Why are the dates of the holidays of the pagan Slavs so confused. Back to the roots
Almost all holidays have pagan Slavic roots. In our article, we will talk about both pagan holidays, which are celebrated throughout Russia, and Orthodox ones.
The latter are most often celebrated not only here, but also in Europe. In Slavic culture, there are four main holidays, according to which days and weeks are counted.
Let's consider them below in more detail.
First of all, let's deal with the concept of paganism. Scientists do not give an unambiguous interpretation of this word. It used to be believed that paganism appeared thanks to the New Testament. In Church Slavonic, this word meant other peoples, i.e. those who had a religion other than the Christian one.
Philologists who study pagan holidays and Slavic culture believe that the meaning of this concept is hidden in the word "paganism" - respect for clan, kinship and blood ties.
In the distant past, our ancestors revered family ties, they considered themselves to be one whole, completely existent, and were related to Mother Nature herself.
pagan holidays
The concept of the Sun in pagan culture
All Slavic pagan holidays were reduced to one goal - honoring respect for the forces of nature and the earth.
The Slavic people deified the Sun, because the very process of life depended on its light. The main festivities and celebrations related to the position of the sun in the sky and its changes in position.
Solstice holidays among the pagan population
It's no secret that the holidays of the Slavs were held using the solar calendar. It showed the position of the Sun relative to other astrological bodies.
The calculation of the year was not by days and weeks, but by four astronomical main events:
And the main pagan holidays were directly related to these natural changes.
Types of Slavic holidays
- In ancient times, the Slavic calendar of holidays began with spring equinox. This holiday identified the victory over the winter season, and was called Komoyeditsa.
- Summer Solstice- a holiday called Kupail Day.
- Spring was a holiday autumn equinox.
- Kolyada The holiday was celebrated at the time of the winter solstice.
As a result, the four main pagan holidays in Rus' were carried out by the Sun and its changes during the astronomical year.
The Slavic people sincerely believed that the sun, like a person, changes throughout the year.
The deity, which died on the night before the winter solstice, was reborn again in the morning.
Holiday Kolyada or Solstice
December 21 was considered the beginning of the astronomical winter, and was dedicated to the rebirth of the Sun. The Slavic people identified this holiday with a baby who was born at the dawn of the winter solstice.
Fun and celebration lasted two weeks, and it all began at sunset on December 19th. All relatives, friends and acquaintances came to celebrate the Christmas of the sun. To scare away evil spirits and evil spirits, the Magi lit fires.
Evil forces on the eve of the birth of the Sun were most active, due to the death of the old Svetovit and the birth of Kolyada. The Slavs believed that on the magical night of timelessness, the ancestors helped to resist the evil forces, gathering together for a common celebration.
In order to help the Sun to be born, the Slavs kindled ritual bonfires at night. They cleaned the house and the yard, washed and washed. Old things were thrown into the fire to get rid of the past, and in the morning to meet the Sun clean and renewed.
The winter sun was called Kolyada. The Slavs rejoiced that every day now the sunny day will increase, and the Sun itself will grow stronger. A cheerful pagan holiday was celebrated on this day until sunset on January 1.
Yule night
The Slavs considered the twelfth night of Yule to be magical and fabulous, that is, from December 31 to January 1. It was customary to celebrate her with funny disguises, dances and songs.
Currently, we are also celebrating this night, and the children are looking forward to the arrival of the pagan god in the person of Santa Claus.
The ancient Slavs invited this god to appease him and protect all crops from freezing.
Preparing the house for an ancient pagan holiday, we usually decorate the Christmas tree and the apartment, put sweets on the table in the form of logs or logs, as Christian tradition suggests. All these festive decorations are borrowed from the god Yule.
In winter, they also celebrated Honoring Women and Christmas Christmas. All these celebrations were accompanied by dances, songs, festivities and fortune-telling. The Slavs glorified the young Sun during all these holidays.
Holiday Komoyeditsa
March 20-21 is considered the day of the spring equinox. Spring pagan holiday - seeing off winter, the beginning of a new year, the meeting of spring and the departure of cold weather.
As soon as Christian culture appeared, this holiday was shifted in time according to the church calendar to the beginning of the year. In the modern world, we all know this holiday as Maslenitsa. The pagan holiday was usually celebrated for 1.5 or 2 weeks.
The Slavs glorified the growing strength and strength of the Sun. And replacing his first childhood name Kolyada with the adult name Yarilo, the sun god became strong and could melt the snow and wake nature from hibernation.
Celebration of Kupala pagan holiday
June 21 is the summer solstice. At the festival, the Slavs glorified the pagan god Kupaila, who gave an excellent harvest and fertility.
According to the solar calendar, the beginning of summer came precisely from this day. The Slavs rejoiced at the fun and rested from hard work. Girls during this period could guess at the narrowed ones and put wreaths on the water.
A tree decorated with ribbons and various festive attributes was a symbol of fertility. On this holiday, all the elements of nature have healing power.
The Magi, knowing what healing properties this holiday gives, collected roots, herbs, flowers, morning and evening dew in the forest.
Meanings of Orthodox and pagan holidays
Celebrating and having fun, our great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers burned an effigy of winter. Spring was coming, and the fear of a cold death in winter was receding.
In order to win over spring, on the thawed patches in the field of treats, sweets and pies for Mother Spring. At the festive feast, Slavic men ate only nutritious food.
This was necessary in order to gain strength before the summer. The Slavs, celebrating national pagan holidays, danced round dances, prepared delicious dishes, for example, pancakes, which resembled the spring sun.
Since the Slavs lived in harmony with mother nature, they also glorified her flora and fauna. The bear was a respected and deified animal. It was to him at the beginning of the celebration that the ancient Slavs brought pancakes.
komoeditsa is a name associated with the bear, as the ancestors called it "kom". There is such a proverb: “The first pancake is coma”, that is, it is intended for a bear.
Magical pagan holidays and rituals
For the positive location of Kupaila, the Magi performed many rituals. On the night of fun, they went around the field in a circle, reading conspiracies from evil spirits, people and animals.
There is an old legend that all people gather in the forest on Kupala in search of a flower. He is able to work miracles, heal and point to the treasure. But this ancient plant cannot bloom.
And the lucky ones who see a suspicious glow in the garden are justified by the phosphorescent organism present on the leaves of the fern. But, despite this, young people still go to look for a magic flower.
Veresen holiday
September 21 is the autumnal equinox. Denotes the harvest and the beginning of autumn. They celebrated the holiday for two weeks.
The first time they celebrated two weeks before the equinox, in Indian Summer, they counted the harvest, planned expenses.
The second time was celebrated after the autumnal equinox. On such days, the Slavs honored the aging and wise Sun. They burned bonfires, danced round dances, kindled a new fire to replace the old one.
The house was decorated with bouquets of wheat, pies were baked from the harvest. This holiday has always been celebrated on a large scale, and all the tables were simply bursting with a variety of dishes.
Pagan holidays in Russia
When Christianity came, many traditions of the Slavs disappeared. But, thanks to the people's memory and some traditions, it was possible to recreate some elements of the celebration.
But, despite the past tense, Slavic holidays continue to be celebrated, albeit in a distorted form. If you care about the history of your people, you can easily recreate these holidays.
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Slavic pagan holidays are one of the most interesting and mysterious aspects in the life of our ancestors. As you know, almost all of them were somehow connected with a certain god. Also, the holidays of the ancient Slavs were timed to coincide with some important event in nature: the arrival of spring, the beginning of summer, and others. And all this is not accidental. Indeed, among the Slavs, nature was personified with something divine, great. And, in addition, during the holidays they asked for the fertility of the land and a good harvest. For this, various rituals were performed.
With the advent of Christianity in Rus', pagan culture began to be forgotten. At the same time, some holidays were transformed into Orthodox ones. The same thing happened with the pagan gods, who were replaced by saints. However, there are some Slavic holidays that have survived to this day.
The most famous of them is Maslenitsa. This holiday was dedicated to the meeting of spring. Maslenitsa has always been very fun, satisfying and long (for a whole week). At the beginning of the week, the Slavs were still working in the field. But from the middle - just rested. Each day of Maslenitsa had its own meaning:
Of course, there are many differences between the modern Pancake week and the pagan one. But in any case, it is just as fun, with pancakes, songs and round dances.
Christmas
Do not confuse Christian Christmas with pagan Christmas. As already mentioned, this is simply the transformation of the holiday in connection with the adoption of a new religion.
Christmas among the ancient Slavs was dedicated to the Sun-Kolyada. The night before was the longest night of the year. She symbolized that the day would henceforth replace the dark time of the day.
Christmas and New Year
The famous twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany. These days the youth went caroling. To do this, young men and girls dressed up in different costumes (animals or birds). And then a crowd of mummers went from house to house, asking for treats. And in gratitude to the hosts, they wished all the best in the new year and sang cheerful songs.
The meaning of carols was very deep. The Slavs believed that on this night the spirits of their ancestors go from house to house, bringing prosperity and wealth.
Christmas time is also always associated with fortune-telling, especially among girls. Indeed, it was Christmas divination that was always considered the most truthful. They were guessing at fate, at suitors, at the fulfillment of any plans.
As for the New Year tree, this is also an ancient pagan tradition. The green beauty was always decorated with sweets and other sweets. This was done to appease and thank the souls of the ancestors. And the lights on the Christmas tree symbolized the sun.
These are the most popular and widespread pagan holidays of the Slavs that have survived to this day. But besides them, you can also add to this list:
Surprisingly, today you can visit a real Slavic holiday. The way it was originally designed. Such days are organized by special Slavic societies and communities. They are as close as possible to the old traditions, and anyone will feel like a real Slav!
Many church holidays are now celebrated by both believers and non-believers. Both for the first and for the second, these holidays seem to be only Christian, because in the popular mind they are clearly associated precisely with the confession that is widespread today. In fact, most modern religious holidays, sometimes with exact coincidence of dates, stem from older pagan festivals.
In ancient times, long before the advent of Christianity, for all the peoples of the Earth, holidays were directly related to the cycles of nature: summer and winter solstice, spring and autumn equinoxes, meeting and seeing off the seasons, sowing, harvesting, etc. Only later, in order to strengthen the transition to a Christian understanding of the holidays in the people's minds, the church used the pagan holidays that people had long loved, but put new content into them.
Let us briefly recall that the Orthodox chronology is conducted according to the Julian calendar, and therefore lags behind the current Gregorian by 13 days. In 354, the Christian Church officially established the celebration of the Nativity of Christ on the winter solstice. On this day, the birth of the solar god Mithras was widely celebrated in Rome, in Greece - the god Dionysus, in Egypt - Osiris, in Arabia - Dusar. In Rus', this holiday was called "winter whirl" or "birthday of the sun", since it is from this moment that the sun begins to "grow": the day becomes longer and the night shorter. Thus, in the understanding of the Church, the Nativity of Christ symbolically had to personify the birth of the sun, which brings life to the Earth.
It is significant that in Christian theology Christ was referred to as the "sun of the World" and "the sun of Truth." And in the 15th century in Europe there was even an attempt to rename all the known heavenly bodies with biblical names: the planets bearing the names of the Roman pagan gods were proposed to be named after the Christian holy apostles, the Moon - John the Baptist, the Earth - the Virgin Mary, and the sun itself was proposed to be called Jesus Christ . However, in this historical curiosity, mystical symbolism is clearly visible: the Earth is the mother, and God himself is like the sun that gives life.
Immediately after the winter solstice, the Romans have "calends". At the same time in Rus', the ancient Slavs celebrated their multi-day winter holiday - Svyatki. In Belarus and Ukraine, the holy week is still called "Kolyada". These days there are feasts, amusements, fortune-telling, walking mummers, caroling. Similar to the Roman "calends", the Russian name "carols" comes from a common Sanskrit root, where "kol" means the sun or a circle. It is known that "round" in Russian has the root "kol": wheel, ring, kolobok, well, bell, kolovorot (solstice). For example, among the Indians (to this day) "Koleda" is revered as the deity of festivities and some rituals are also called, and the word "koledovat" in Hindi means children walking around different houses with songs and dances (!). Finally, from the same word came later "witchcraft".
Then came the holiday of seeing off winter - Shrovetide (however, now the date of Shrovetide "roams", since immediately after it the great 40-day fast begins: there is already some kind of link to the Christian calendar). This celebration lasted for a whole week. Pancakes were baked on Maslenitsa, lit cales were rolled, bonfires were lit - all this symbolized the spring sun (Yarilo), gaining strength. On Maslenitsa, the newlyweds rode around the village in a painted sleigh, kissed in front of everyone - according to the beliefs of the ancient Slavs, their young and ardent love was supposed to fill all nature with vitality. The whole Maslenitsa ritual pursues the same magical goal - plentiful feasts, fun games, skiing from the mountains. On the last day of the holiday, Shrovetide is sent off - a straw doll in a women's costume, symbolizing Mara-Marena, the goddess of winter and cold, which was first called, then torn and scattered across the fields so that the harvest was rich: this is symbolic of how it happens in nature - from dead death (winter) and life is born alive (spring).
