Old Russian god of war. Gods of the sun "Svarog, Lada and their daughter Lelya". Four sun gods in Russia

In ancient Russia, in those days when Christianity had not yet been adopted, the Slavs idolized otherworldly incorporeal beings. pagan gods ancient Russia, according to the ideas of the ancients, are endowed with supernatural abilities to influence everything that exists. They are responsible for all the fundamental principles of human existence, they control both the fate of the people themselves and everything that surrounds them.

Each deity performs a specific, utilitarian function. The history of the depths of centuries keeps many dozens of names, of which only a part is known to us now. This part has survived to this day thanks to the pagan rituals and rituals passed down from generation to generation, which over time became the basis of the customs of the Slavic family.

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

Table pagan gods of ancient Russia:

Ancient Slavic God Rod

This is the supreme god, commanding all things in the universe, including all other gods. He heads the top of the pagan pantheon of gods. He is the creator and ancestor. He is omnipotent and affects the entire cycle of life. It exists everywhere and has no beginning or end. This description is fully consistent with the idea of ​​God in all modern religions.

The clan governs life and death, abundance and poverty. No one has ever seen him, but he sees everyone. The root of his name is sewn into human speech - into the words by which people interpret (voiced) their dominant spiritual and material values ​​​​in the material world. Birth, relatives, homeland, spring, harvest - in all this there is a Genus.

Hierarchy of the pagan gods of Russia

Under the authority of the Family, all Slavic deities and other spiritual entities are distributed according to the steps corresponding to their impact on the everyday affairs of people.

The upper step is occupied by deities that manage global and national affairs: wars and ethnic conflicts, weather disasters, fertility and hunger, fertility and mortality.

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

The stylobate of the foundation of the pantheon is reserved for spiritual entities, whose bodily appearance is unlike that of a human being. These are kikimoras, ghouls, goblin, brownies, ghouls, mermaids and many others like them.

The Slavic hierarchical pyramid ends here, unlike the ancient Egyptian one, where there was also afterworld with their governing deities and laws, or let's say, where the basis is a numerous pantheon of gods.

Slavic gods in importance and power

God of the Slavs Khors and his incarnations

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

• Kolyada
• Yarilo
• Dazhdbog
• Svarog.

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

We still observe the traditions of the ancient Slavs: we tell fortunes at Christmas time, we fry pancakes at Maslenitsa, we burn bonfires and weave wreaths at Ivan Kupala.

1. God of the Slavs Kolyada

Kolyada begins the annual cycle and rules from the day of the winter solstice until spring equinox(December 22 - March 21). In December, people greet the young Sun and praise Kolyada with ritual songs; The festivities last until January 7th. This is the Saints.

By this time, the owners are slaughtering their pets, opening pickles, and stocks are being taken to fairs. Throughout Christmastime, people arrange gatherings, plentiful feasts, guessing, having fun, getting married and playing weddings. In general, doing nothing becomes quite legal. Kolyada treats with his mercy all benefactors who show mercy and generosity to the poor.

2. God of the Slavs Yarilo

He is Yarovit, Ruevit, Yar - the solar god of a young age with the face of a barefoot young man on a white horse. Wherever he looks, shoots will sprout, where he passes, the grass will sprout. On his head is a crown of ears of corn, in his left hand he holds a bow and arrows, in his right - the reins. Its time is from the spring equinox to the summer solstice (March 22 - June 21). The people in the house have depleted supplies, and there is a lot of work. When the sun turned back, then the tension in the labors subsided, the time of Dazhdbog had come.

3. God of the Slavs Dazhdbog

He is also Kupala or Kupail - a solar god with the face of a man of mature age. Its time is from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox (June 22 - September 23). The celebration on the occasion of the meeting due to employment is postponed on July 6-7. On this mysterious night, people burn Yarila (or rather, an effigy) on big fire and jump over it, the girls let wreaths woven from flowers down the river. Everyone is looking flowering fern desires. There is also a lot of work during this season: mowing, harvesting fruits, repairing the house, preparing the sled.

