Rod was the god of the sky, thunderstorms, fertility. They said about him that he rides on a cloud, throws rain on the ground, and from this children are born. He was the ruler of the earth and all living things, he was a pagan creator god.
In the Slavic languages, the root “genus” means kinship, birth, water (spring), profit (harvest), such concepts as people and homeland, in addition, it means red and lightning, especially ball, called “rhodium”. This variety of cognate words undoubtedly proves the greatness of the pagan god.
Rod is a creator god, together with his sons Belbog and Chernobog, he created this world. Alone, Rod created Rule, Yav and Nav in the sea of ​​chaos, and together with his sons he created the earth.

The sun then went out of His face. A bright moon - from His chest. Frequent stars - from His eyes. Clear dawns - from His eyebrows. Dark nights - yes from His thoughts. Violent winds - from the breath ...
"The Book of Carols"
The Slavs had no idea about the appearance of the Rod, since he never appeared directly in front of people.
Temples in honor of the deity were arranged on hills or simply large open areas of land. His idol was phallic in shape or simply made in the form of a pillar painted red. Sometimes the role of an idol was performed by an ordinary tree growing on a hill, especially if it was old enough. In general, the Slavs believed that Rod is in everything and therefore you can worship it anywhere. There were no sacrifices in honor of Rod. Instead of them, holidays and feasts are arranged, which are held directly near the idol.

The companions of the Sort were Rozhanitsy - female deities of fertility in Slavic mythology, the patroness of the clan, family, home.

Belbog

Son of Rod, god of light, goodness and justice. In Slavic mythology, he is the creator of the world along with Rod and Chernobog. Outwardly, Belbog appeared as a gray-haired old man dressed as a sorcerer.
Belobog in the mythology of our ancestors never acted as an independent individual character. As any object in the world of Reveal has a shadow, so Belobog has its integral antipode - Chernobog. A similar analogy can be found in ancient Chinese philosophy (yin and yang), in Icelandic Ynglism (rune yudzh) and in many other cultural and religious systems. Belobog, thus, becomes the embodiment of bright human ideals: goodness, honor and justice.

A sanctuary in honor of Belbog was built on the hills, turning the idol to the east, towards the sunrise. However, Belbog was revered not only in the sanctuary of the deity, but also at feasts, always making a toast in his honor.

Veles

One of the greatest gods of the ancient world, son of Rod, brother of Svarog. His main act was that Veles set the world created by Rod and Svarog in motion. Veles - "cattle god" - the owner of the wild, the owner of Navi, a powerful wizard and werewolf, interpreter of laws, teacher of arts, patron of travelers and merchants, god of luck. True, some sources point to him as the god of death ...
At the moment, among various pagan and native faith directions, a fairly popular text is the Book of Veles, which became known to the general public in the 1950s of the last century thanks to the researcher and writer Yuri Mirolyubov. The Veles book actually consists of 35 birch planks, covered with symbols, which linguists (in particular, A. Kur and S. Lesnoy) call Slavic pre-Cyrillic writing. It is curious that the original text does not really resemble either Cyrillic or Glagolitic, but the features of the Slavic runic are also indirectly presented in it.
Despite the great distribution and mass veneration of this god, Veles was always separated from other gods, his idols were never placed in common temples (sacred places in which images of the main gods of this territory were installed).

Two animals are associated with the image of Veles: a bull and a bear; in the temples dedicated to the deity, the magi often kept a bear, which played a key role in the rituals.

Dazhdbog

God of the Sun, giver of heat and light, god of fertility and life-giving power. The solar disk was originally considered the symbol of Dazhdbog. Its color is gold, which speaks of the nobility of this god and his unshakable strength. In general, our ancestors had three main solar deities - Khors, Yarila and Dazhdbog. But Khors was the winter sun, Yarilo was the spring sun, and Dazhdbog was the summer sun. Of course, it was Dazhdbog who deserved special respect, since a lot depended on the summer position of the sun in the firmament for the ancient Slavs, the people of the tillers. At the same time, Dazhdbog never had a sharp temper, and if a drought suddenly attacked, then our ancestors never blamed this god.
The temples of Dazhdbog were arranged on the hills. The idol was made of wood and placed facing east or southeast. Feathers of ducks, swans and geese, as well as honey, nuts and apples were brought as a gift to the deity.

Devana

Devana is the goddess of hunting, the wife of the forest god Svyatobor and the daughter of Perun. The Slavs represented the goddess in the form of a beautiful girl dressed in an elegant marten fur coat trimmed with a squirrel. Over the fur coat, the beauty put on a bearskin, and the head of the beast served as her hat. With her, Perun's daughter carried an excellent bow with arrows, a sharp knife and a horn, with which they go to a bear.

The beautiful goddess not only hunted forest animals: she herself taught them how to avoid dangers and endure harsh winters.