In 325, at the first ecumenical council, the procedure for celebrating Easter was established. The Resurrection of Christ in natural symbolism signifies ever-reviving life: when, after a long winter, the first greenery appears. It is known from history that the ancient Greeks, Egyptians and Phoenicians had dying and resurrecting gods - and they all resurrected in the same way, many in the spring. For example, on the corresponding holiday, the Egyptians greeted each other with the words: "Osiris is risen!". From here this well-known greeting was borrowed by the first Christians. It was also from ancient pagan beliefs that the tradition of painting eggs entered Easter customs. In the culture of many peoples, the egg symbolized the secret of the birth of life.
On a day close to the Resurrection of Christ, there is a day of commemoration of ancestors, preserved from pagan times, formerly called Rodonitsa (from the word "Rod"), when people go to the graves of their dead relatives - to commemorate their souls. It should be noted that Easter is a "wandering" date, and all other holidays, in any way connected with it, also "wander" according to the calendar.
The Christian Church on the 40th day after Easter celebrates the Ascension of the Lord. The ancient peoples, after the end of spring field work, celebrated the days of deities, marking the transition of spring to summer: for example, among the Phoenicians, the god Adonis ascended to heaven, among the Greeks, Hercules, who accomplished many feats, was honored to ascend to the gods. The Slavs revered Yarilin's day, on which they gratefully saw off the spring (yarilo - the spring sun).
The holiday of the summer solstice on June 22 (summer whirl) was also widely celebrated by many peoples of the Earth. In Rus', this is Kupalo (as the pagan Slavs called the summer sun). This day in pagan times was the main summer holiday: they burned bonfires, arranged games, led round dances, sang songs, consecrated marriages. The ancient Slavs believed that on the night of Kupala, trees and animals talk, herbs are filled with a special life-giving force (which is confirmed by modern scientific research), so healers were in a hurry to collect them. It was also believed that on the shortest night of the year a great miracle happens - a fern blooms with a fiery color, and if a person manages to pluck this "Fire Flower", he will find a treasure. As in other holidays dedicated to the sun, burning wheels rolled on Kupala. On this day, the ancient pagan Slavs also got rid of all filth: they burned the shirts of the sick to destroy the disease, washed themselves with dew so that the disease would not stick, lit fires and jumped over them so that the sacred fire would cleanse a person from any damage.
In order to introduce a new Christian meaning into this popular holiday among the people, the church imposed the Nativity of St. John the Baptist on this date. Thus, during the period of dual faith in Rus', the now well-known name of this holiday, Ivan Kupala, was born.
In the middle of summer (near July 20), during a period of heavy rains and thunders, the peoples of Europe celebrated holidays in honor of their gods of thunder: Zeus - among the Greeks, Thor - among the Scandinavians, Perun - among the Slavs. Now this is the holiday of Elijah the Prophet, who is often called Ilya the Thunderer: remember that he also has a stern disposition, he, like the ancient gods, shakes the heavens and throws lightning.
Then - at the beginning of autumn - two Christian holidays associated with the Virgin Mary follow: the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Protection Day (September 21 and October 14, respectively). Between these "women's holidays" is the autumn equinox. And again, there is a natural symbolism here: after the harvest was over, the ancient farmers thanked the "mother Earth" for the benefits provided. On this day, women goddesses enjoyed special reverence, later also giving birth to divine sons: in Egypt, the mother goddess Isis had universal worship, among the Greeks - Gaia, among the Phoenicians - Astarte, among the Babylonians - Ishtar, in Rus' "Mother Earth Cheese" was honored and the legendary progenitor of the Slavs, the goddess Lada.
And then another event (on which no Christian holiday was superimposed) - "Grandfathers" (emphasis on the last letter), is celebrated on October 31. This "day of commemoration of the ancestors" left over from pagan times is especially revered in Belarus and Ukraine. Just like half a year ago (on Rodonitsa), people go to the graves of their relatives to honor their memory.
Then winter comes to warm the earth under the snow cover, and after it the newly returned Spring wakes up the sleeping nature. So the eternal cycle repeats again. "Let life flourish everywhere!" - as our ancestors used to say.
Ancient pagan and Slavic traditional holidays, the main memorable dates and rituals, the significance of which is important for the entire Family, were on the calendar of a certain day or month for a reason. All the holidays of the Slavic peoples and traditions are closely connected with Nature and its rhythm of life. Wise ancestors understood that it is impossible to reverse it and it is pointless to rewrite old styles with new ones.
In our calendar of pagan holidays of the Slavs, we indicate the dates according to the new style for your convenience. If you want to celebrate them in the old way, just subtract thirteen days from the indicated date and month. We will be sincerely glad that you will be imbued with honesty and usefulness, reasonableness and grace of the pagan holidays of Ancient Rus' and the Ancestral Slavs, their traditions and help to revive and pass them on to your Descendants to strengthen the strength of the entire Family. For those who want to enter a new rhythm with the protection of amulets, go to our catalog -.
The natural calendar of the Slavs is based on four main points - the days of the autumn and spring equinoxes, winter and summer solstices. They are determined by the astrological position of the Sun relative to the earth: shift in dates from 19 to 25 is possible
| Summer (year) | ||||
| 2016 | December 22,23,24 (25th Kolyada) | March 19 | 21st of June | September 25 |
| 2017 | March 18 | 21st of June | September 25 | |
| 2018 | December 20,21,22 (23 - Kolyada) | March 19 | 22nd of June | September 25 |
| 2019 | December 22,23,24 (25 - Kolyada) | 21 March | 21st of June | 23 September |
| 2020 | December 21,22,23 (24 - Kolyada) | 20th of March | 21st of June | September 22nd |
The very same annual Wheel - Kolo Svarog consists of twelve rays-months. By the power of the Gods and the Family, it is launched into a continuous rotation of salting and forms the Cycle of Nature.
The very love of the Slavs for their Earth and the Cycle of the elements and seasons reflect the ancient pagan names of each month. One capacious word reflects the essence of time and affectionate appeal to Nature, understanding of her difficult year-round work for the benefit of her children.
This is how our Ancestors called the months in which they celebrated the main Slavic holidays:
- January - Prosinets
- February - Lute
- March - Berezen
- April - pollen
- May - Traven
- June - Cherven
- July - Lipen
- August - Serpen
- September - Veresen
- October - Leaf fall
- November - Breast
- December - Studen
Winter Slavic holidays and rituals
Pagan and Slavic holidays in December
December 3
On this day, the Slavs remember and honor the giant hero Svyatogor, who brought great benefits to Rus' in the fight against the Pechenegs. His exploits are described along with the heroism of Ilya Muromets in Slavic epics, he lived on the high Holy Mountains, and according to legend, his body was buried in Gulbishche, a large boyar mound. On such a holiday, it is good to tell your Descendants about the giant Svyatogor and extend the Memory of his heritage, and tell about the Native Gods of the Slavs.
December 19-25 Karachun
Karachun is the second name of Chernobog, descending to earth on the days of the winter solstice, Kolovorot (lasts 3 days between December 19 and 25). Karachun is an evil underground spirit and has servants in the form of bears - snowstorms and wolves - snowstorms. It is frost and cold, shortening day and impenetrable night. However, along with this, Karachun is considered a fair God of death, who does not violate the earthly Orders just like that. To protect yourself from the wrath of Chernobog, it is enough to follow the Rules and wear Slavic amulets-amulets.
At the end of Karachun, the Holiday comes - Kolyada, Sunny Christmas
Kolyada is the young Sun, the embodiment of the beginning of the New Year cycle. From that day on, the Big Winter Christmas time began and the Sun turned to spring. At this time, children and adults dressed up as fairy-tale characters and animals and, under the name of Kolyada, stepped into the huts of wealthy families. Under fervent songs and dances, they demanded treats from the laid table and wished the owners happiness and longevity. Offending carolers meant incurring the wrath of Kolyada himself, so on the eve of Sunny Christmas, the preparation of sweets and cooking kutya began.
December 31 Generous evening, Schedrets
On this day of the Great Winter Christmastide, they prepared for the New Year coming at midnight and, just like on Kolyada, they gathered and went out through the streets to play performances. Gather treats, praise the generous hosts and jokingly scold the stingy. Generous, good evening! - Shouted to every passerby in greeting. Hence the name of this winter Slavic holiday came from the time of the pagan faith.
Pagan and Slavic holidays in January
January 6
Tur is the son of Veles and Makoshi, the patron of shepherds, guslars and buffoons, young men - future warriors and breadwinners of families. On this Slavic holiday, a ceremony of initiation into men was performed, and the main shepherd in the village was also chosen. This holiday closes the Veles Winter Christmas time and therefore everyone is in a hurry to tell fortunes for the last time what awaits them in the future, they set a rich table.
January 8
On this Slavic holiday, midwives and all the older women of the Family are honored. Generous gifts and glorifications are presented to them, and in return they sprinkle their children and once adopted babies with grain with a blessing and a wish for a generous Share and an Easy Fate. The symbol of the Family in Slavic amulets also helps to keep the connection between generations, to instill in the Descendants respect for their Ancestors.
January 12 Abduction Day
On this not a Slavic holiday, but a memorable day, Veles kidnapped Perun's wife, Dodola, or otherwise Diva, in retaliation for refusing a marriage proposal, and later Marena, the wife of Dazhdbog, who became Kashchei's wife and bore him many demonic daughters. Therefore, on the twelfth of January, they are wary of letting the girls go out alone and are working to strengthen personal protections: they make jewelry-amulets, embroider protective ornaments on women's shirts.
January 18 Intra
This is an ancient pagan holiday of the Slavs, on the day of which they honor the participant of the Military Triglav Intra. He, Volkh and Perun made up the Code of qualities necessary for a warrior. Intra symbolized Light and Darkness as a struggle of opposites and the need to choose the right, sometimes tough decision. Also, Intra, Indrik the Beast, is also the patron of wells, clouds, snakes, Navi God, therefore on such a night the Veduns spoke to protect all chimneys so that dark spirits in the form of snakes could not enter the house.
January 19
It can be seen that the customs of this holiday are very reminiscent of the Christian holiday of Epiphany. However, Christians replaced the name of the pagan holiday "Water Light" with "Baptism of the Lord", and the essence and traditions remained the same, although this is not a Christian holiday, and even Catholics do not celebrate January 19th.
On this day, the Slavs celebrated the pagan holiday Vodosvet. It was believed that actually on this day, the water became bright and turned into healing. According to tradition, on this day they bathed in the hole. If it was not possible to plunge, then they poured water in a warm place. After everyone bathed, the guests gathered and wished each other good health until the next Vodosvet.
It was believed that such bathing charges a person with health for the whole year. The Slavs believed that on this day the Sun, Earth, and also the center of the Galaxy are located in such a way that water is structured and a channel of communication opens between people and the center of the Galaxy, a kind of connection with space. That is why water and what consists of water was considered a good conductor. Water is able to "remember" both negative and positive information. And of course, it can either restore a person, or, on the contrary, destroy him.
Our ancestors believed in the healing properties of water and understood that human health depends on the quality of water.
January 21 Prosinets
This Slavic holiday is dedicated to the glorification of Heavenly Svarga and the revival of the Sun, softening the cold. In ancient times, the pagan Veduns remembered and thanked Kryshen, who gave people fire to melt the Great Ice and shed life-giving Surya from Heavenly Svarga - water, which on January 21 makes all springs healing and rejuvenating.
January 28
On this day, they praise the children of Veles - his heavenly warriors and thank God for such protection of the Family. They also do not forget about the Brownie, treat him to the most delicious in the house and ask him not to be offended by anything, sing songs and fairy tales to him, try to appease and entertain him. On this day, everything is a lot: from spirits to people, so you should not be surprised at the miracles happening and the banter of Father Veles over us. If you want, you can bring the trebs under the spruce or the made idol of the Native God right in the forest.
Pagan and Slavic holidays in February
February 2 Gromnitsa
On this winter Slavic holiday, you can hear amazing single peals of thunder - this is how Perun congratulates his wife Dodolya-Malanyitsa, Lightning, inviting us to praise the goddess and ask her for mercy - not to burn barns and yards in anger, but to work for the glory of the future harvest, causing rain. Also at such a time they looked at the weather and determined whether the year would be dry or not.
February 11 Great Veles Day
The Great Veles Day marks the middle of winter, a certain milestone. On this holiday, they praised the Father and performed game ceremonies of a comic battle between Marena and Veles, as a symbol of the imminent end of the cold, his retreat together with Mara. Also on this day, they put up protection for livestock and applied Veles chirs to all the gates in the courtyard, praised and brought the requirements of the Cattle God, asked for health to cows, pigs and other breadwinners of the family.
February 15
This is an ancient Slavic holiday of the meeting of Spring and Winter, the last winter colds and the first spring thaws. As a sign of respect for the Sun, pancakes were baked, and at noon they burned Yerzovka, a straw doll, releasing the spirit of Fire and the Sun to freedom. It is curious that all the numerous signs associated with this day are quite accurate. Therefore, we recommend observing the weather for the Candlemas and making plans based on what Nature predicted.