4. God of the Slavs Svarog

The weary sun is sinking lower and lower towards the horizon. In its slanting rays, the tall, strong old man Svarog (aka Svetovid), whitened with gray hair, takes over the baton of domination. He looks to the north, clutching a heavy sword in his hand, with which he smashes the forces of darkness. He is the husband of the Earth, the father of Dazhdbog and all other gods of natural phenomena. His time from September 23 to December 21 is a period of satiety, peace and prosperity. People do not grieve about anything, arrange fairs, play weddings.

Perun god of thunder and lightning

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

Stribog god of the wind

He is a god above the gods of the elemental forces of nature (Whistle, Weather and others). Stribog is the lord of the wind, hurricanes and snowstorms. He can be touchingly kind and fiercely evil. When he angrily blows the horn, an element arises; when he is kind, the foliage simply rustles, streams murmur, the wind howls in the crevices of trees. From these sounds of nature came music and songs, and with them musical instruments. They pray to Stribog that the storm subsides, and the hunters ask him for help in pursuing a sensitive and shy beast.

Veles pagan god of wealth

This is the god of agriculture and cattle breeding. Veles is also called the god of wealth (aka Volos, Month). He rules over the clouds. As a young man, he himself was tending the heavenly sheep. In anger, Veles sends to earth heavy rains. After reaping, people still leave him one harvested sheaf. In his name, they swear an oath of honor and fidelity.

Lada goddess of love and beauty

Goddess Lada is the patroness of the hearth. Her clothes are snow-white clouds, and the morning dews are tears. In the predawn haze, she accompanies the shadows of the dead in other world. Lada is the earthly incarnation of the Family, the high priestess, the mother goddess, surrounded by a retinue of young servants. She is beautiful and smart, bold and dexterous, flexible like a vine, a resounding flattering speech flows from her lips. Lada gives people advice on how to live, what can and cannot be done. It condemns the guilty and justifies the falsely accused. A long time ago, her temple stood on Ladoga, now her abode is the blue of heaven.

God of the Slavs Chernobog

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

He holds a spear in his hand with malice and rules over the night. The evil forces subordinated to him are numerous: goblin, confusing forest paths, mermaids, dragging people into the whirlpools, cunning banniki, malicious and insidious ghouls, capricious brownies.

God of the Slavs Mokosh

Mokosh (Makesha), is the goddess of trade, like the ancient Roman Mercury. In Old Slavonic, mokosh means "full purse." She deliberately uses harvested crop. Another purpose is to control fate. She is interested in spinning and weaving; with spun threads, she weaves the destinies of people. Young housewives were afraid to leave an unfinished tow for the night, believing that Mokosha would ruin the yarn, and with it fate. Northern Slavs consider Mokosha an unkind goddess.

God of the Slavs Paraskeva-Friday

Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa is the concubine of Mokosha, who made Paraskeva a deity who rules over riotous youth, gambling, drinking parties with vulgar songs and obscene dances, as well as dishonest trade. Therefore, Friday was a market day in Ancient Russia for a long time. On this day, women were not allowed to work, because for disobedience, Paraskeva could turn a disobedient woman into a cold toad. She poisoned the water in wells and underground springs. Today, this goddess has no power and is almost forgotten.

God of the Slavs Morena

The goddess, the ruler of evil, incurable diseases and death, is Maruha or Morena. She sends fierce winters, rainy nights, epidemics and wars to Earth. Her image is a terrible woman with a dark wrinkled face with deeply sunken small eyes, a sunken nose, a bony body and the same hands with long curved nails. She is served by ailments. She herself never leaves. She is driven away, but she appears again and again.

Before the Slavs adopted Christianity, and this happened in the 9th-10th centuries, they had their own pantheon of gods - Slavic gods and their meaning has 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.

Special place in the pantheon of Slavic deities 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 warm time of the year; 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 deity female the Slavs had 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.

Before the adoption of Christianity, the Slavs, like many other nationalities, believed in the existence of several gods, each of which influenced certain areas of the life of the ancient Slavs or a natural phenomenon. The names of the Slavic gods, called pagan Christians, are given below.