Dewana was primarily revered by hunters and trappers, they prayed to the goddess to grant good luck in hunting, and in gratitude they brought part of their prey to her sanctuary. It was believed that it was she who helped to find the secret paths of animals in the dense forest, avoid skirmishes with wolves and bears, but if the meeting did take place, the person would emerge victorious from it.

Share and Nedolya

Share - a kind goddess, Mokosh's assistant, weaves a happy fate.
It appears in the guise of a sweet young man or red-haired girl with golden curls and a cheerful smile. He cannot stand still, he walks around the world - there are no barriers: a swamp, a river, a forest, mountains - The share will overcome in an instant.
He does not like lazy and negligent, drunkards and all sorts of bad people. Although at first he makes friends with everyone - then he will figure it out and leave the bad, evil person.
NEDOLYA (Nuzha, Need) - the goddess, Mokosh's assistant, weaves an unhappy fate.
Share and Nedolya are not just personifications of abstract concepts that do not have objective existence, but, on the contrary, they are living faces, identical to the maidens of fate.
They act according to their own calculations, regardless of the will and intentions of a person: the happy one does not work at all and lives in contentment, because the Share works for him. On the contrary, Nedolya's activities are constantly directed to the detriment of man. While she is awake, misfortune follows misfortune, and only then does it become easier for the unfortunate when Nedolya falls asleep: “If Likho is sleeping, don’t wake him up.”

Dogoda

Dogoda (Weather) - the god of fine weather and a gentle, pleasant breeze. Young, ruddy, blond-haired, in a cornflower blue wreath with blue, gilded butterfly wings around the edges, in silvery bluish clothes, holding a thorn in his hand and smiling at the flowers.

Kolyada

Kolyada - the baby sun, in Slavic mythology - the embodiment of the New Year cycle, as well as a holiday character similar to Avsen.
Kolyada was celebrated during winter Christmas time from December 25 (turn of the sun to spring) to January 6.
“Once upon a time, Kolyada was perceived not as a mummer. Kolyada was a deity, and one of the most influential. They called the carol, called. New Year's Eve was dedicated to Kolyada, games were arranged in her honor, which were subsequently performed at Christmas time. The last patriarchal ban on worshiping Kolyada was issued on December 24, 1684. It is believed that Kolyada was recognized by the Slavs as the deity of fun, which is why they called him, called on New Year's festivities by cheerful bands of youth ”(A. Strizhev.“ People’s Calendar ”).

Rooftop

The son of the Almighty and the goddess Maya, was a brother to the very first creator of the world Rod, although he was much younger than him. He returned fire to people, fought on the shores of the Arctic Ocean with Chernobog and defeated him.

KUPALO

Kupala (Kupaila) is the fruitful deity of summer, the summer incarnation of the sun god.
“Kupalo, as I think, was the god of abundance, as with the Hellenes Ceres, who is insane for the abundance of thanksgiving at that time, when the harvest is imminent.”
His holiday is dedicated to the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. The night was also sacred, on the eve of this day - the Night on the eve of Kupalo. All that night, feasting, games and mass bathing in reservoirs continued.
They sacrificed to him before the collection of bread, on June 23, on the day of St. Agrippina, which was popularly nicknamed the Swimsuit. Young people decorated themselves with wreaths, laid out a fire, danced around it and sang Kupala. The games went on all night. In some places, on June 23, bathhouses were heated, grass bathing suit (buttercup) was laid in them, and then they swam in the river.
On the very Nativity of John the Baptist, weaving wreaths, they hung them on the roofs of houses and on stables in order to remove evil spirits from the dwelling.

Lada

LADA (Freya, Preya, Siv or Zif) - the goddess of youth and spring, beauty and fertility, the all-generous mother, the patroness of love and marriages.
In folk songs, “lado” still means a dearly beloved friend, lover, groom, husband.
Freya's outfit shines with the dazzling brilliance of the sun's rays, her beauty is charming, and the drops of morning dew are called her tears; on the other hand, she acts as a militant heroine, rushing through the heavenly spaces in storms and thunderstorms and driving rain clouds. In addition, she is a goddess, in whose retinue the shadows of the dead march into the afterlife. The cloudy fabric is precisely that veil on which the soul, after the death of a person, ascends to the kingdom of the blessed.
According to the testimony of folk verses, angels, appearing for a righteous soul, take it in a shroud and carry it to heaven. The cult of Freya-Siva explains the superstitious respect that Russian commoners have for Friday, as a day dedicated to this goddess. Whoever starts a business on Friday, he, according to the proverb, will back away.
Among the ancient Slavs, the birch, personifying the goddess Lada, was considered a sacred tree.

Ice - the Slavs prayed to this deity for success in battles, he was revered as the ruler of military actions and bloodshed. This ferocious deity was portrayed as a terrible warrior, armed in Slavic armor, or all-weapon. At the hip, a sword, a spear and a shield in his hand.
He had his own temples. Going on a campaign against the enemies, the Slavs prayed to him, asking for help and promising plentiful sacrifices in case of success in military operations.