February 16 Pochinki
Pochinki is an important date that comes immediately after the pagan holiday of the ancient Slavs of the Presentation. From that day on, they began to repair carts, fences, barns, barns and agricultural implements. Prepare the cart in winter - it was from Pochinki that such a wise proverb came to us. You should also not forget about Domovoy, bring him treats and talk with harmony and peace in order to establish contact and receive support in working for the benefit of the economy.
February 18 Troyan Winter, the day of Stribog's grandchildren, commemoration of the fallen at Troyanov Val
This wonderful Slavic holiday is the Day of Remembrance of the fallen soldiers worthy of Svarog's grandchildren. In their honor, ceremonial reconstruction battles were performed and generous commemorations were brought, and the Descendants were told and clearly shown how much the soldiers who participated in the battle at Troyan Val did for the entire Russian Family.
Spring Slavic holidays and rituals
Pagan and Slavic holidays in March
March 1
On this day, they praise the goddess of Winter and Death Marena, who owns the Navi world and helps people after life to reach the Kalinov Bridge. On it you can go through the line of Yavi and Navi, the Smorodina River. On the night before this holiday, all the undead, forgotten and unburied souls of the dead awakened in Yavi. They could walk around the yards, trying to get attention and even move in alive. From that, at that time, people put on masks - animal masks, so that the evil spirits would not notice them and could not harm them. On the last Navi day, it is customary to honor their deceased Ancestors and prepare a memorial table, bring trebes and give Glory for the life lived and the Descendants of the Family given by them. You can treat your dead Relatives both at the graves, and by throwing shells from colored eggs on the water - if they left for another world a long time ago and it’s a pity, the grave is no longer there or it is very far away.
March 14
According to the ancient Slavic custom, the New Year fell on Maly Ovsen - the beginning of the awakening of NATURE and its readiness for agricultural work and fertility. Accordingly, March was previously the first month of the year, and not the third. Ovsen, who was born a little later and is considered the younger twin brother of Kolyada. It is he who conveys to people the knowledge of his brother and helps to translate them into practical experience. On this day, it is customary to rejoice in the new year and make plans for the future, start new business, glorify the awakening of Nature.
March 19-25 Komoyeditsy or Maslenitsa, Velikden
The pagan holiday Maslenitsa is not just a Slavic meeting of spring and a cheerful farewell to winter. This is the spring solstice, a turning point in the calendar and way of life. In the Orthodox holiday of Maslenitsa, the pagan Komoyeditsa has been preserved with almost all of its traditions: burning an effigy of winter - Madder, treating pancakes - Komami and eating them all week. The first solar pancakes were usually given as treb to the Bear, the personification of Veles. They were laid out on forest stumps, and then they went to burn ritual bonfires, in which they burned unnecessary junk and cleansed themselves and their families of unnecessary burdens. They began to celebrate Komoyeditsy a week before the day of the Equinox and continued to have fun for another week after it.
March 22 Magpies or Larks
This Slavic holiday is a continuation of the glorification of the spring equinox, and is called so because, according to custom, forty new species of birds begin to arrive from the winter hut, including the first larks. And even they were late this time, then each family baked their own rich larks, which were supposed to attract real ones. Usually, this was entrusted to children, who gladly ran to call for spring, and then enjoyed delicious pastries. In the form of a lark, wooden charms for the house were also made. They attracted happiness, health and good luck.
March 25 Opening of Svarga or Invocation of Spring
On the last, third call of spring with fragrant rye larks, games and round dances, the Opening of Heavenly Svarga takes place and Zhiva descends to earth. Finally, nature will wake up, come to life and begin to grow in the course of rivers and seedlings, young shoots and new tree branches. On this Slavic holiday, one can feel the Living breath of the Gods, who favorably relate to the living Descendants.
March 30
On this March day they praised Lada: the goddess of love and beauty, one of the two heavenly Rozhanitsa, the Mother of God. This Slavic holiday was accompanied by round dances and dances, as well as baking cranes from unleavened dough for home family amulets. The bright day of kindness and warmth made it possible to recharge and jewelry for girls or married women - earrings, pendants and bracelets with Ladins, symbolizing the harmony of female beauty, health and wisdom.
Pagan and Slavic holidays in April
April 1 Brownie Day or his awakening
This cheerful Slavic holiday was dedicated to Domovoy - the very spirit that protected your house, farmstead and bins. On the first of April, he woke up from hibernation, during which he did only important things - guarded your property, and began active work to bring comfort and prosperity to the family. So that he woke up faster and became more cheerful - they treated him with milk and other goodies, they began to joke and play with him and with each other - play and tell jokes, put them on inside out, and socks or shoes separately.
April 3
It was on this day that Vodyanoy woke up and ice drift and river flooding began. This Slavic holiday was dedicated to him: the fishermen carried generous gifts for the Water Man in the hope that he would restore order in the water kingdom and thank those who treated him with a generous catch, would not tear their nets, drive large fish into them, and also punish the mermaids not to touch them and their loved ones. Some artels could bring a whole horse as a gift, but most often the requirements were limited to milk, butter or bread with eggs. Throwing them into the cold spring water, the Slavs hoped that the Water Spirit would wake up in a good and full mood.
April 14 Semargl Day
On this Slavic holiday, Semargl-Firebog melts the last snows, turning into a flaming winged wolf and flying through the fields. It is this God of the Sun and Fire that guards the crops and gives good harvests, and it is he who can burn down all living things. It is said that Svarog himself forged Semargl from a spark at his sacred forge. Every night he stands guard over the Order with a fiery sword, and only on the day of the autumn equinox comes to the Bathhouse so that they have children - Kupalo and Kostroma. Trebs of Firebog are brought by throwing them into the fire, amulets with Semargl are also activated in his flame asking God for protection.
April 21 Navi Day or Commemoration of the Ancestors
On this day of spring Christmas time, the souls of the dead Ancestors descend to us to visit and hear about our life, joys and sorrows. Therefore, relatives are commemorated at the graves and feasts are brought: treats in memory of them. The older ones in the Family are commemorated by dropping the shells from colored eggs into the water, so that by Rusal Day they will be given to them as dear news from loved ones. As well as the first of April, on the day of Marena, on this Slavic holiday, going to the side of reality and the undead, restless, restless, offended dead souls. That is why many again put on masks to protect themselves from them.
April 22 Lelnik Krasnaya Gorka
On this amazing holiday and for a long time after it, they praised Lelya, the goddess of spring, youth and assistant in obtaining the future harvest. The youngest and most beautiful girl was seated on a high hill, Krasnaya Gorka, they brought her all sorts of gifts: milk, bread, sweets and eggs, danced around her and rejoiced at the life that had awakened after the winter. Painted, painted eggs were distributed to relatives and friends, and also rushed to the already deceased Ancestors as a memorial. Such colored, painted eggs are generally part of the Slavic culture, some of them should have been reserved for the subsequent one after another spring holidays of the awakening of Nature and the glorification of Yarila, Zhiva, Dazhdbog.
April 23 Yarilo vernal
On this Slavic holiday, they go out into the street to meet and thank the patron saint of shepherds and the protector of livestock predators, Yarila, the spring Sun. From this period, the first spring weddings begin and symbolic fertilization is carried out - the Opening of the Yarila Earth and the release of the first dew, which was considered strong and was used during ritual skating of men on the ground to increase their health and heroic will. Yarilina dew was carefully collected and used for the future as living water for the treatment of many ailments.
April 30
On this last day of April and Krasnaya Gorka, the spring cold ends and people go to commemorate their ancestors, bringing them standard trebes: kutya, pancakes, oatmeal jelly and hand-written eggs. Also on this day, competitions are organized: skiing from a mountain of written eggs. The winner is the one whose egg rolls the farthest without breaking. Such rolling out of the earth with eggs symbolizes its future fertility. By midnight, all the celebrants prepare the beginning and collect a huge big fire on the same mountain to celebrate Zhivin's day.
Pagan and Slavic holidays in May
May 1 Zhivin day
Immediately at midnight on the first of May, the Slavic spring holiday begins in honor of Zhiva: the goddess of spring, fertility, the birth of life. The daughter of Lada and the wife of Dazhdbog, Zhivena gives life to all living things and fills the entire Family with this creative power. When a fire is lit in her honor, women and girls, who are patronized by the goddess, take brooms in their hands and perform a ritual dance-cleaning from evil spirits, jump through the Life-Creating Fire, clearing themselves of winter Navi sleep and haze. Alive is the movement of nature, the first shoots, the first streams, the first flowers and the first love.
May 6 Dazhdbog Day - Ovsen big
On this day they praise Dazhdbog, the Ancestor of the Slavs, the God of Fertility and the wife of Alive. It was on this day that he renounced Marena and made a choice in favor of his daughter Lada, thereby becoming, together with the Alive, in defense of Nature and its Fruits. On the sixth of May, people go out into the field and make the first ritual sowings, take cattle to fresh fields, and also begin the construction of new houses, and of course, they bring generous gifts to grandfather Dazhdbog and rejoice in the hot sun as a symbol of this spring and future abundant harvest.
May 10 Spring Makosh
This is the day of honoring Mother-raw-Earth and her patrons - Mokosh and Veles. On this day, it was forbidden to injure the earth: dig, harrow, or simply stick sharp objects into it - after all, it wakes up after a winter Navi sleep and is filled with life-giving juices. All sorcerers and simply honoring Nature brothers-Slavs went out on this day with generous gifts to the fields and poured full cups to Mother Earth, glorifying her and asking for a good harvest, lay down on her and listened to her affectionate parental whisper with advice and instructions.
May 22 Yarilo wet Troyan, Tribog day
On this day, there is a farewell to Yarila - the spring Sun and the three summer Gods of Svarog Triglav, strong in the Rule, Navi and Reveal: Svarog, Perun and Veles are famous. It is believed that Troyan gathered the strength of each of them and every day stands guard over Nature from the attack of Chernobog. On Troyan, boys were initiated into warriors, their ancestors were commemorated and amulets were made from the souls of the restless dead, including plowed entire villages with a protective, protective circle from the evil Navi forces, and women and girls were cleansed of the haze before wedding ceremonies and childbearing.
May 31
This very interesting Slavic holiday implies that we are all brothers and sisters of the same Genus. Therefore, those who wish to make a fuss - to become related, without having a direct consanguinity, on the last day of spring, such an opportunity is provided. You can also ask Zhiva for what you want - just tell your hopes and dreams to the cuckoo, she will bring them to the Goddess and forge her about you. Also on this ancient pagan celebration, the Slavs exchanged gifts-amulets with people dear and close to them in spirit.
Summer Slavic holidays and rituals
Pagan and Slavic holidays in June
June 1 Spirits day or the beginning of Mermaid week
Spirits day begins on the first day of summer and continues throughout the week, called Mermaid. From this day Marena releases the dead ancestors to stay in Yav, and their Descendants invite them to their homes, laying out birch branches in the corners, symbolizing Family ties. However, along with them, not dead, suicidal and drowned people are activated. Most often these are women and Mermaids. Water at this time most actively receives and conducts the energy of Rule, Silavi and Reveal. With it, you can recover, damage, or learn something. As a requirement, clothes were brought to the banks of the rivers for mermaid children, and so that the spirits could not penetrate the body, they wore amulets with.
June 19-22 Kupalo
This is the main summer pagan holiday among the Slavs - the Day of the Solstice, the Kolovorot. On this day, many rituals are performed - after all, the power of such a period is very great. The herbs collected on Kupalo are of great value. The ardent fire of the fire cleanses people, and the water washes away all sorrows and illnesses from them. Feast, games and round dances with rituals continue from dawn to dusk. This is a Slavic merry and cheerful holiday, the symbol of which for the whole year are amulets with Odolen-grass, Fern Flower and Kolo Goda.
June 23 Agrafena Bathing suit
This pagan ancient Slavic holiday opened the bathing season. Healing bath brooms began to be prepared in each house and a ritual heating of baths was carried out for cleaning relatives - steaming, and subsequent charging - restoring health by dipping into open water. On the day of Agrafena Kupalnitsa, as well as at other Christmas holidays, girls of all ages went with praises and petitions to present gifts: Slavic outerwear, silver jewelry with protective symbols.
Pagan and Slavic holidays in July
July 12 Veles Sheaf Day
From the Veles day, the heat begins to rise and hay is mowing for livestock, the first sheaves absorbing the fertile spirit of the fields are tied up. Therefore, demands and glorifications are brought to Veles, as the patron of agriculture and cattle breeding. Also on this day, Alatyr was also called, and Veles was asked to move it for a while and let the souls of their ancestors go to Nav and find their peace there. On this Slavic summer holiday, Veles's chirs were applied to his idols, as well as personal and home amulets-amulets. Also on this day, the trebs are brought in the Holy Fire.
Pagan and Slavic holidays in August
August 2 Perunov day
This ancient pagan Slavic holiday was dedicated to honoring and glorifying the Supreme God of fire and thunder, Perun. On such a date, all men consecrated their weapons so that they would serve faithfully to the owner, be sharp, and also cause rain after a long drought to save the fields and harvest. Sacrifices were made to Perun and simply generous requests to the altar with an idol and chir: pastries, bread, wine, kvass. Put on with the blessing of God or another Slavic talisman guarded the owner in a foreign land and in difficult situations.