Avsen (or, in other words, Ovsen) is the god of the change of seasons, influencing the beginning of autumn and spring.
Belbog - the embodiment of light, a god who brings good, good luck and happiness
Bereginya is a great, one of the most ancient, goddess. Mother of all things.
Veles (in other words, Volos) - the son of Svarog, the embodiment of master's wisdom,
god of cattle breeding, second in importance after Perun.
Gromislav is a giant god who helped Svarog in the creation of the Earth.
Dazhbog is another son of Svarog, the Slavs considered him the god of the Sun and his personification
Dennitsa is the eldest son of Svarog.
Diverquis is the god of hares.
Did - the god of conjugal love, the third son of the goddess Lada.
Didilia is the patroness of women during pregnancy, the goddess of female fertility.
Dogoda is the god who gives a quiet wind and clear weather.
Dodola is the goddess of youth and summer.
Zevana (in other words, Zevonia) is the goddess of wild animals and hunting.
Zimertsla (in other words, Zarnitsa or Mertsana) is the goddess of the dawn.
Zlebog (in other words, Krovnik, Zlodiy or Khudich) is a god who “provides” villains with torment after their death.
The golden woman is a famous goddess home well-being, peace and quiet.
Karachun (in other words, Korochun) is the lord of frosts, the underground god.
Kvasura is the god of winemaking.
Kolyada is a god who embodies the repeating annual cycle.
Kors (in other words, Korsha) is the god of feasts, the lord of food and drink.
Kryshen is a god who commands knowledge.
Kupalo - the god of flowers, summer and fruit trees. The third most important after Veles and Perun.
Lad (in other words, Ladnik or Palm) is the god of harmony, friendship and reconciliation.
Lada is the wife of Svarog, the goddess of love, marriage and beauty.
Ice (in other words, Koldnik) is the god of winter.
Lel (in other words, Lelyo or Lelya) is the son of the goddess of love Lada, also the god of love.
Magura (in other words, Perunitsa) is the daughter of Perun, patronizing the soldiers.
Maya is the mother of Kolyada and Kryshenya, a goddess.
Martsana is the goddess who rules over the death of animals.
Mokosh (in other words, Makosh) is the goddess of fertility.
Morena (in other words, Mara, Mora, Marena or Mura) is the goddess of human death.
The sea king is the complete master of any water space.
Niyan (in other words, Niy) is the god of punishment, the judge of the dead.
Ozem is the god who rules in the underworld.
Pererug is the god of strife and quarrels.
Perun is the god who commands lightning and thunder, the son of Svarog.
Podaga is the god who commands good weather.
Pozvizd (in other words, Pohvist, Pokhvist or Whirlwind) is the god of bad weather and storms.
Polaznik is a god who gives happiness in the New Year.
Polelia is the second son of the goddess of beauty Lada, the god of marriage.
Polkan - demigod, centaur.
Porenuta is a god who patronizes sailors.
Rule (in other words, Rights or Prono) - the god of justice, personifying the universal law.
Baked - the god of dissolute life and fornication.
Prok is the patron saint of seafaring merchants, merchants and simply enterprising people.
Friday is the goddess who patronizes the departed souls.
Radegast is the Slavic god of war.
Rod - the first god of the Slavs, the creator of the world, visible and invisible
Rodomysl is the god of wisdom and eloquence.
Women in labor are the daughters of the first god of the Family, people see them in the form of the constellations Ursa Minor and Ursa Major.
Ruewit is the patron god of warriors.

Svarog is the ancestor of all Slavic gods, the supreme ruler of the universe.