Lel

Lel - in the mythology of the ancient Slavs, the god of love passion, the son of the goddess of beauty and love Lada. About Lele - this cheerful, frivolous god of passion - is still reminiscent of the word "cherish", that is, undead, love. He is the son of the goddess of beauty and love, Lada, and beauty naturally gives rise to passion. This feeling flared up especially brightly in the spring and on the Kupala night. Lel was portrayed as a golden-haired, like a mother, winged baby: after all, love is free and elusive. Lel threw sparks from his hands: after all, passion is a fiery, hot love! In Slavic mythology, Lel is the same god as the Greek Eros or the Roman Cupid. Only ancient gods strike the hearts of people with arrows, and Lel kindled them with his fierce flame.
The stork (heron) was considered his sacred bird. Another name for this bird in some Slavic languages ​​is leleka. In connection with Lel, both cranes and larks, symbols of spring, were revered.

Makosh

One of the main goddesses of the Eastern Slavs, the wife of the Thunderer Perun.
Her name is made up of two parts: "ma" - mother and "kosh" - purse, basket, koshara. Makosh is the mother of full cats, the mother of a good harvest.
This is not the goddess of fertility, but the goddess of the results of the economic year, the goddess of the harvest, the giver of blessings. The harvest every year determines the lot, fate, so she was also revered as the goddess of fate. An obligatory attribute in her image is a cornucopia.
This goddess connected the abstract concept of fate with the concrete concept of abundance, patronized the household, sheared sheep, spun, punished the negligent. The specific concept of “spinning” was associated with a metaphorical one: “spinning fate”.
Makosh patronized marriage and family happiness. It was presented as a woman with a big head and long arms, spinning at night in a hut: beliefs forbid leaving a tow, "otherwise Makosha will spin."

Moraine

Morena (Marana, Morana, Mara, Maruha, Marmara) is the goddess of death, winter and night.
Mara is the goddess of death, the daughter of Lada. Outwardly, Mara looks like a tall beautiful girl with black hair in red clothes. Maru can not be called either an evil or a good goddess. On the one hand, it bestows death, but at the same time it also bestows life.

One of Mary's favorite activities is needlework: she loves to spin and weave. At the same time, like the Greek Moiram, he uses the threads of the fate of living beings for needlework, leading them to turning points in life, and, in the end, cutting the thread of existence.

Mara sends her messengers all over the world, who appear to people in the guise of a woman with long black hair or in the guise of doubles of people who are meant to be warned, and portend an imminent death.

In part of Mary, no permanent places of worship were erected; honors could be paid to her anywhere. For this, an image of the goddess, carved from wood or made from straw, was installed on the ground, stones were laid around the place. Directly in front of the idol, a larger stone or wooden plank was installed, which served as an altar. After the ceremony, all this was sorted out, and the image of Mary was burned or thrown into the river.

Mara was revered on February 15, and flowers, straw and various fruits were brought as a gift to the goddess of death. Sometimes, during the years of severe epidemics, animals were sacrificed, bleeding them directly at the altar.
Meeting spring with a solemn holiday, the Slavs performed the rite of expelling Death or Winter and plunged an effigy of Morana into the water. As a representative of winter, Morana is defeated by the spring Perun, who smashes her with his blacksmith's hammer and casts her into an underground dungeon for the whole summer time.
According to the identification of Death with thunder spirits, ancient belief forced these latter to fulfill its sad duty. But since the thunderer and his companions were also the organizers of the heavenly kingdom, the concept of Death was bifurcated, and fantasy portrayed it either as an evil creature, dragging souls into the underworld, or as a messenger of the supreme deity, accompanying the souls of the deceased heroes to his heavenly chamber.
Diseases were considered by our ancestors as companions and helpers of Death.

Perun

The God of Thunder, a victorious, punishing deity, whose appearance excites fear and awe. Perun, in Slavic mythology, the most famous of the Svarozhich brothers. He is the god of thunderclouds, thunder and lightning.
He is represented as stately, tall, with black hair and a long golden beard. Sitting on a flaming chariot, he rides through the sky, armed with a bow and arrows, and strikes the wicked.
According to Nestor, the wooden idol of Perun, placed in Kyiv, had a golden mustache on its silver head. Over time, Perun became the patron of the prince and his squad.
Temples in honor of Perun were always arranged on hills, and the highest place in the district was chosen. Idols were made mainly of oak - this mighty tree was the symbol of Perun. Sometimes there were places of worship to Perun, arranged around an oak tree growing on a hill, it was believed that this way Perun himself designates the best place. In such places, no additional idols were placed, and the oak, located on a hill, was revered as an idol.

Radegast

Radegast (Redigost, Radigast) is a lightning god, a killer and a devourer of clouds, and at the same time a radiant guest who appears with the return of spring. The earthly fire was recognized as the son of Heaven, brought down to the bottom, as a gift to mortals, a fleeting lightning, and therefore the idea of ​​​​an honorary divine guest, an alien from heaven to earth, was also connected with it.
The Russian settlers honored him with the name of a guest. Along with this, he received the character of a saving god of any foreigner (guest), who appeared in a strange house and surrendered himself under the protection of local penates (i.e. hearth), the patron god of merchants who came from distant countries and trade in general.
The Slavic Radigost was depicted with the head of a buffalo on his chest.