August 15
Pozhinki, pozhinki or squeezing is a pagan holiday of the ancient Slavs with the glorification of Veles and the cutting of the last fruitful sheaves of grain. In each field, they left the last bunch of wheat and tied it in the form of Veles's beard, as a sign of respect and understanding of all that great gift of agriculture given to them. Also at this time, they began to consecrate the collected honey, apples and grain on the Great Fire, bring them to the requirements along with bread and porridge to the Native Gods.
August 21 Stribog Day
This is a Slavic holiday in honor of Stribog, the lord of the wind and God who controls tornadoes and natural disasters. On this day, they bring trebes to assure their respect: shreds, grain or bread and ask for indulgence - a good harvest next year and whole roofs over their heads. Stribog is the brother of Perun and holds seventy-seven winds in his fist, living on the Buyan Island. That is why the ancestors believe - he can convey a request or desire to the Native Gods and punish the offenders, wherever they are.
Autumn Slavic holidays and rituals
Pagan and Slavic holidays in September
September 2 Memorial Day of Prince Oleg
Prince Russian Oleg did a lot for his people: he concluded an agreement with Byzantium and established trade routes with duty-free sales, united the disparate Slavic Clans into a single one - Kievan Rus, gave a worthy education to Rurik's son Igor, and nailed his shield as a symbol of victory on the gates of Constantinople. Prophetic Oleg died through the fault of his horse, as the wise Priests predicted. No matter how hard he tried to change the course of fate, it was impossible.
September 8
This Slavic holiday is dedicated to the family and its well-being. On such a bright day, Rozhanitsy is glorified: Lelya and Lada and all the Rod produced by them. After bringing the requirements to the Native Goddesses, ritual games and ritual funerals of flies begin, symbolizing the imminent numbness of all insects and falling into hibernation until spring. In addition to a feast for the whole house, close people exchanged gifts and amulets with Slavic symbols: Ladinets, Rozhanitsa, Rod and Rodimych, and also solemnly hung and placed the faces and idols of the Gods on the Altar.
September 14 First Osenins, Day of the Fiery Wolf
On this day, farmers began to celebrate the First Osenins - Harvest Day and thank Mother Earth for it. It is also worth remembering the honoring of the Fiery Volkh - the son of Indrik the Beast and Mother Earth, the husband of Lelya, whose love withstood all obstacles and circumstances, and the wise, brave and pure image of the Volkh is clearly reflected in Slavic fairy tales in the main character Finist the Clear Falcon.
September 21 Svarog Day
On this September day, the Slavs celebrated the holiday of Svarog and praised him for descending and teaching people crafts along with Veles, giving the sacred Ax and Forge. Thus, the Russian Rod could survive and do business in the autumn and winter. On this day, it is customary to slaughter chickens fattened over the summer, and give the first of the farmstead to Svarog as a requirement. Autumn brides and weddings also began from this day, and the brothers gathered a huge number of young guys in the girls' huts. On this day, the closing of Svarga and the departure of the goddess Zhiva into it until spring also took place.
September 22 Holiday Lada
Lada, as the Mother of God and the giver of family well-being, the patroness of all living things, deserved a holiday among the Slavs for her own glory. At this time, she was thanked for the harvest and prosperity, as well as for sending a soul mate and creating a new family, they played weddings with ritual wedding rings, and also gave their grown-up daughters protective jewelry with Ladins as a talisman for beauty and harmonization of women's fate.
September 19-25 Radogoshch, Tausen, Ovsen or Autumn Equinox (New Year)
On this day, the results were summed up and the harvested crop and stocks made were considered. People praised the main God of the Family and Rozhanitsa and brought them generous requests in gratitude for their patronage and help. In some territorial areas, the Slavs began to celebrate the Autumn Equinox with the closing of Svarga, the Feast of the Heavenly Smith or the Rich Man, and all this time they were lavish feasts.
Pagan and Slavic holidays in October
On October 14, Intercession, with the introduction of Christianity, this holiday was celebrated in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her miraculous payment.
In folk tradition, on this day, the meeting of Autumn with Winter was celebrated, and this holiday has very deep roots. The very name of folk beliefs was associated with the first frost, which "covered" the earth, indicating the proximity of winter cold, although the exact name of the holiday has not been preserved. The Day of the Intercession coincided with the complete completion of field work and serious preparations for winter.
October 30 Goddess Mokosh Day
On an autumn day, they praised Makosh, the one that spins human destinies, patronizes families and children in it, gives a happy bright hearth and helps to learn women's crafts: weaving, spinning, sewing, embroidery. Trebs were brought to her under idols on the Altar or in the fields and in the rivers: sweet buns, red wine, coins and wheat as a symbol of prosperity. Also on this day, pre-embroidered amulets for the home, chirs and Slavic amulets-decorations were activated.
Pagan and Slavic holidays in November
November 25 Marena Day
In the last days of autumn, Marena finally kicks out Yarila and covers Yav with her veil of cold, snow and ice. This pagan holiday of the Slavs does not contain joy. People reconcile themselves to the fact and in the beginning put modest demands on the Goddess, but they still try to show Mara their fearlessness and readiness to survive even in the most severe winter. Also on this date, they are attentive to the spirits of the dead Ancestors, their whisper in the last remaining leaves and try to bring a remembrance, appease the Navi Forces.
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New Year
The only Slavic holiday that is celebrated at the state level in the Slavic states is the New Year. Once upon a time, the god of severe cold Morok walked through the villages, sending hard frosts. The villagers, wanting to protect themselves from the cold, put gifts on the window: pancakes, jelly, cookies, kutya. Now Morok has turned into a sort of kind old man Santa Claus, who distributes gifts himself. It became so quite recently, in the middle of the 19th century. By the way, there is a deep ritual meaning in decorating the Christmas tree: according to legend, the spirits of ancestors live in evergreens. Therefore, decorating the fir tree with sweets, we bring gifts to our ancestors. Such is the ancient custom. New Year family holiday. On this day, it is better to visit your relatives. During the celebration of the New Year, spells were cast for the whole next year and at the same time fortune-telling about the future was made. The number 12 is most often found precisely in the New Year's rituals: 12 "elders" leading the ritual, 12 sheaves, according to which they guess about the future harvest in the beginning year, water from 12 wells for fortune-telling; the sacred fire "badnyak" burns for 12 days (six days at the end of the old year and six at the beginning of the new). The solemn cycle of New Year's rituals began with memories of the past (singing of ancient epics), and ended with fortune-telling about the future. It was the end of Christmas time, the famous "Epiphany evening", that was considered the most convenient time for questioning fate. For January spells and fortune-telling associated with sing-along songs, special vessels were required for sacred water, into which a golden ring was dipped. The idea of water is emphasized by a massive relief zigzag line that runs around the entire vessel just below the rim. Agricultural magic character these divinations have been sufficiently clarified by the works of V. I. Chicherov; one of the main observant songs was “glory to bread”. Water and gold are obligatory attributes of New Year's agrarian-magical divination, just like water and the sun, provided the ancient Slav with a harvest.
Day of Ilya Muromets (Avegi Perun)
Ilya Muromets was from the village of Karacharova, near the city of Murom. At that time, the Finno-Ugric peoples, the Murom tribe, lived here (it is known that many local Finno-Ugric peoples still adhere to the faith of their ancestors, and their neighbors - the Meadow Mari - were never Christians, retained the priesthood). For the fact that Ilya Muromets was from the Murom tribe, he also says name- distorted Finnish Ilmarinen. Ilmarinen is the Finnish Perun, god warrior and blacksmith, blacksmith. However, natives of Belogorye-Caucasus, the Karachays, could also live in this village. For his exorbitant strength, for his feats of arms, Ilya Muromets, who lived in the 12th century, was revered by both the Slavs and the Finno-Ugric peoples as the incarnation of the Thunderer (by the Finns - Ilmarinen, by the Slavs of the Vedic faith - Perun, or Ilma, by Christians - the prophet Elijah). In Russian epics about Ilya Muromets, the image of the hero merged with the image of Perun. In essence, these epics completely preserved the texts of ancient songs about Perun. Born on this day, people entrusted to conduct an honest and fair court. "If the first day of the year is cheerful (happy), then the year will be like that (and vice versa)." On this day, they guess: they clean 12 onions from the upper scales, pour a pile of salt on each onion and put them on the stove overnight. On which bulb the salt gets wet during the night, such a month will be rainy. Or they took out 12 cups from the bulbs, poured salt into them and put them on the window on New Year's Eve. Whether the salt is wet or not, that month will be wet, rainy or dry. On this day, the Russian Orthodox Church also commemorates St. Ilya of Muromets, whose relics rest in the catacombs of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. According to Kalnofoysky, a monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, who lived in the 17th century, Ilya Muromets lived 450 years before him, that is, in the 12th century.
Tourists
Turitsy are dedicated to the tur, one of the most ancient animals revered among the Slavs, possessing magical powers. The tour embodies the union of Veles and Perun for the glory and prosperity of the Slavic clan. The son of Veles and Makoshi, Tur, like the Greek Pan, patronizes shepherds, guslars and buffoons, valiant prowess, games, dances and fun, as well as groves and forest animals. In the North, Tur appears as a proud deer, and in the taiga forests as a elk. On this day, they tell fortunes for the whole next year, as the holiday closes winter Christmas time. The 12th day of Christmas time corresponds to the 12th month of the year. Fortune-telling takes place in the evening, with the onset of darkness. Snow is collected to bleach the canvas. The snow collected this evening, thrown into the well, can save water for the whole year. The Slavs saw in the holiday of the Tour the most ancient rite of youthful initiations into men, when, incarnated as a wolf, youth had to show hunting abilities and military courage and fill up his first round. The ancient Slavs took a cue from these formidable animals that did not take care of themselves to protect the herd. They tried to teach the younger generation to attack and defend, to show resourcefulness and stamina, endurance, courage, the ability to unite to repulse enemies, protect the weak and find a weak spot in the enemy. For many years, tours, wild bulls, served people as a symbol of honor and courage. Cups and horns were made from turi horns, which were invitingly trumpeted in military campaigns, and even bows were made from especially large horns. But Turitsy is also a shepherd's holiday, at this time the community invites a shepherd for the next season, agrees with him about work, trusting him with a precious flock for a long time. The shepherd, the servant of the Veles, puts intoxicating drinks on the common table, and the community - food, and celebrate their collusion with a holiday. From this moment on, the shepherd takes care of the herd, and the tour helps him in this matter, protecting young heifers and cows preparing for calving in February from various misfortunes and diseases.
Babi porridge
On the day of Babi Kash, celebrated on January 8, it was customary to honor midwives. They brought generous gifts and treats. They came with children so that the grandmothers would bless them. Especially on this day, expectant mothers and young girls were recommended to go to grandmothers. Later, the Orthodox Church began to celebrate the feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos on this day. A midwife is a distant relative in the village. Not a single homeland could do without a midwife. The grandmother helped the woman in labor. And she was, as they used to say, with hands. Knowing the customs of antiquity, the grandmother knew her business. In the throes of a woman in labor, she flooded the bathhouse, pulled out the woman in labor in the sun. Babkanie - waving - was made good by a kind word, good herbs, good prayers. Smoking a woman in labor, that is, setting fire to a birch torch and setting fire to wormwood with immortelle grass, the grandmother cared about easy homelands. And also, in not so distant times, mother gathered the children in the evening and taught them to glorify Christmas, sprinkle with grain - for a long century, for happiness, for well-being. It was as easy as shelling pears to give out a piece of cake at the festive hour, to pamper the children with cranberries on honey. But mother knew: “Not every house has a loaf baked, and even so that the whole family has plenty.” And so the children had to earn a treat, to taste the whole world of children equally and satiety and sweets. “Give me a cow, a butter head, a liver on the hearth, a golden cow!” And in the children's box from every house they carried out both big women and brides ceremonial cookies, which in their appearance are akin to cattle. And the kids urged: “You, hostess, give it! You, sweetheart, come on! Give it - don't break it! Break off a little - there will be Yermoshka. If you break off the crust, there will be Andryushka. And give the middle - to be a wedding! And so the childish box was heavy. And the praisers ran in a crowd to someone's heated bathhouse, shared a treat among themselves. It was a joyful time of games, fun. Children got to know each other and were childishly happy, remembering this wonderful winter time. They also watched the signs: if this day is clear, then there will be a good harvest of millet. Porridge in the oven will brown - to the snow. If titmouse squeak in the morning, frost can be expected by night. But the continuous cry of crows and jackdaws promises snowfalls and blizzards.
Abduction Day
On this day, they remember how, in the era of Kupala, Veles kidnapped Diva-Dodola, the wife of Perun. During the wedding of Perun and Diva, Veles was rejected by Diva and overthrown from heaven. However, later he, the god of love passion, managed to seduce the goddess of thunder, the daughter of Dyya. From their connection, the spring god Yarilo was born. Also on the Day of Abductions, they remember how, in the era of Lada, Koschey stole his wife Marena from Dazhdbog (God of summer and happiness). From the connection between Koshchei and Marena, the Snow Queen was later born, as well as many demonesses. Dazhdbog went in search of his wife. He will look for her all winter, and therefore the frosts will become stronger and stronger, and blizzards will sweep everything around.