Svarozhich - the god of fire, the son of Svarog.
Svarozhichi - the rest of the children of Svarog.
Svyatovid is another name for the Slavic god Svarog.
Svyatobor (in other words, simply Bor) is the patron of hunters and hunting, the god of forests.
Seva is the goddess of orchards.
A strong god is a god who patronizes strength and dexterity.
Simargl (or Semargl) is a god personifying the earthly incarnation of fire.
Stribog - the supreme king of the winds, the son of Svarog.
Sumerala is the goddess who rules in the underworld.
Triglav is a three-headed deity who has power over heaven, earth and the underworld.
Triglav (in other words, trigla) is the goddess of the earth.
Tur is the patron of agriculture, a god in the form of a bull.
Oud is the god who patronizes love affairs.
Delight (in other words, Oslad) is the god of pleasure and fun.
Usud - God is the arbiter of human destinies.
Hvorst is a god who rules over infirmities and diseases.
Khors is the god of light.
Chernbog is a god personifying misfortunes and troubles.
Chur is the god who patronizes underground possessions and protects their borders.
Yarilo (in other words, Yar-Khmel) is the god of fun and love.
Yarovit is the god of spring thunderstorms, whirlwinds and clouds.

According to the publication "The World in Facts"

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 New Year. This deity is masculine, 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 bestow good harvest and tough kids.

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 are not studied as fully as the Greek or Roman ones, but turning to the roots Slavic culture, you can discover many interesting facts.

More than two thousand years ago scientists ancient greece and Rome knew that in the east, between the Baltic Sea and the Carpathian Mountains, numerous peoples live with their own religion. Our ancestors lived side by side with Indo-Iranian tribes, Cimmerians, Sarmatians, Scythians, Vikings, Tauris and many other peoples. Such a neighborhood could not but affect the religion of the Slavs, so the pantheon of Slavic gods arose. The list is quite impressive, the pantheon implies diversity, totality, multitude. The pagan religion did not arise spontaneously, the neighborhood with various nations had a great influence on her.

Rod is the creator of the whole world, the progenitor of the gods and the beginning of the life of everything. Beregini-Rozhanitsy - his assistants, patroness of children and the elderly, newlyweds. Keepers of the home. Bereginya-Rozhanitsa, in turn, also had assistants - this is a brownie, a bannik, a barn. The symbol of the goddess is a duck.

Rod is considered the god of fertility, and the Slavs also believed that Rod sends souls to earth when a child is born. The second name of Rod - Stribog, represents Saturday, which today is called parental day.

Belobog

A good god with many names, he was also called Svetich, Svyatovit. Belobog gave fertility to the lands and souls of people. It was presented in the form of a white horseman, dispersing darkness, accepting the laws of goodness and light.

The symbols of Belobog are the horn, sword and bow. The day of the autumn solstice is considered a holiday of God, on this day sweet pies were presented to him as a gift.

Veles

Veles is considered the keeper of antiquity, the patron saint of animals. Most often, God is represented in the form of a bear. Veles was especially revered, like all the ancient Slavic gods. The list of his knowledge is inexhaustible, he has the wisdom of ancestors, animals. Memorial Day is his holiday. On the last night of October, our ancestors saw off their dead relatives.

pulp

What female Slavic gods existed? The list of names is headed by the goddess Myakosh, the wife of Veles, the goddess of the earth. Protects fertility, is the goddess of fate and witchcraft. She is also considered a conductor between the world of the living and the world of the dead. The goddess helps housewives, conveys the ability to raise and educate children, work in the garden, field, at home, reveals healer secrets, teaches her to understand herbs.

October 28 is considered her holiday (according to the Christian calendar Paraskeva Friday), on this day the pulp protects the hostesses and wives. One of the symbols of the goddess is a headdress with horns, her tree is an aspen.

Crodo

The second name of the god is Krt, the ancestor of Svarog, the lord of the sacrificial fire. Protects sacred and sacrificial places. Crodo was represented in the form of Frost, cold and darkness follow him, it was believed that God brings death with him.

Svarog

What are they, male gods Slavic mythology? The list is headed by Svarog, perhaps the most famous of all pagan gods. He is considered an ancestor, a progenitor. This is the god of the sun, who gave people speech, knowledge.

This wise god appears to be sitting in a chariot, surrounded by ancestors, intelligent animals and birds. Svarog is in everything around, it can be heard and seen, touched.