Svarog

Svarog is the creator god of earth and heaven. Svarog is the source of fire and its master. He creates not with a word, not with magic, unlike Veles, but with his hands, he creates the material world. He gave people the Sun-Ra and fire. Svarog threw a plow and a yoke from heaven to earth to cultivate the land; a battle ax to protect this land from enemies, and a bowl for preparing a sacred drink in it.
Like Rod, Svarog is the creator god, he continued the formation of this world, changing its original state, improving and expanding. However, blacksmithing is Svarog's favorite pastime.

Temples in honor of Svarog were arranged on hills overgrown with trees or shrubs. The center of the hill was cleared to the ground and a fire was made in this place; no additional idols were installed in the temple.

Svyatobor

Svyatobor is the god of the forest. Outwardly, he looks like an aged hero, representing an old man of strong build, with a thick beard and dressed in animal skins.
Svyatobor fiercely guards the forests and mercilessly punishes those who harm them, in some cases even death or eternal imprisonment in the forest in the form of a beast or a tree can become a punishment.

Svyatobor is married to the goddess of hunting Devan.

Temples in honor of Svyatobor were not arranged, their role was played by groves, pine forests and forests, which were recognized as sacred and in which neither deforestation nor hunting was carried out.

Semargl

One of the Svarozhichs was the god of fire - Semargl, who is sometimes mistakenly considered only a heavenly dog, the guardian of seeds for sowing. This (storage of seeds) was constantly engaged in a much smaller deity - Pereplut.
The ancient books of the Slavs tell how Semargl was born. Svarog hit the Alatyr stone with a magic hammer, carved divine sparks from it, which flared up, and the fiery god Semargl became visible in their flame. He sat on a golden-maned horse of a silver suit. Thick smoke became his banner. Where Semargl passed, there was a scorched trail. Such was his strength, but more often he looked quiet and peaceful.
Semargl, God of fire and moon, fire sacrifices, home and hearth, keeps seeds and crops. Can turn into a sacred winged dog.
The name of the God of Fire is not known for certain, most likely, his name is so holy. Still, because this God does not live somewhere in the seventh heaven, but directly among people! They try to say his name out loud less often, replacing it with allegories. The Slavs associate the emergence of people with Fire. According to some legends, the Gods created a Man and a Woman from two sticks, between which a Fire flared up - the very first flame of love. Semargl does not let evil into the world. At night, he stands guard with a fiery sword, and only one day a year does Semargl leave his post, responding to the call of the Bather, who calls him to love games on the day of the Autumn Equinox. And on the day of the Summer Solstice, after 9 months, children are born at Semargl and Bathing - Kostroma and Kupalo.

Stribog

In East Slavic mythology, the god of the wind. He can summon and tame a storm and can transform into his assistant, the mythical bird Stratim. In general, the wind was usually represented in the form of a gray-haired old man living at the end of the world, in a deep forest or on an island in the middle of the sea-ocean.
The temples of Stribog were arranged on the banks of rivers or seas, they are especially often found at the mouths of rivers. The temples in his honor were not enclosed in any way from the surrounding territory and were designated only by an idol made of wood, which was installed facing north. A large stone was also erected in front of the idol, which served as an altar.

Triglav

In ancient Slavic mythology, this is the unity of the three main essences-hypostases of the gods: Svarog (creation), Perun (the law of Rule) and Svyatovit (light)
According to various mythological traditions, different gods were included in Triglav. In Novgorod of the 9th century, the Great Triglav consisted of Svarog, Perun and Sventovit, and earlier (before the Western Slavs moved to the Novgorod lands) - from Svarog, Perun and Veles. In Kyiv, apparently - from Perun, Dazhbog and Stribog.
Small Triglavs were made up of gods, standing lower on the hierarchical ladder.

Horse

Khors (Korsha, Kore, Korsh) - the ancient Russian deity of the sun and the solar disk. It is best known among the southeastern Slavs, where the sun simply reigns over the rest of the world. Khors, in Slavic mythology, the god of the Sun, the keeper of the luminary, the son of Rod, the brother of Veles. Not all the gods of the Slavs and Rus were common. For example, before the Russ came to the banks of the Dnieper, Khors was not known here. Only Prince Vladimir installed his image next to Perun. But he was known among other Aryan peoples: among the Iranians, Persians, Zoroastrians, where they worshiped the god of the rising sun - Horset. This word also had a wider meaning - “radiance”, “brilliance”, as well as “glory”, “greatness”, sometimes “royal dignity” and even “hvarna” - a special mark of the gods, chosenness.
Temples in honor of Khors were arranged on small hills in the middle of meadows or small groves. The idol was made of wood and placed on the eastern slope of the hill. And as an offering, a special pie "horoshul" or "kurnik" was used, which crumbled around the idol. But to a greater extent, dances (round dances) and songs were used to pay tribute to Khors.