Intra
Intra (Zmiulan, Indrik the Beast, Vyndrik) is the son of Zemun from Dyya (Night Sky), the brother of the Lizard and his opponent. Intra is the god of springs, wells, snakes and clouds. The connection with the water elements indicates its Navi nature (Navi in East Slavic mythology is the spirit of death, as well as a dead man). At night, the sorcerers spoke the pipes of the houses through which Nav entered the houses. Intra is an inhabitant of the dungeon, and in the legends of the Slavs it is said like this: “As the Sun is in the sky, so is Intra in Navi.” In the Indian Vedas, Intra is a demon, and the serpent king. The latter is indicated by the fact that Interia is inhabited by snakes, and Intra itself is the husband of the Paraskeva Snake. According to our Vedas, Zmiulan is the winner of the goat-Pan (son of Viy), in fact, his cousin (since Dyy and Viy are brothers). In the deeds of Intra there is both valor and baseness, and fair victories, and cruelty. Despite the fact that he is the husband of a snake demon, he fights on the same side with Perun. Most of all, he is close to people from the "Military Triglav" (Perun-Intra-Volkh). If Perun is pure “military truth”, Volkh is sorcery, cruelty and dark anger, then Intra is Light and Darkness, the struggle of opposites. Intra, riding a unicorn, is the patron saint of warriors, a symbol that personifies military prowess and courage. Sensitive Intra, hear our call! Listen to our chants! Oh, we know you, fiery bull! Defeat the enemy, powerful Intra! Crush the power of the Vieva tribe!
Prosinets
Prosinets is the name of January, it is celebrated with blessing of water. Praise today the Heavenly Svarga - the Host of all Gods. "Shine" means the resurrection of the Sun. Prosinets falls in the middle of Winter - it is believed that the Cold begins to subside, and the solar heat returns to the lands of the Slavs at the behest of the gods. On this day, Vedic temples remember how in ancient times Kryshen gave fire to people who died from the cold during the Great Glaciation. Then he spilled the magical Surya from the heavenly Svarga onto the Earth. Surya is honey fermented on herbs! Surya is also the Red Sun! Surya - Vedas clear understanding! Surya is the footprint of the Supreme Supreme! Surya is the truth of God Kryshnya! Milk and dairy products must have been present on the table that day. Surya poured onto the earth on this day makes all the waters healing, so believers bathe in the consecrated waters. In the annual circle of Perun's festivities, this day also corresponds to the victory of Perun over the Skipper-beast and the bathing of his sisters Zhiva, Marena and Lelya in the milk river. On this day, the Slavs bathed in cold river water and gave grandiose feasts, in which milk and dairy products must certainly have been present.
Brownie Treat Day - Velesichi, Kudesy
Kudesy - the day of treating the brownie. Brownie - baker, joker, cricket protector. The name of the holiday - kudesy (tambourines) - indicates that our ancestors communicated with the brownie or simply had fun, delighting the ear with music: Grandfather-neighbor! Eat porridge, but keep our hut! If the grandfather-neighbor to Kudes is left without gifts, then from a good keeper of the hearth, he will turn into a rather fierce spirit. After dinner, a pot of porridge is left behind the stove, lined with hot coals, so that the porridge does not cool down until midnight, when the brownie comes to have dinner. On this day, both Veles himself and his army are revered. It tells about the origin of Veles, the heavenly warriors of Veles. Usually Velesichs are revered by the children of Veles, the Svarozhichs, who obeyed Veles, the head of the heavenly armies. On this day, the brownie is fed porridge ... But among them there are those who descended from heaven to Earth and settled among people: these are ancient heroes: Volotomaniacs, asilki, spirits of ancestors, as well as spirits of forests, fields, waters and mountains. Those of them who got into the forest became goblin, some into the water - water, some in the field - field, and some into the house - brownies. Brownie is a good spirit. Usually he is a zealous owner, helping a friendly family. Sometimes he is mischievous, naughty, if he doesn’t like something. He frightens those who do not take care of the household and livestock. On this day, the brownie is fed porridge, leaving it on the stump. They feed and say: Master-father, take our porridge! And eat pies - take care of our house! In some areas, the holiday is celebrated on February 10th.
Day of Father Frost and Snow Maiden
Frost and Snow Maiden Day is an ancient pagan holiday. These days, fairy tales and legends about Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden are usually told. About how the Snow Maiden, at the whim of God love Lelya fell in love with a man and therefore, with the advent of Spring, she did not fly to the North. But as soon as "a bright ray of the sun cuts through the morning fog and falls on the Snow Maiden", she melts. On this day, the Slavs revered the enemy of Perun - Frost - the hypostasis of Veles. We can say that Frost is the winter hypostasis of Veles, just like Yar (the son of Veles and Diva) is spring. Frost was married to the Snow Queen, the daughter of Mary and Koshchei. Frost and the Snow Queen had a beautiful daughter - the Snow Maiden. The Day of Santa Claus and the Snow Maiden was a symbolic end of winter, followed by the wide and generous Shrovetide just around the corner.
Gromnitsa
Gromnitsa is the only day in winter when a thunderstorm can happen - you can hear thunder and see lightning. Therefore, the Serbs call this holiday "Light". The day is dedicated to Perun's wife Dodola-Malanitsa (Lightning) - the goddess of lightning and feeding children. Thunderstorm in the dead of winter reminds us that even in the midst of the most terrible disasters there can be a ray of light - like a bright lightning in the middle of a severe winter. There is always hope. The Slavs honored Malanyitsa because she gives them hope for an early spring. “Oh Dodola-Dodolyushka, Perunitsa bright! Your husband is on a campaign, Rule is at war; The diva is in the woods, the roof is in the sky. Come down to the Slavs with zealous Lightning! We have plenty of bread - Come down to us from heaven! We have plenty of salt - Do not deprive us of a share! Descend loudly, Descend happily, Descend beautifully - To honest people marvelously! Dodola is glorious, Given hope! The weather on Gromnitsa predicted the weather. What is the weather on this day - such is the whole of February. A clear, sunny day brought early spring. On the Gromnitsa drops - believe in early spring, if a blizzard clears up - the weather will be blizzard for a long time, until the end of the month.
Great Veles day
Great Veles day - the middle of winter. All nature is still in an icy sleep. And only the lonely Veles Korovin, playing his magic pipe, walks and wanders around the cities and villages, not letting people get sad. Marena-winter is angry with Veles, letting a severe frost on him, and “cow death” on the cattle, but he can’t overcome him in any way. On this day, the villagers sprinkle livestock with water, saying: “Veles, cattle god! Give happiness to smooth heifers, To fat bulls, So that they go from the yard - they play, And they go from the field - they jump. Young women on this day drink strong honey so that "the cows are affectionate", and then beat their husbands with the bottom (a board for spinning flax) so that "the oxen are obedient". On this day cow's butter is brought in the requirement. After conception, women perform a plowing ritual to drive away the “cow death”. For this, a hanger is chosen, which announces to all houses: "It's time to calm the cow's dashing!". Women wash their hands with water and wipe them with a towel worn by a hanger. Then the hanger orders the male sex - "do not leave the hut for the sake of a great misfortune." Veles is the patron saint of livestock and shepherds. Hanger with a cry - “Ay! Ai! - hits the frying pan and leaves the village. Behind her are women with tongs, brooms, sickles and clubs. The hangman, throwing off his shirt, utters with fury an oath on "cow death". The hanger is put on a collar, a plow is brought up and harnessed. Then, with the torches lit three times, the village (temple) is plowed with a “cross-water” furrow. The women follow the hanger on broomsticks wearing nothing but shirts with loose hair. Woe to the one who, during the procession, comes across, whether it be an animal or a person. Those who meet are beaten with sticks without mercy, assuming that “cow death” is hidden in his image. In ancient times, those who came across were beaten to death. Now it is hard to believe that women suspected of malicious intent were tied in a bag with a cat and a rooster, and then buried in the ground or drowned. At the end of the procession, a ritual battle between Veles and Marena took place. To the encouraging cry of the audience: “Veles, knock off the horn from the winter!”, Mummers, dressed by Veles (Turya mask, skin, spear), knocks the “horn off Marena”. Then a feast begins, at which it was forbidden to eat beef, accompanied by merrymaking.
Candlemas
The Candlemas serves as the border between winter and spring, which is why the very name of the Candlemas holiday in the common people is explained by the meeting of winter with spring: on the Candlemas, winter met spring; in the Presentation of the sun for the summer, winter turned to frost. The common people of the Western Russian region with Sretensky candles on the feast of the Candlemas have a custom to set fire to each other's hair crosswise, considering it very useful for headaches. In agricultural life, according to the state of the weather on the feast of the Candlemas, the villagers judge the coming spring and summer, especially the weather, the harvest. Spring was judged as follows:
What is the weather on the Meeting, so will spring. If a thaw sets in at the Meeting, an early warm spring, if the cold is wrapped up, a cold spring; snow that fell that day - to a long and rainy spring. If on the Meeting of the Sretenye it carries snow across the road, the spring is late and cold. It was on this day that they used to say: the sun for the summer - the winter for the frost. And also: there will be snow - yeast in the spring. If a snowstorm sweeps the road, the spring is late and cold; if warm - early and warm. On the Candlemas in the morning, snow is the harvest of early bread; if at noon - medium; if by the evening - late. At the Candlemas of the Drops, the harvest of wheat. From name the holiday of the Presentation in our common people, the last winter frosts and the first spring thaws are called Candlemas. On the Candlemas, they feed (feed) breeding birds: chickens are given oats so that they rush better, and the eggs are larger and tastier. From that day on, it was possible to drive the cattle from the barn to the paddock - for warming up and warming up, they also began to prepare the seeds for sowing, clean them, earn extra money, and check for germination. Whitewashed fruit trees. The peasants usually on this day made a calculation of the stocks of bread, hay, straw and other feed: did they fit in half, and if not, they made adjustments to the feeders, and they themselves tightened their belts. On this day, festivities used to be held in the villages. Pancakes are baked on the Candlemas, round, golden - they symbolized the Sun. On the day of the Meeting, our ancient ancestors worshiped the Sun: the priests of the Sun performed the rites of meeting and greeting the luminary, calling for warmth. And when the Sun was at its zenith, they burned a doll made of straw - the so-called Yerzovka. This doll personified the Spirit of Fire and the god of Love. She was decorated with gifts and offerings - flowers, beautiful ribbons, festive clothes, and people turned to her with requests for well-being and prosperity. It was believed that with its burning, Erzovka destroys the cold, brings a warm summer and a good harvest. In the meantime, the doll was carried on a pole, lovers turned to her for help in love and with requests for happiness in the house. Pancakes are baked on the Candlemas, round, golden - they symbolized the Sun. This called for his return. In the Kostroma province, peasant women baked bagels and fed livestock with these bagels to protect animals from diseases. On this day bonfires were lit, people had fun with ritual dances. It is impossible to be bored at the Meeting - the god of Love does not accept sadness, but replies with joy to a joyful meeting.
Pochinki
Pochinki is one of the holidays of the Slavic calendar, which was celebrated on the day after the Candlemas. Following the saying “Prepare the sleigh in summer and the cart in winter”, the owners immediately after the Candlemas, early in the morning, began to repair agricultural equipment, calling this February day “Repairs”. When arranging Pochinki, the peasants remembered: the sooner you start farming, the more you will please the spring. It is not proper for a real owner to delay repairs until the real warm days. Opening the sheds, the peasants pondered: what kind of work should we take up in advance? They worked together, with the whole family, finding feasible work both small and old: “In Pochinki, Grandfather gets up a little before dawn - he repairs a summer harness and a hundred-year-old plow.” The repaired harness was hung out in a conspicuous place not without pride - they say, we are ready for plowing and sowing. And the housewives did not sit idle at that time: they cooked, washed, sorted out things in the chests. There is an erroneous opinion, and it is mentioned specifically in Pochinki, that the Brownie disturbs the horses at night and can drive them to death. The brownie is an assistant to a good owner, and not an enemy in any way, otherwise why would the Brownie be transferred from the old house to the new house in a scoop with coal from the old stove. Brownie - a talisman for the house and not an evil spirit!