Dazhdbog

The first son of Svarog is Dazhdbog. Gives warmth and light, vitality. The patron of light and heat. Commands the rains, gives life-giving moisture and fertility. Sunday is considered the day of Dazhdbog, its stone is yahont, and its metal is gold. The Russians considered themselves descendants of Dazhdbog, in every house there was certainly a sign of the deity - the Solstice.

There were also kind and patient Slavic gods. The list is crowned by the goddess Lada, the patroness of love and family well-being she protects the hearth. The symbol of the goddess is a swan and a dove, we associate these birds with fidelity, tenderness, affection. The time of the goddess Lada is spring, the time of the awakening of the spirits of nature, mermaids, mermen, goblin.

Moraine

Morena comes from the words "haze", "mara", "haze". Goddess of cold, winter, snow. Brings severe cold, darkness, death. But this goddess is not so terrible, she personifies the harsh Russian winter, which, as it were, tests people for strength. Morena's symbols are the moon, the lynx and the owl.

Our ancestors were very sensitive to faith, Slavic gods and their meaning were inseparable from everyday life. The list of gods is very diverse, it is difficult to separate them by seniority. Each was important, they lived side by side with each, because the gods were, as it were, symbols of nature, the elements, and were inseparable from people's lives.

Yarilo

god of youth and fertile land, lord of the sun. Some consider him one of the faces of the god Veles, in his spring incarnation. Its month is March, the day of the week is Tuesday. The symbol is iron, the stones are garnet, ruby, amber.

Perun

Perun is the god of war and thunder, the lord of the elements. Thunder was perceived as the voice of Perun, lightning - his arrows. They imagined God racing across the sky in a fiery chariot, with a mace in his hands. Our ancestors believed that Perun protects the manifest world from the invisible, Navi world.

Perun's Day - Thursday. His feast was celebrated on August 2 Orthodox calendar- the day of Elijah the prophet). From metals, God prefers tin, his stones are sapphire and lapis lazuli.

Here, perhaps, are all the main Slavic gods. The list of minor gods is even longer. Although it is difficult to call them secondary. Russia is a northern land with a harsh climate, cold winds and severe frosts. And the gods of the Slavs personified the forces of nature.

Slavic pagan gods: list

Khors, Horos - the ruler of the solar disk, observes the world order. Depicted as the sun. His day is considered the day of the winter solstice - December 22. According to the Slavs, on this day the old sun completed its course and gave way to the new sun, as if opening the beginning of a new year. Sunday is considered its day, its metal is gold.

Viy

There were also dark Slavic gods. The list, perhaps, can be listed for a long time, the struggle between good and evil has always taken place. The personification of dark forces is Viy, the god of the underworld, the lord of sinners. According to legend, Viy had a deadly look, not a single person could withstand it. They represented him in the form of an old man with huge heavy eyelids, which he could not lift on his own. The legend of Viya was preserved in Gogol's story, later a film was made based on it.

Kolyada

Kolyada, the son of Dazhdbog, embodies the New Year cycle, this is a festive god. Symbolizes the departure of the old and the arrival of the new year. They began to honor Kolyada on December 20, and from December 21 a festive ceremony began, dedicated to god- Carols.

Noon

There were also playful, playful Slavic gods, the list is headed by Noon, the goddess Slavic myths. Appeared as a playful spirit. It was believed that she was fooling travelers, bringing confusion to them. It was also the duty of the Midday Lady to see to it that no one worked at noon. She severely punished those who violated the ban, she could tickle to death.

So, we can conclude that the gods were not bad or good. They were the personification of nature and the surrounding world, in all its manifestations. Each god had two hypostases. So, for example, Yarilo gives warmth, warms the earth, but on occasion he can punish (sunstroke). Morena, although it brings cold and severe cold, helped Russia more than once, for example, the cold stopped Napoleon's troops in 1812, and during the Great Patriotic War greatly complicated the movements of Hitler's troops. You can also remember the Russian folk tale where Frost generously endowed good girl and punished the bad one. Not all Slavic gods are listed here, it is quite difficult to make a list. Each phenomenon, each aspect of life had its own deity, which was responsible not only for its space, but also for life in general.