Chernobog

God of cold, destruction, death, evil; the god of madness and the embodiment of everything bad and black. It is believed that Chernobog is the prototype of Kashchei the immortal from fairy tales. Kashchei is a cult character of Slavic mythology, whose folklore image is extremely far from the original. Kashchei Chernobogvich was the youngest son of Chernobog, the great Serpent of Darkness. His older brothers - Goryn and Viy - feared and respected Kashchei for his great wisdom and equally great hatred for his father's enemies - the Iry gods. Kashchei owned the deepest and darkest kingdom of Navi - the Koshcheev kingdom,
Chernobog is the ruler of Navi, the god of time, the son of Rod. In Slavic mythology, he is the creator of the world along with Rod and Belbog. Outwardly, he appeared in two forms: in the first, he looked like a hunched, thin old man with a long beard, a silver mustache and a crooked stick in his hands; in the second, he was depicted as a middle-aged man of thin build, dressed in black clothes, but, again, with a silver mustache.

Chernobog is armed with a sword, which he masterfully wields. Although he is able to instantly appear at any point in Navi, he prefers to travel on horseback on a fiery stallion.
After the creation of the world, Chernobog under the patronage went to Nav - the world of the dead, in which he is both a ruler and a prisoner, since, despite all his strength, he is not able to leave its limits. The deity does not release the souls of people who got there for sins from Navi, however, its sphere of influence is not limited to one Navi. Chernobog managed to bypass the restrictions imposed on him and created Koshchei, who is the embodiment of the ruler of Navi in ​​Yavi, while the power of God in another world is much less real, but still allowed him to extend his influence to Yav, and only in the Rule Chernobog never appears.

The temples in honor of Chernobog were made of dark rocks, the wooden idol was completely upholstered with iron, except for the head, on which only the mustache was trimmed with metal.

Yarilo

Yarilo is the god of spring and sunlight. Outwardly, Yarilo looks like a young man with red hair, dressed in white clothes with a flower wreath on his head. This god moves around the world riding a white horse.

Temples in honor of Yarila were arranged on top of hills overgrown with trees. The tops of the hills were cleared of vegetation and an idol was erected in this place, in front of which a large white stone was placed, which sometimes could be located at the foot of the hill. Unlike most other gods, there were no sacrifices in honor of the god of spring. Usually the deity was revered with songs and dances at the temple. At the same time, one of the participants in the action was certainly dressed up as Yarila, after which he became the center of the whole festival. Sometimes special figurines were made in the form of people, they were brought to the temple, and then smashed against a white stone installed there, it is believed that this brings the blessing of Yarila, from which the harvest will be greater and sexual energy higher.

A little about the world order of the Slavs

The center of the world for the ancient Slavs was the World Tree (World Tree, World Tree). It is the central axis of the entire universe, including the Earth, and connects the World of people with the World of Gods and the Underworld. Accordingly, the crown of the tree reaches the World of the Gods in heaven - Iriy or Svarga, the roots of the tree go underground and connect the World of the Gods and the World of people with the underworld or the world of the Dead, ruled by Chernobog, Marena and other "dark" Gods. Somewhere in the sky, behind the clouds (heavenly abysses; over the seventh sky), the crown of a sprawling tree forms an island, here is Iriy (Slavic paradise), where not only the Gods and ancestors of people live, but also the progenitors of all birds and animals. Thus, the Tree of the World was fundamental in the worldview of the Slavs, its main component. At the same time, it is also a staircase, a road through which you can get to any of the worlds. In Slavic folklore, the Tree of the World is called differently. It can be oak, and sycamore, willow, linden, viburnum, cherry, apple tree or pine.

In the views of the ancient Slavs, the World Tree is located on Buyan Island on Alatyr-stone, which is also the center of the universe (the center of the Earth). Judging by some legends, light gods live on its branches, and dark gods live in its roots. The image of this tree has come down to us, both in the form of various fairy tales, legends, epics, incantations, songs, riddles, and in the form of ritual embroidery on clothes, patterns, ceramic decorations, painting dishes, chests, etc. Here is an example of how the Tree of the World is described in one of the Slavic folk tales that existed in Russia and tells about the extraction of a horse by a hero-hero: forehead red sun ... ". This horse is a mythological symbol of the entire universe

Before the Slavs adopted Christianity, and this happened in the 9th-10th centuries, they had their own pantheon of gods - the Slavic gods and their meaning have long been revered by our ancestors. The ancient peoples extolled all the elements of nature and with each of them personified one or another deity, granting him a certain power.

They also singled out spirits that patronized people in certain matters: the birth of children, harvesting, love. A great many cults were invented, and even more spiritualized beings. The Slavs praised them and brought them generous gifts, turned to them with prayers.