Troyan Winter
Winter Troyan is an important date for the ancient Slavs. Our ancestors considered this day the day of Military Glory, when many Russian soldiers fell from the Roman soldiers in the Danube region, near the Troyan Val (the etymology of the name has not been clarified so far). Most likely, Troyan Val was a defensive embankment, but perhaps a small outpost was erected on this site. Those warriors fought without laying down their weapons and without showing their backs. This holiday is also known under the names "Stribog's grandchildren", "commemoration of the fallen at Troyanov Val". Unfortunately, today much has not been clarified from the history of the heroic deed at the Trojan Wall, including the exact date (about 101 AD) and other details. This episode in the history of Ancient Rus' is clearly mentioned in the Book of Veles and praised in the Tale of Igor's Campaign:
“Then the Romans envied us and plotted evil against us - they came with their wagons and iron armor and hit us, and therefore fought them off for a long time and threw them away from our land; and the Romans, seeing that we strongly defend our lives, left us ”(Book of Veles). “And they died on the direct path to the funeral feast, and Stribog’s grandchildren dance over them, and cry about them in the fall, and lament about them in the freezing winter. And the marvelous doves say that they died gloriously and left their lands not to enemies, but to their sons. And so we are their descendants, and we will not lose the land ”(Book of Veles). The ancient Slavic warriors thought about their descendants and the Greatness of the Russian Lands - they were not afraid of death, but entered the battle, not even allowing thoughts of betrayal, retreat or surrender to enemies. So let us also be worthy of the lives of our ancestors - since ancient times, it was customary for the Slavs to do something heroic, dangerous, useful for the Motherland or family and commemorate brave warriors at the table on this day.
Madder Day
The last holiday of the evil Navi Gods before the arrival of Spring is the Day of Mara Marena - the Great Goddess of Winter and Death. Mara-Marena is a powerful and formidable Deity, the Goddess of Winter and Death, the wife of Koshchei, the sister of Zhiva and Lelya. In the people, she was called Kikimora one-eyed. A proverb, remembered on this day, has been preserved: “Yarilo lifted winter (Marena!) On a pitchfork.” On this day, they remember and honor the goddess who will lead the people to the Kalinov Bridge. Marena's possessions, according to ancient Tales, lie beyond the Black Currant River, which separates Yav and Nav, across which the Kalinov Bridge is thrown, guarded by the Three-Headed Serpent. Folk signs for this day: If the sun is visible on this day at noon, spring will be early, if a blizzard sweeps, the whole week is blizzard. The more snow falls, the higher the grain harvest. If windows and frames sweat in the cold, wait for warming. “Snow plants” climb up the glass - the frost will continue, their shoots bent - to the thaw.
Memorial Day of Prince Igor
The pagan prince Igor (years of life: about 875-945, years of reign: 912-945) was the son of Rurik, after whose death Prince Oleg became Igor's guardian. Oleg, having accepted the reign from Rurik, for a long time was the regent of the young Igor. In 912, after the death of Prince Oleg, Igor occupies the throne of Kyiv with absolute power. The Drevlyans, one of the tribal associations of the Eastern Slavs, having learned about the change of power, were in no hurry to pay tribute to the treasury of the new ruler. Igor was forced to force the Slavs to pay tribute. In 914, having defeated the Uglichs and pacified the Drevlyane tribes, Igor forced them to pay more tribute than before. In 915, one of Prince Igor's governors moved south and, after a three-year siege, took the city of Peresechen - he received the Drevlyane tribute as a reward for the victory. During his reign, Prince Igor called on many Varangians who helped him manage the principality and fight enemies. But something did not work out in Igor's policy with the Slavic tribes, because Igor was brutally killed by the Drevlyans. Igor was buried under a high mound near the city of Iskorosten. The story tells that the widow of Prince Igor, Princess Olga, cruelly avenged the Drevlyans for the death of her husband. Olga overlaid them with the heaviest tribute, ordered to exterminate many people and destroy the elders. Subsequently, in 945, Iskorosten was burned by her order. With the support of the retinue and boyars of Prince Igor, Olga took the rule of Russia into her own hands, until little Svyatoslav, the son of Igor and Olga, reached the age of government.
Ovsen small
In ancient times, the Slavs celebrated the New Year on the first day of spring - March 1, which, according to the new style, falls on March 14. Celebrations took place widely, because the beginning of the new year was a symbol of the beginning of a new time. From that day on, it was possible to start a new cycle of field work, to engage in other agricultural work. This is the most ancient of the reliable and known to us celebrations of the New Year. After the adoption of Christianity, this holiday began to be celebrated as the day of the venerable martyr Eudoxia, who took on the image of Spring (Vesennitsa). At the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in 325, it was decided to postpone the beginning of the New Year from March 1 to September 1.
Day of Gerasim the rooker
This holiday in Rus' coincided with the time of the arrival of the rooks, and therefore received such a popular name - the day of Gerasim the rooker. The people said: "A rook on a mountain - so is spring in the yard", "I saw a rook - meet spring." According to the behavior of the rooks that day, they judged the nature of spring: “If the rooks fly directly to the old nests, the spring will be friendly, the hollow water will run away all at once.” If the rooks arrived earlier than March 17, then this was considered a bad omen: they predicted a lean and hungry year. To speed up the onset of heat, on the day of Gerasim, they baked birds from rye sour dough - “rooks”. There was another belief about this day: “Gerasim the rooker will return the rook to Rus', and will drive the kikimora out of holy Rus'.” On the day of Gerasim, they baked birds - "rooks" Kikimora - one of the varieties of brownies from the old Russian belief. She was represented as a dwarf or a little woman. If she was depicted as a woman, then her head was small, like a thimble, and her body was thin, like a straw. Her appearance was ugly, her clothes were slovenly and untidy. If depicted as a dwarf, then always with eyes of different colors: one for the evil eye, the other for leprosy. Less commonly, kikimora was represented as a girl with a long braid, naked or in a shirt. In the old days, it was believed that if a kikimora appeared in front of your eyes, then you should expect trouble in the house. She was a harbinger of the death of one of the family members. Kikimor did not like and tried to get rid of them by any means, which was extremely difficult. Just on Gerasim Day, it was believed that they became quiet and harmless, and then they could be kicked out of the house. On other days, people defended themselves from kikimora with the help of prayers and amulets. The best amulet against kikimora, so that it does not take root in the house, was the "chicken god" - a stone with a natural hole created by nature. They also used the neck of a broken jug with a piece of red cloth, which was hung over a chicken roost so that the kikimora would not torment the birds. Kikimora - one of the varieties of the brownie from the old Russian belief. He is afraid of the juniper kikimora, the branches of which were hung throughout the house, especially carefully protecting the salt shakers with salt so that at night it would not spill the salt, which in the old days was very expensive. And if the kikimora annoyed with the roar of dishes, then it was necessary to wash it with water infused with fern. It was imperative to find a doll or a foreign object in the house, with the help of which they sent a kikimora to the family. This item should have been carefully removed from the house and thrown away, but it is best to burn it. Until now, there is a sign that if a person wants to harm another, he leaves a charmed object in his house, and in order to remove the damage, it is necessary to get rid of this object. According to popular beliefs, if you sweep the floors with a wormwood broom in a house, then evil spirits will not start, including kikimora. The belief is based on the attitude to wormwood as one of the amulets. The people believed that the pungent smell of this herb repels evil spirits and evil people.
Komoeditsy - Maslenitsa
Now many have forgotten, and some never knew that Maslenitsa is not just a meeting of spring. Perhaps, few people will remember the assumption that earlier in Rus' Maslenitsa was called Komoyeditsa, marking the onset of the spring equinox. The spring equinox, which in the modern calendar falls on March 20 or 21, is one of the four main holidays of the year in the ancient pagan tradition and one of the most ancient. In fact, this is the agricultural New Year. In addition to meeting Spring and celebrating the beginning of the New Year, the Slavic Bear God was also revered on this day. There is an opinion that in ancient times the Slavs called the bear Kom (hence the saying - “the first pancake for the koms”, i.e. bears). Therefore, in the early morning, before breakfast, with songs, dances and jokes, the villagers carried “pancake sacrifices” (pancakes baked for the holiday) into the forest to the Bear God and laid them out on stumps. And after that, feasts and wide festivities began. They waited for the komoeditsu, they carefully prepared for it: they flooded the steep slopes of the coast for skiing, built high ice and snow mountains, fortresses, towns. It was considered obligatory to go to the bathhouse before the last days of the holiday in order to wash off all the bad things that happened in the past year. It was forbidden to work these days. On the ice of lakes and rivers, snowy towns were stormed, in which the effigy of Marena was hiding under the protection of mummers. Furious fistfights were also organized there, to which men of different ages and from different villages came running. They fought seriously, believing that the spilled blood would serve as a good sacrifice for the coming harvest. On the last day of the festive festivities, ritual actions were mainly performed, seeing off the winter. They burned an effigy of Marena impaled on a pole, on which “nauzes” were imposed - old, worn-out Amulets or just old rags with a slander, in order to burn everything bad and obsolete on the fire of a ritual fire. And immediately after the holiday, hard everyday life began, people were taken to agricultural work, which continued throughout the warm season.
Magpies, Larks
On the Larks day and night are compared. Winter ends, spring begins. This is one of the spring holidays, which was dedicated to the meeting of the Spring Solstice, which was almost the main event in the life of our Slavic ancestors (according to the old style, it fell on these dates). Russians everywhere had a belief that on this day forty different birds fly from warm countries, and the first of them is a lark. On Zhavoronki, "larks" were usually baked, in most cases with outstretched wings, as if flying, and with tufts. The birds were handed out to the children, and with a cry and ringing laughter, they ran to call for the larks, and with them the spring. Baked larks were impaled on long sticks and ran out with them to the hillocks, or they impaled the birds on poles, on wattle sticks and, huddled together, shouted with all their strength: ate our bread! After the baked birds, they usually ate them, and their heads were given to cattle or given to their mothers with the words: “Like a lark, they flew high, so that your flax was high. What a head my lark has, so that the flax was big-headed. With the help of such birds, a family sower was selected on the Larks. To do this, a coin, a splinter, etc., were baked into the lark, and men, regardless of age, pulled out a baked bird for themselves. Whoever drew lots, scattered the first handfuls of grains at the time of the beginning of sowing.
The opening of Svarga - the invocation of Spring
Larks, fly!
We are tired of winter
I ate a lot of bread!
you fly and carry
Red spring, hot summer!
Spring is red, what did you come for?
You are on a bipod, on a harrow ...
Spring is red, what have you brought us?
I brought you three lands:
First favor -
Animal in a field;
Other favor -
With a bipod in a field;
Third place -
Bees in flight;
Yes, even favor -
Peace to health!
Svarga opens, and the goddess Zhiva-Spring descends to the people. Today Spring is called and praised not only by man, but by all living things in the world, celebrating the victory of life over death. On the Opening for the third and last time, Spring is called, when Svarga opens, no one works. The rite of invocation of Spring was associated with the first arrival of birds and the beginning of the snowmelt. With the onset of morning, they treat themselves to rye biscuits in the form of larks, release live birds from their cages into the wild, calling for spring. The main, most active, participants in the ceremony were girls and children. On this day, women “call out millet”, sing the famous song “And we sowed millet, sowed it”. Also, everyone plays the ritual game “round burners”.
Ladodenie
On this spring day, it is customary to sing of Mother Nature, who “wakes up” after a long winter. In other words, this is a holiday of spring and warmth, which our ancestors celebrated in honor of the goddess of the Slavic pantheon Lada, the patroness of love and marriage. Some researchers believe that Lada is one of the two goddesses in childbirth (there are similar deities in the pantheons of almost all Indo-European peoples). Meanwhile, Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov compared Lada with Venus. The Ladodeniya holiday was traditionally accompanied by special ceremonies among the Slavs. Everyone sings of awakening nature. Girls and young people hold the first round dances dedicated to the Goddess Lada, the patroness of love and marriage. Women climb on the roofs of houses, on hills, on high haystacks and, raising their hands to the sky, call for spring. Cranes are again made from the dough. Usually these lean dough birds are placed on a high place - above the door, like amulets, to save space. There is a belief associated with Ladodenie, according to which the birds return from Iriy, the Slavic paradise, and therefore it is customary to imitate the dances of birds - to flirt (remember the expression: why are you fussing?). These ancient rituals are connected with the return of the solar force of Life to earth.
Brownie awakening
Many people know that on the first of April they do not believe anyone. Where did this proverb come from? After all, every proverb has some basis. In order to find out, we need to dive into the past, it is there that the roots of many sayings and sayings are hidden. The history of our ancestors has deep pagan roots, echoes of which we can observe today. All in the same proverbs, sayings, beliefs and signs. On April 1, our pagan ancestors celebrated one interesting holiday. Rather, not even a holiday, but a certain milestone. This day was considered the Day of awakening of the brownie. The ancient Slavs believed that for the winter, like many animals and spirits, he hibernated and woke up only occasionally to do the necessary housework. The brownie slept exactly until the time when spring would fully come into its own. And she came, according to her ancestors, not at all in March, but in April. More precisely, the arrival of spring was marked by the day of the vernal equinox, and all subsequent days until April 1 were the days of the meeting of spring. On the first day, spring came finally and irrevocably, and the main guardian spirit of the hearth - the brownie - had to wake up in order to put things in order in the house. As you know, when we sleep for a long time, and then wake up at the call of our alarm clock, spouse or mother, we are often unhappy with this. We yawn and grumble about why we were woken up so early. Small children generally begin to act up. And our brownie sometimes has the habits of a child, and after a long hibernation he also wakes up not very joyful. And then he starts to play pranks, and sometimes to hooligans. Either he will pour out the remnants of flour from the bags, then he will confuse the manes of the horses, he will frighten the cows, he will soil the linen ... Of course, our distant ancestor tried to cajole the dissatisfied brownie with porridge, milk and bread ... Of course, our distant ancestor tried to cajole the dissatisfied brownie with porridge, milk and bread, but, as you know, bread must be accompanied by spectacles. Such spectacles for the awakened spirit were widespread festivities, jokes, laughter of people in the house, who played each other all day. In addition, to make it more fun for the brownie, and for everyone around, the inhabitants of the house put on their clothes inside out, like the very spirit of the ancestor, who, as you know, wears his fur vest with the seams out. Different socks or shoes should have certainly flaunted on their feet, and in conversation everyone tried to deceive each other or joke so that the owner-priest brownie would forget that he had just woken up. Over time, they forgot about the meeting of spring and the cajoling of the brownie on the first of April, but the tradition of joking, playing and deceiving on this day remained. Some Slavic communities celebrated Brownie's Name Day on March 30th.
