In the pantheon of Slavic pagan gods, Chernobog occupies a very special place. It was not created by the goddess Lada, but, most likely, simply appeared somewhere in the darkest depths of Navi, the world of death and the dead. As in most cases, when it comes to the beliefs of the ancient Slavs, information about him is scattered and not accurate. Nevertheless, from scraps of information that have come down to us, experts have been able to deduce a relatively plausible version of the functions and qualities of this sinister deity.
Apparently, our pagan ancestors had no idea of death as a complete cessation of existence. Rather, they perceived it as a transition from one world to another, in which the mighty Chernobog ruled. Therefore, this god was hardly seen as the embodiment of absolute evil, although they treated him with fear. According to the most common version, Chernobog is the opposite of Belobog, the deity of light and kindness, acting as a kind of counterweight. In other words, Chernobog brings harmony to the world, because light cannot exist if there is no darkness, good - if there is no evil, and life - if there is no death. Most likely, it was in this image that Chernobog appeared to our distant ancestors.
Rune Chernobog.
To date, there are no proven versions of how the Slavs worshiped this god and whether such rituals existed at all. Some researchers express the opinion that the day when Chernobog was honored was February 29, and animals with a natural black color were sacrificed to him. Thus, the Slavs tried to ward off misfortunes and diseases that Chernobog could send to people.
Usually this deity is depicted as a long-bearded old man dressed in armor. At the same time, Chernobog is credited with the ability to change his appearance, turn into a crow, a wolf and other frightening characters. In addition, he has the ability to manage time and patronize sorcerers, witches and other adepts of dark magic.
In our time, the name of Chernobog is synonymous with pure evil, an image that means death and chaos. Do not forget that the information that has come down to us is greatly distorted both by time and by the influence of the Christian religion, which seeks to destroy any information about pagan beliefs. Therefore, in my opinion, Chernobog is better perceived as a character that is rather sinister, but, at the same time, contributes to the establishment of universal harmony and justice.