Slavic gods and their meaning

In Ancient Russia, it was customary to exalt the forces of nature, the power of animals - this was reflected in pagan rituals.

The main Slavic god of our ancestors was Rod - it is he who is considered the progenitor of all gods and goddesses, spirits. The Slavs also praised Perun and Veles as the progenitors.

Perun - thunderer, creator of lightning, has always been presented as a man in years, with a gray head, with a strong figure, with a golden mustache and beard. It was he who was the ruler of the upper world among the Slavs, waving in the sky and on the tops of the mountains, ruling over the clouds and controlling the rain. Perun could reward a person with life-giving rain or punish with an exorbitant drought, and with his lightning strike every objectionable and guilty person.

A special place in the pantheon of Slavic deities was occupied by Veles or, as it was also called, Hair- the patron of all domestic animals and trade, granting prosperity and wealth. It was this deity that appeared before the Slavs in the form of a snake, huge and breathing fire. Also Veles could take the form of a bear. Perun eventually became the patron of the squad, the prince, that is, Veles became - rather the intercessor of the common people of all Russia.

Another revered deity among our ancestors was Niy - Slavic god of the sea and oceans. It was he who patronized sailors and fishermen - he was depicted with a trident in his hands, with which he controlled the winds and storms. He held it in his right hand, and in his left a shell, with which he called dolphins and whales to help. Niy lived in his underwater kingdom for a very short time, the rest of the time he spent in the chambers of the Heavenly Hall.

Slavic God Kupalo- a deity who gives a person spring renewal and joy, hope for a happy and joyful life. It was he who among the ancient Slavs was the personification of spring, he was depicted dressed in a white robe and with a head entwined with wreaths of flowers. He patronized the warm season; wild flowers and fruits - Kupalo combined all this in himself.

No less revered deity among our ancestors was Slavic god Svarog- it was he who was responsible for the fire and the vault of heaven. Initially, his image was the personification of Heaven, life. Over time, he acquired a certain anthology with the Greek god Zeus, becoming the progenitor for many gods and goddesses. It was Svarog who gave fire to people, taught how to handle it and how to process metal - so he became the patron of all artisans, giving people the knowledge of how to make a plow, tongs or a chariot.

Slavic god of rain- this is Dazhdbog, a deity that gives water, moisture, fertility and life-giving power. Our ancestors imagined him riding in a chariot drawn by four horses, giving life through moisture. It was Dazhdbog who was especially revered by the Slavs in the spring, when grain was being sown and a vegetable garden was being planted. His daughter was goddess dana- she gave life and was especially revered during the Kupala holidays.

Among all the Slavic gods, he enjoyed special honor and Stribog- a deity who was personified with wind and storms. In addition, many of our ancestors revered such deities as Belbog and Chernobog - they personified day and night, light and darkness.

Female images in the Slavic pantheon

Slavic deity Makosh- the wife of the supreme god Perun, patronizing the hearth and women's craft. It is Makosh who is responsible for fertility and spinning, in particular, and even after Russia was baptized, people gathered in a secret community, bringing gifts to the goddess in the form of honey and life. She had Share as her assistants - she determined what fate a person would receive from the first day of his life.

Another revered female deity among the Slavs was Lada- it's more female incarnation of the deity. It was in her field of responsibility that spring, youth and, of course, the hearth departed. It was believed that God was the spouse of Lada Lel - the god of spring, youth and the awakening of nature.

Slavic gods and their meaning were not completely lost after the adoption of Christianity. The rituals of worship of pagan creatures, invented by our ancestors in ancient times, have partially remained unchanged. An example is the widespread tradition of celebrating and holding folk festivals on Maslenitsa and Kupala Day.

In Slavic culture, the pantheon was divided into functional and solar gods, and the mighty Svarog (sometimes called Rod) ruled all of them. The category of functional deities included Perun, Veles, Stribog and Semargl, each of which was the patron of a certain category of the population or the lord of a certain force. The solar gods, as a rule, were associated with the seasons, and there were four of them - Dazhbog, Khors, Yarilo and the ruler himself - Svarog.

Solar gods of ancient Russia

Each of the solar ancient gods of Russia had power during a certain time of the year. Between the winter and spring solstice (that is, from December 22 to March 21), the god Khors dominated. Then came the time of the reign of the god Yarilo - until the summer solstice, June 22. Next came the time of Dazhdbog, and it lasted until September 23 - the autumn solstice. Reading was accepted in the remaining period of the year, until December 22.

Functional pagan gods of ancient Russia

One of the most famous functional gods of the Slavs up to the present day remains Perun - the lord of lightning and the patron of warriors, the protector. No less famous is Veles, whose name is often used to name modern companies - he was the patron of trade, wisdom, magic and books, and was also the ruler of the world of the dead. Despite the fact that Veles ruled the dead, Semargl was the god of death. The last, fourth functional god is Stribog, the patron of the wind.