This holiday, even rather, a rite, is very ancient, originated in Rus' during the period of dual faith. Sometimes Vodopol is called Pereplut, Vodyany’s Day, Vodyany’s name day or Nikita Vodopol, but the essence remains unchanged - on the third day of flowering (April 3), in Rus' they welcomed the awakening from hibernation of Vodyanoy, mermaids and all aquatic animals. Together with the arrival of spring and the awakening of nature, Vodyanoy also wakes up from hibernation. During the long cold winter, Grandfather-Waterman became weak and hungry. Waking up, the Waterman immediately wants to profit from something, and then he goes to look around and inspect his water kingdom. On this day, at midnight, the fishermen came to the water to treat and appease Grandfather-Waterman. They say that the fishermen treated the Waterman, drowning the horse and saying: "Here's a housewarming present for you, grandfather: love, favor our family." For this occasion, the most worthless horse was bought from the gypsies. When the fishermen appease him with a good present, a horse, he humbles himself, guards the fish, lures large fish from other rivers to him, saves the fishermen from storms and drowning, does not tear the nets and nonsense. In some areas, fishermen endow Vodyanoy with a gift by pouring oil into the river, saying: “Here you are, grandfather, a housewarming gift. Love and favor our family." From about this time, the Slavs expected the beginning of ice drift and the flood of rivers. On this occasion, there was also a sign: when fishermen brought water food that day, they would definitely notice: “If the ice does not move that day, then fishing this year will be poor.”
Day of Karna the Weeper
Karna (Kara, Karina) is the goddess of sadness, sorrow and grief, among the ancient Slavs she was assigned the role of a mourning goddess and, possibly, a goddess of funeral rites. It was believed that if a warrior dies far from home, then the goddess Karna is the first to mourn him. The Heavenly Goddess is the patroness of all new births and human reincarnations. On behalf of the Goddess, words appeared that have survived to this day: incarnation, reincarnation. It grants the right to every person to get rid of the mistakes made in his life, unseemly deeds and fulfill his destiny, prepared by the supreme god Rod. Today is the second appeal to the ancestors, on the day of the goddess of funerals, crying, grief and tears. The Tale of Igor's Campaign says:
“Oh, go far the falcon, the beating bird, to the sea! And Igor's brave regiment is not to be killed! After him I will call Karn, and Zhlya will run across the Russian land, I will mumble in the flame of a rose. The Russian wives burst into tears, arching: “Already we don’t understand our own sweet ways, we don’t think with a thought, we don’t look at our eyes, but we don’t even need to pat gold and silver!” (Oh, the falcon flew far, beating birds, to the sea! And Igor’s brave regiment can’t be resurrected! Karna called on him, and Zhelya galloped across the Russian land, sowing fire from a fiery horn. The Russian wives wept, saying: “We already have our dear You can’t comprehend with a thought, or think with a thought, or bewitch with your eyes, but you can’t even hold gold and silver in your hands!”). On the table at night, Karnas leave kutya for the dead (this is wheat porridge with raisins or honey), and bonfires are burned in the courtyards of houses, around which the souls of ancestors are heated. Also brought treba Karne-Krucina - flowers, especially carnations. Since pagan times, there has been an old Slavic tradition to bring carnations to the graves - a symbol of sorrow and sadness.
Day of Semargl Semargl (or Simargl) - Fire God.
Semargl (or Simargl) - Fire God. Its purpose has not yet been fully elucidated. It is believed that this is the God of fire and the moon, fire sacrifices, home and hearth. The fire god stores seeds and crops and can turn into a sacred winged dog. Semargl is revered on those days when rituals and signs associated with fire and bonfires are mentioned in the folk calendar. April 14 Semargl melts the last snows. There are references to the appearance of Semargl into the light from the flame. It is said that once the heavenly blacksmith Svarog himself, having hit the Alatyr stone with a magic hammer, carved divine sparks from the stone. The sparks flared up brightly, and the fiery god Semargl appeared in their flame, sitting on a golden-maned horse of a silver suit. But, seeming a quiet and peaceful hero, Semargl left a scorched trail wherever his horse's foot went. The name of the God of Fire is not known for certain, most likely because his name is extremely holy. Holiness is explained by the fact that this God lives not somewhere in the seventh heaven, but directly among earthly people! They try to pronounce his name out loud less often, usually replacing it with allegories. Since ancient times, the Slavs have associated 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 also does not let evil into the world. At night, Semargl stands guard with a fiery sword, and only one day a year does he leave his post, responding to the call of the Bathing Lady, 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.
Navi day(date varies from year to year)
Navi day is a rite of resurrection of the dead (in general, with the onset of dry birch tree), the Slavs begin ritual visits to graves with the offering of trebs). Treba is a primordially Slavic term meaning worship, offering, sacrifice, the administration of a sacrament or a sacred rite. In Slavic, "treba" means "T" - thea (I create), "R" - Ra (God), "B" - ba (soul) = "I create to God's soul." The Slavs buried their relatives in burial mounds, on these high mounds they performed a feast, laid a demand, made libations. On this day, long-dead people are brought into the water, saying:
Shine, shine, sunshine! I'll give you an egg, Like a chicken lays in an oak forest, Take it to paradise, May all souls be happy. The requirements of the Slavs are food, household items, but only those that are made with their own hands. From food and drink - these are: kutya, pies, kalachi, pancakes, cheesecakes, colored eggs, wine, beer, eve (a kind of mash). “Already for Rod and Rozhanitsa to eat bread and cheese and honey ...”, i.e. the requirements of each God are accordingly determined. The shell of a consecrated red egg is thrown into the water. It is believed that the shell will float to the forgotten souls of the dead (those who have not been remembered for a long time) by the Mermaid Day. On the night before the Navi day, the Navi (strangers, abandoned, buried without a rite and not buried dead at all) rise from their graves, which is why people dress up in disguise again on spring Christmas time.
Lelnik
The holiday "Lelnik" was usually celebrated on April 22, on the eve of St. George's Day (Egoriy Veshny). These days were also called "Red Hill", because the hill, located near the village, became the scene of action. A small wooden or turf bench was installed there. The most beautiful girl was put on it, who played the role of Lyalya (Lely). To the right and left of the girl on the hill, offerings were placed on a bench. On one side was a loaf of bread, and on the other side was a jug of milk, cheese, butter, an egg and sour cream. Woven wreaths were laid out around the bench. The girls danced around the bench and sang ritual songs in which they praised the deity as a nurse and giver of the future harvest. In the course of dancing and singing, sitting on a bench young woman put wreaths on her friends. Sometimes, after the holiday, a fire (oleliya) was lit on the hill, around which they also danced and sang songs. For a modern person, the name Lely is associated with a fairy tale by A.N. Ostrovsky's "The Snow Maiden", where Lel is presented as a beautiful young man playing the flute. In folk songs, Lel is a female character - Lelya, and the main participants in the holiday dedicated to him were girls. It is significant that in the rites dedicated to Lelya, there was always no funeral motif, which is present in other summer holidays, for example, in Mermaid Week and Ivan Kupala Day. In spring rituals, various magical actions with eggs were widely used throughout the entire Slavic world. Throughout the spring, eggs were painted - "pysanky", "krashenok" - and various games were played with them. The church Easter calendar has largely obscured the archaic essence of the rituals associated with eggs, but the content of the Easter egg painting leads us into deep archaism. There are also heavenly deer, and pictures of the world, and many ancient symbols of life and fertility. Ethnographic museums keep thousands of Easter eggs, which are the most massive heritage of pagan ideas. Eggs, both dyed and white, played an important role in spring rituals: departure for the first plowing was made “with salt, with bread, with a white egg”; an egg was broken on the head of a horse or a plowing ox; an egg and a cross biscuit were an obligatory part of the sowing rituals. Often, eggs were buried in the ground, rolled across a field sown with wheat. Eggs were laid under the feet of cattle during pasture on St. George's day and lelnik, they were placed at the gate of the barn so that the cattle would step over them; they went around the cattle with eggs and gave them to the shepherd. Similar holidays exist among many peoples of Europe. In Italy, primavera is celebrated - the day of the first greenery, in Greece, since ancient times, the return to earth of Persephone, the daughter of the goddess of fertility Demeter, has been celebrated on this day.
Yarilo Veshny
You save the cattle, Our orphan, The whole animal, In the field, and beyond the field, In the forest, and beyond the forest, In the forest beyond the mountains, Beyond the wide dales, Give the cattle grass and water, And the stump and the log to the evil bear! With such a verdict, the youth went around the yards early in the morning on the day when, for the first time after a long and cold winter, the cattle are solemnly driven out to the pasture, to the so-called Yarilina dew. Before pasturing the cattle, the owners stroked the animals along the ridge with a red or yellow-green egg, which they then presented to the shepherd. After that, the cattle was driven out with a willow branch into the yard and fed with "byashki" - special bread. Before being driven out of the yard, a belt was laid out under the feet of the cattle so that she stepped over it. This was done so that the cattle knew the way home. They grazed cattle until the dew dried up. They asked Yarila - the Patron of shepherds, the Guardian of livestock and the Wolf Shepherd - to protect the cattle from any predatory beast. The shepherd buzzes the horn, notifying the people about the beginning of the “bypass” rite, after which, taking a sieve in his hands, he goes around the herd three times salting (for life) and three times anti-salting (for death). After a correctly performed ceremony, an invisible magic fence was built around the herd, which protected "from a creeping snake, from a mighty bear, from a running wolf." After that, the magic circle was closed with an iron lock. On this day, an important ceremony was also held - the Opening of the Earth, or in another way - Zarod. On this day, Yarila "unlocks" (fertilizes) Mother Cheese-Earth and releases dew, after which the rapid growth of herbs begins. They plowed arable land on Yarila, they said: “A lazy plow also leaves for Yarila.” From that day, spring weddings began. Men and women rode through the fields, hoping to become strong and healthy with the help of miraculous dew. The evening ended with a general festivity.
rodonitsa
On the thirtieth of April the last spring cold ends. At sunset, the opening opens. On this day, ancestors are commemorated, they are called to visit the earth: "Fly, dear grandfathers ...". They go to the graves, bringing funeral gifts: pancakes, oatmeal jelly, millet porridge, painted Easter eggs. After the beginning, the feast begins: the warriors on the mountain “fight for the dead”, showing their martial art. Colored eggs are rolled from a high mountain, competing. The winner is the one whose egg rolls the farthest without breaking. By midnight, on the same mountain, firewood is laid out for a large fire. After midnight the holiday begins - Zhivin's day. Women, taking brooms, perform a ritual dance around the fire, clearing the place of evil spirits. They glorify Zhiva, the goddess of life, who revives nature, sending spring to Earth. Women perform a ritual dance around the fire ... Everyone jumps over the Fire, clearing themselves of obsessions (Naviy) after a long winter. On the same high mountain, merry games and round dances around the fire are started. They play a fairy tale telling about a journey to the world of Navi and a return to Yav. With the onset of the morning, they treat themselves to cookies in the form of larks, release live birds from their cages into the wild, calling for spring. Recall that the Orthodox Church celebrates Radonitsa on Tuesday of the second week after Easter, a day after St. Thomas Sunday (or Antipascha).
Living day
On the first of May, at midnight, the spring Slavic holiday begins - Zhivin's day. Alive (an abbreviated form of the name Zhivena, or Ziewonia, which means "giving life") - the goddess of life, spring, fertility, birth, zhita-grain. Daughter of Lada, wife of Dazhbog. Goddess of Spring and Life in all its manifestations. She is the giver of the Life Force of the Family, which makes all living things actually alive. Zhiva is the goddess of the Life-Giving Forces of Nature, spring bubbling waters, the first green shoots, as well as the patroness of young girls and young wives. Under Christianity, the cult of the goddess Zhiva was replaced by the cult of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa. On Zhivin's day, women, taking brooms, perform a ritual dance around the fire, clearing the place of evil spirits. Thus, they glorify Zhiva, which revives nature, sending spring to Earth. Everyone jumps over the Fire, clearing themselves of obsessions (Navi forces) after a long winter:
Whoever jumps high has death far away. Here, merry games are started and round dances are conducted around the fire: Kolo yari with light, let Maru fight, thank Yarilo, Yarilo, show your strength! They play a fairy tale telling about a journey to the world of Navi and a return to Yav. With the onset of the morning, they treat themselves to cookies in the form of larks, release living birds from their cages into the wild, calling for spring: Skylarks, fly! We are tired of winter. We ate a lot of bread! You fly and bring red Spring, hot summer! The whole coming day of the first grass is devoted to rest. On this day, ritual bonfires are made along the banks of the rivers in the evening, they bathe, cleansing themselves with cold spring water.
