Whom did the pagan Slavs worship, what gods did the Eastern Slavs worship?
When the question arises about whom the pagan Slavs worshiped, we immediately think of something divine. But don't forget about other invisible creatures and spirits. We are talking about brownies, goblin, water, about the souls of ancestors and others. To say that the Slavs worshiped them would not be entirely correct. However, they were also respected, they tried to somehow appease, especially evil spirits. This was done so that they did not harm or mischief. As for the spirits of the dead, special days were held for them. They set the table, remembered all the good things about these people. The Slavs believed that the souls of their ancestors can help a person, but they can also harm. Therefore, you need to "be" on good terms with them.
But, of course, the most important and large-scale in Slavic beliefs was the worship of the gods. What gods did the ancient Slavs worship? Let's start with the fact that the Slavs had a lot of gods. In general, there was a whole divine pantheon, with its own hierarchy and "powers". It contained both male (for the most part) and female gods. Therefore, there were wives, and husbands, and fathers, and children, and brothers. If you wish, you can make a semblance of the family tree of the Slavic gods.
What gods did the Eastern Slavs worship? Of course, it is impossible to list them all. But here are the main and most revered ones:
- Perun is the patron saint of thunder, squads.
- Khors, Yarilo, Dazhdbog are the gods of the winter, spring and summer Sun, respectively.
- Stribog is the god and patron of the air element, the wind.
- Makosh is the goddess of the hearth, the patroness of married women and mothers.
- Veles is the god of wisdom, poetry, the patron saint of cattle.
- Rod is the creator god, the creator of the whole world. He is the father of the rest of the gods.
- Svarog is the god of heaven, the god of the blacksmith. He protects, creates, unites.
Depending on which gods the Slavs worshiped, many conclusions could be made. After all, each of them had their own sphere of life or a natural phenomenon, for which they were "responsible". For example, if a person worshiped Perun, then he is probably a warrior or a vigilante. Women, on the other hand, more often asked for help or with gratitude to the goddesses: Lada, Makoshi.
Honoring the Gods
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Sometimes you can hear such a phrase that the Slavs did not worship the gods, but glorified them. Probably, this statement has the right to life. After all, our ancestors called themselves children of the gods. How can you worship your parents?
The gods in Slavic paganism, one might say, were a kind of personification of nature or benefactors (if we do not consider the "negative" deities such as Chernobog). Therefore, an appeal to them was an appeal, a request or gratitude to nature itself.
In order to show their respect for the gods, the Slavs built special temples - temples and sanctuaries. Moreover, they were separate for each deity, in accordance with the natural landscape, geographical features. For example, temples in honor of the god Veles were always built in the lowlands of a dense coniferous forest. We also know for certain the fact that the Slavs brought all kinds of sacrifices, or treasures. So they tried to appease God or thank him. Foods, drinks, flowers, valuables and other gifts could be the victims. It all depended on what gods they were brought and for what purpose. Some scholars suggest that there were also human casualties.
Whom did the pagan Slavs worship, what gods did the Eastern Slavs worship?
Let's go back to the pagan temples. Usually a wooden statue of the god was placed in the center, for whom the temple was actually built. This statue is called an idol, or idol. You can often see and hear the concept of "idolatry". Some consider it synonymous with paganism. However, such an identification is very one-sided and not entirely correct. The ancient Slavs had special people. they were called wise men, or priests. They were a kind of guides between gods and people.
Holidays were another element in the worship of the gods. They were celebrated on specific days, widely and cheerfully. Most often, the holiday was timed to coincide with some natural event (days of solstices and equinoxes) or agricultural work (harvesting or planting crops). For example, the arrival of spring has always been associated with Maslenitsa. And the personification of the spring Sun was the god Yarilo. It was he who became the patron saint of the holiday.
Also, each god had its own symbol, and some even had their own rune - a sign of ancient Slavic writing (for example, Dazhbog). These symbols were considered protective, as well as attracting wealth and luck. They were worn as amulets, embroidered on clothes and towels, and carved on wooden items. Thus, the Slavs did everything to enlist the support of their gods, to show them their deep respect and reverence.