Great gods of ancient Russia

Let's take a closer look at the individual, most famous gods of ancient Russia and the Slavs in general.

Starting the description of the Slavic pantheon, it is impossible not to mention Svarog - one of the main gods, the patron of fire and heat. He is a heavenly deity who personifies the mother of all living things. In ancient times, he was considered a deity with a feminine principle, later - with a masculine one.

It is interesting that in Slavic culture, heavenly deities are associated precisely with fire. It is believed that it was Svarog who opened the art of flame control to people - he taught how to process metal, creating forged products and much more. On the other hand, Svarog provided people with laws and knowledge, after which he considered his mission completed and ceded the reins of government to his sons, Dazhdbog and Khors.

The god Khors was especially revered, who, according to legend, is born on December 22 in the form of a boy-sun, which completes the course of the old sun and opens the new year. This is a deity with a masculine principle, which symbolized the desire of youth for knowledge and growth, overcoming difficulties and finding new solutions. Khors was greeted with carols, kolovrat, masquerade with the masks of totem animals. It was customary to burn a wheel on the mountain to help the sun shine brighter, and all this was accompanied by cheerful folk festivals.

Another famous god is Yarilo, symbolizing the awakening of nature, conception, new life. He seemed to people a brave groom who could give a good harvest and strong children.

Dazhdbog, one of the deities most beloved by the people, personifies the power of the sun, its warmth, as well as the higher laws of the creation of the world. Turning to him, people expected the fulfillment of dreams, getting rid of diseases and other earthly blessings. It was believed that this deity gives people both the sun and rain.

One of the warlike, but respected gods was Perun - he commanded lightning and thunder, and it was at his command that the clouds could hide from heaven. He was considered one of the world-creating deities, because it was his power that fed the plants and awakened life. In addition, Perun was revered in turbulent times, since he was the patron saint of warriors, the prince and the squad.

The gods and goddesses of ancient Russia have not been studied as fully as the Greek or Roman ones, but turning to the roots of Slavic culture, you can discover many interesting facts.

Paganism is a traditional worldview, based on the vast life experience of the ancient Slavs. With its help, people mastered the world around them and knew themselves. The pantheon of Slavic gods is huge and many of them have been forgotten over time.

Pagan gods of the ancient Slavs

The exact number of Slavic deities cannot be determined. This is due to the fact that one god had several names that were equally common. One can single out the main pantheon of pagan gods, who occupied an important part of people's lives. Each representative had the power to control the impulses of natural phenomena, but only in his element. The Slavs used different totems and idols, which were a kind of transmitting link that allowed them to communicate with the Higher powers.

The main pagan god of the Slavs

The deity, which is identified with Zeus and Jupiter, and which occupies a leading position in the pantheon of the Eastern Slavs, is Perun. He was also the patron of thunder, lightning and military prowess. This is the youngest son of Lada and Svarog. Perun was considered the patron of the prince and the princely squad and was associated with the invincible power of Light. The day when the Slavs held a huge celebration was considered June 20.

Outwardly, he was represented by a tall, stately warrior who had blond hair and blue eyes. He wore golden armor and a loose red cloak. He appeared on a powerful horse, holding a one-pound club in his hands, which was presented to him by Svarog. The symbol of this pagan god is an ax, which is called the Ax of Perun, and also the rune Strength. An idol is a powerful oak pillar, on which a conditional face and a divine symbol were carved.

pagan god of love

Lel, who is the son of Lada, was responsible for the warm love feelings of the ancient Slavs. It symbolizes beauty and love. They represented him as a baby with wings and golden hair, which is similar to the appearance of Cupid, familiar to many. The Slavic god Lel symbolizes passion, hot and ardent love, therefore he was often represented armed with sparks, which he threw from his hands, kindling fiery love feelings in people.

The bird that symbolized Lelya is a stork, as a result of which another name appeared - “leleka”. The celebration of this god fell on the night of Ivan Kupala. In some legends, the pagan god of love was represented as a shepherd with blond hair. The patronage of Lelya brings people good luck in love, helping to find a soul mate in order to become happier.

pagan god of the sun

The ancient Slavs considered the sun to be the main force that gives life on earth, so there were three main patrons: Yarilo, Dazhdbog and Khors. The first pagan gods are responsible for the spring and summer sun, and the last - for the winter. He was represented as a middle-aged man who had rosy cheeks. Although he was often depicted smiling, he was sad because he could not protect people from the winter frosts.

The god of the Slavs Khors possessed the powers to control nature, so he can calm a blizzard and a snowstorm. It can raise and lower the temperature. This deity was also considered the patron saint of winter crops, so he was in special honor among people whose activities are connected with the earth. This deity has a dark incarnation - Black Horse, who was created by Navi and he was responsible for severe frosts and snowstorms. The god of the winter sun was worshiped on September 22.

pagan god of fertility

The deity of spring fertility among the ancient Slavs is Yarilo, who is the patron saint of the sun. He is the younger brother of Khors and Dazhdbog. Yarilo was considered the god of passion, childbearing and the flowering of human strength and nature. Among others, he stands out for his sincerity, purity and brightness of character. was presented as a young and stately guy with beautiful blue eyes. In many paintings, the deity was depicted to the waist without clothes and with blond hair.

Like many other pagan gods, Yarilo had his own attributes, so in his right hand he has a stuffed human head, and in the other - ears of rye. The head of this deity was decorated with a wreath of spring wildflowers. Yaril's symbol is a five-pointed star with equal sides and the Oud rune. The ancient Slavs celebrated the day of this god on March 21, when the first month of the pagan year began.

pagan god of fire

Svarog had several sons, and one of them was Svarozhich, who was considered a more mundane deity, that is, the material incarnation of his father. The ancient Slavs worshiped him as the personification of earthly fire. Even the god Svarozhich was considered an idol that helps to secure good luck in the war. Some sources contain information according to which this deity was also called Radogost. Studies have shown that Svarozhich is not an important member of the pagan pantheon.

pagan sky god

Chief among the revered deities is Svarog, who has many deeds, for which the Slavs loved and respected him. He was the patron of the sky, as well as the creator of the earth. Some scientists believe that the first statement is incorrect, since the main power of Svarog is fire and a blacksmith's hammer. The most important act is the creation of other gods. The Slavs perceived Svarog as the personification of a wise warrior-father who protects his family.

God worked with his own hands, and not with the help of magic or thought, so he was often considered the personification of labor. The symbol of this deity is Svarogov Square with eight rays. The Slavic god Svarog was portrayed as an old man with a gray head, but at the same time he was a strong and invincible hero who defended his family. In his hands he holds a huge hammer. According to one of the legends, this deity had four faces that looked in all directions of the horizon, which only emphasized its importance.

pagan god of death

In paganism, one deity had several abilities at once, which might not even be related to each other. Semargl is the god of death, original fire and fertility. According to one of the legends, he is the eldest son of Svarog, who appeared after the blow of the heavenly hammer. It was believed that the god of the Slavs Semargl many times helped his brothers in the fight against dark forces. He was the messenger of the gods and had the ability to concentrate the forces of other inhabitants of the pantheon.

It is believed that Semargl has the ability to change his appearance, so he appeared before people in the form of a warrior, who was surrounded by tongues of Irian flame, but more often he chose for himself the appearance of a large dog with wings, leaving a fiery trail behind him. Some researchers believe that Semargl embodies seven supreme gods at once, therefore the idols dedicated to him have seven conditional "faces". April 14 was considered the day of this deity.

pagan wind god

The ancient Slavs each element had its own patron, and the wind controlled by Stribog was no exception. It was believed that he had power over everything connected with the air, for example, birds, arrows, and so on. Stribog was revered not only by farmers, who expected rain clouds from him, but also by sailors, who were counting on a successful voyage. People thought he had a tough temper. The Slavic god Stribog was portrayed as a grandfather with a large beard, but at the same time he was not decrepit. In his hands he had a golden bow, and his clothes were azure as the sky. Its symbol is the Stribog rune.

pagan god of wealth

The deity who was responsible for fertility and wealth is Veles. He was considered a sage, patron of the arts and a werewolf god. He was the only representative of the Slavic pantheon who knew equally both light and dark forces. The Slavic god Veles possessed secret knowledge, which gave him the ability to control the elements and change the laws of the universe. He helped people for a long time, teaching them various crafts.

Veles was also considered the patron of good luck and travel. He was represented as a strong man with a long beard, and he was dressed in a travel cloak. In his hands was a magical staff that looked like a tree branch. As a werewolf, Veles could turn into a bear, so the imprint of this animal has long been considered the seal of a deity. The symbol of this deity is a star with six ends and the rune Wind.

Pagan goddess of love

The main goddess of family relationships, fertility and love Lada. She was considered the mother of all the months of the year. Lada is the wife of Svarog. They represented her as a young and beautiful woman with blond hair. Her head was decorated with a wreath of roses. The Slavic goddess Lada has the power that can give the most important thing - life. People came to her with various requests. This goddess was designated by a circle, inside of which there is a triangle. I celebrate Lada's day on September 22.

Pagan goddess of fertility

Makosh is considered the patroness of the family hearth and a good harvest. She was most popular among women, who considered her the main goddess of family happiness and motherhood. As the patroness of housewives, she was the patroness of traditional women's activities. The ancient Slavs believed that in the hands of Makosh were the threads of the life of all people on earth, so she can make any changes in the world at any moment. People turned to her to improve their own lives.

The Slavic goddess Makosh was portrayed as a beautiful aged woman and sometimes had horns on her head. In her hands she often held a cornucopia or spun. Makosh was considered the patroness of springs, so gifts were brought to her to water sources. Her idols were placed near each well. Many pagan gods had their messengers, and Mokosh also had them: spiders, bees and ants, hence the belief arose that insects should not be killed, since this is a failure.