Day of Dazhdbog - Ovsen big
Dazhdbog - Dab, Radegast, Radigosh, Svarozhich - these are different versions of the name of the same god. God of fertility and sunlight, life-giving force. He is considered the ancestor of the Slavs (the Slavs, according to the text of "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" - God's grandchildren). According to Slavic legends, Dazhdbog and Zhiva together revived the world after the Flood. Lada, Zhiva's mother, married Dazhdbog and Zhiva. Then the betrothed gods gave birth to Arius, according to legend, the progenitor of many Slavic peoples - Czechs, Croats, Kyiv glades. Honored on this day and Yarilo (Sun), the face of Dazhdbog, the revival of nature. God Yar was often compared with the plowman and warrior Arius, the son of Dazhdbog. Arius was revered, like Yar, the incarnation of the Family (in other interpretations - Veles or Dazhdbog). On the day of Dazhdbog, people rejoiced that Dazhdbog rejected Marena and became engaged to Zhivaya. This meant the end of the long Winter, the beginning of Spring and Summer. At that time, Dazhdbog was noisily praised in Vedic temples and plowed fields. “We praise Dazhdbog. May he be our patron and intercessor from Kolyada to Kolyada! And the patron saint of fruits in the fields. He gives grass to our livestock all the days. And the cows are multiplied, and the grains are multiplied in the granaries. And he does not allow honey to ferment. He is the god of Light. Praise Svarozhich, who renounces Winter and flows towards Summer. And we sing glory to him in the fields, because he is our father” / Vel. 31/. Day of Dazhdbog is also the time of the first pasture of cattle to pastures. Because Dazhdbog burned fires and asked him to guard the cattle: You, Dazhbozhe brave! Save the cattle, protect it from the kidnappers! Protect from a fierce bear, Save from a predatory wolf! It was believed that on this day the god Veles stole clouds-cows from Perun and imprisoned them in the mountains of the Caucasus. Therefore, Yar, Dazhdbog and Perun asked to rescue the clouds, otherwise all life on Earth would die. On this day they glorify the victory of Rainbog over Veles.
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Many have heard that the end of winter is called Proletye. On this day, the Slavs perform protective rites of awakening the earth, bringing strength and health. Maya Goldilocks is famous - the Mother of All Gods, she was given a ritual of worship at the Temple of the goddess of fate Makosha. Also in her honor, a sacred fire was lit, marking the beginning of summer. In general, in Proletye it was customary to kindle large fires so that they would burn for the glory of the coming summer. There was also a rite of ploughing, bringing health and good luck, and magic sorcery by Trigla (the ancient Slavic goddess, one in three forms: creating, preserving and destroying), helping a woman to maintain harmony in the family. The holiday of Proletya was celebrated noisily, cheerfully and popularly. Traditionally, buffoons and valiant fun, games, songs and round dances were arranged on this day. Dances and songs were held to the accompaniment of Slavic instruments: drum, kugikly, pipes, flutes.
Spring Makoshye (Earth Day)
Holy Day, when Mother Cheese-Earth, awakened after a winter sleep, is honored as a “birthday girl”. It is believed that on this day the Earth “rests”, therefore it cannot be plowed, dug, harrowed, stakes cannot be stuck into it and knives can be thrown. Veles and Makosh are especially honored on this day - Earthly intercessors. The Magi go out into the field, lie down on the grass - listen to the Earth. At the beginning, grain is placed in a furrow plowed ahead of time and beer is poured, saying, facing east: Mother Earth Cheese! Take away all the unclean reptile from a love spell, turnover and dashing deeds. Turning to the west, they continue: Mother Earth Cheese! Swallow the impure force into the seething abyss, into the combustible pitch. Turning to noon, they say: Mother Earth Cheese! Satisfy all the midday winds with bad weather, calm the free-flowing sands with a blizzard. At midnight they turn: Mother Earth Cheese! Calm down the midnight winds with clouds, hold back the frosts with blizzards. After each appeal, beer is poured into the furrow, and then the jug in which it was brought is broken. Once upon a time in the old days there was another rite with a furrow and grain, after which children are born, but now, due to changes in morals, the rite is limited to spells on the cardinal points. After the spells, the magi, digging the ground with their fingers and whispering: “Mother-Cheese-Earth, tell me, tell the whole truth, show (name) on (name), guess about the future according to the signs found in the earth. The warriors, laying down their weapons and putting a piece of turf on their heads, swear allegiance to the Mother of Raw Earth, pledging to protect her from enemies. The beginning ends with a glorification: Goy, Thou art damp earth, Mother earth, Thou art our dear mother, She gave birth to all of us, She fed us, fed us And endowed us with land. For the sake of us, your children, Thou hast given birth to potions And made every cereal to drink Polega to drive away the demon And help in illnesses. They took off from themselves to snatch Various supplies, lands For the sake of favor on the stomach. After conception, the consecrated handful of the Earth is collected in bags and stored as amulets. A drunken feast and games complete the holiday. Yandex.Direct
Semik (Green Christmas time) (date varies from year to year)
Semik (Green Christmas time) was the main boundary between spring and summer. In the folk calendar, with the adoption of Christianity, the feast of the Trinity was timed to these days. In the rites of the Green Christmastide, the first greenery and the beginning of summer field work were welcomed. The cycle of Green Christmastide consisted of several rituals: bringing a birch tree into the village, curling wreaths, kumlenya, burial of a cuckoo (Kostroma or a mermaid). The birch was a symbol of inexhaustible vitality. As well as during the winter Christmas time - carols, mummers participated in all the rites, depicting animals, devils and mermaids. Two main themes can be distinguished in the songs performed during the Green Christmas holidays: love and labor. It was believed that the imitation of labor activity ensured the well-being of future field work. During the performance of the song “You succeed, succeed, my flax”, the girls showed the process of sowing flax, weeding, cleaning, combing and spinning. The singing of the song “We sowed millet” was accompanied by movements in which the participants reproduced the processes of sowing, gathering, threshing, and putting millet into the cellar. In ancient times, both songs were sung in the fields and performed a magical function. Later, the ritual meaning was lost, and they began to be sung in places of festivities. It was customary to bring birch branches and bouquets of first flowers into the house. They were dried and stored in a secluded place all year round. After the start of the harvest, the plants were placed in the granary or mixed with fresh hay. Wreaths were made from the leaves of the trees collected during the holiday, they were placed in pots, where cabbage seedlings were planted. Trinity plants were believed to have magical powers. To ensure a high harvest, a special prayer service was sometimes served. The custom of “crying for flowers” is associated with it - dropping tears on the turf or a bunch of flowers. After the completion of special prayers, all participants went to the cemetery, where they decorated graves with birch branches and arranged refreshments. Having remembered the dead, they went home, leaving food in the cemetery. Green Christmastide ended with a funeral or seeing off Kostroma. The image of Kostroma is associated with the completion of green Christmas time, rites and rituals often took the form of ritual funerals. Kostroma could be portrayed by a beautiful girl or a young woman, dressed in white, with oak branches in her hands. She was chosen from those participating in the ceremony, surrounded by a girlish round dance, after which they began to bow, show signs of respect. The "Dead Kostroma" was laid on boards, and the procession moved to the river, where the "Kostroma" was awakened, and the celebration ended with a bath. In addition, the burial ceremony of Kostroma could be carried out with a straw effigy. Accompanied by a round dance, a scarecrow was carried around the village, and then buried in the ground, burned at the stake or thrown into the river. It was believed that next year Kostroma would rise again and come to earth again, bringing fertility to the fields and plants.
Feast of the Cuckoo (date varies from year to year)
On the last Sunday of May, the Slavs celebrate the Feast of the Cuckoo or the Day of Cumlenia. The main feature of this holiday is the establishment of a spiritual connection between girls who have not yet had children, for mutual help and support. Young people, mostly girls, gathered in a clearing in the forest, danced round dances, sang funny songs about spring and Zhiva (the cuckoo is a link between Zhiva and young girls), jumped over a ritual fire and arranged a small symbolic feast. On this holiday, the only time in a year, it was possible to make a fuss, that is, to intermarry in soul with any loved one. To do this, it was necessary to kiss through a birch wreath (birch is a symbol of love and purity among the Slavs) and say the following words:
Kumis, kumis, be related, be related, we have a common life for two. Neither joy, nor tears, nor a word, nor an accident will separate us. Then, it was necessary to exchange something for memory. At the same time, the girl, dressed up as Alive, held the figure of the Cuckoo in her hands: they believed that the forest bird would hear the oath and pass it on to Zhiva. In different parts of Slavic Rus', the holiday had its own rituals and customs, but the idea of cumulation remained common to all.
Spirits day (the beginning of the mermaid week) (date varies from year to year)
Spirits Day - the holiday of Pitchfork and Madder, Earthly Moisture, begins with honoring the ancestors, who are invited to stay in the house, scattering fresh birch branches in the corners of the house. It is also a day of remembrance and communication with water, meadow and forest navy - mermaid spirits of a kind. According to legend, mermaids and mermaids are those who died prematurely before becoming adults, or who died voluntarily. Women perform secret ceremonies, leaving the household to the men, sometimes for the whole week. And those who have children leave for the mermaid children in the field or on the branches near the springs the old clothes of their children, towels, linens. It is necessary to appease the mermaid spirits so that they do not pester children and other relatives, so that they contribute to the fertility of our fields, meadows and forests, give them to drink the juices of the Earth. According to legend, during the Mermaid Week, mermaids could be seen near rivers, in flowering fields, in groves and, of course, at crossroads and in cemeteries. It was said that during the dances, the mermaids perform a ceremony related to the protection of crops. They could also punish those who tried to work on a holiday: trample down sprouted ears, send crop failures, downpours, storms or drought. A meeting with a mermaid promised untold wealth or turned into misfortune. Mermaids should be feared by girls, as well as children. It was believed that the mermaids could take the child into their round dance, tickle or dance to death. Therefore, during the Mermaid Week, children and girls were strictly forbidden to go out into the field or into the meadow. If during the Mermaid Week (a week after the Trinity already during Christianity) children died or died, they said that the mermaids took them to them. To protect yourself from the mermaid love spell, you had to carry with you sharp-smelling plants: wormwood, horseradish and garlic.
Yarilo Wet, Troyan
Troyan (Tribogov Day) is a holiday of the end of spring and the beginning of summer, when the young Yaril-Spring is replaced by the Trisvetly Dazhdbog. Holy day dedicated to the victory of God Trojan over the Black Serpent. At this time, Rodnovers glorify Svarog Triglav - Svarog-Perun-Veles, strong in the Rule, Yavi and Navi. According to legend, Troyan was the embodiment of the power of Svarog, Perun and Veles, who joined their forces in the fight against the Serpent, the offspring of Chernobog, who once threatened to destroy the entire Tremirye. At this time, from ancient times, they commemorated their ancestors and created amulets from the atrocities committed by mermaids and the restless souls of the "mortgaged" dead (who died "not their own", that is, an unnatural death). On the night of Troyan, girls and women “plowed” the village in order to protect themselves from evil forces. The people said: “From the Spirit of the day, not from one sky - warmth comes from under the earth”, “The Holy Spirit will come - it will be in the yard, like on a stove.” According to popular beliefs, all evil spirits are afraid of this day, like fire, and just before Sunrise on the Spirits, Mother Cheese-Earth reveals her secrets, and therefore healers go at this time to “listen to treasures”. As on Yarila Veshny, dew on this day is considered sacred and healing. After the conception, the rite "Venue" is performed for young men - initiation into warriors. Then they arrange a feast in the field. Ritual Strava: sweets, scrambled eggs, pies. Ritual beer is brought in the requirement. Before the games, they play out a fairy tale or an ancient legend. Mandatory love games and dances. After the day of Yarila, hot weather usually sets for seven days.
Birth of Vyshnya-Perun
Skipper Serpent Day (Serpent Day)
After the birth of Perun, the Skipper-Serpent came to the Russian Land. He buried the baby Perun in a deep cellar and took his sisters to Nav: I live, Marena and Lelya - the goddesses of life, death and love. Now it is not the dust that is scattered in the field, It is not the fogs that rise from the sea, Then from the eastern land, from the high mountains A herd of animals ran out, That the animal herd is snake. A fierce Skipper-beast ran ahead! "Veda Perun" Then Veles, Khors and Stribog will free Perun, and he will defeat the Skipper-beast. And these days, when the Skipper-beast with his army goes to the Russian land, many see wandering ghosts, signs of death and troubles. Suddenly, mouse packs and wolves appear in the fields, clouds of crows swoop in. And if you bow your ear to the ground, you can hear Mother Earth Cheese groaning. And others see that fire is running through the winter field. Nav is especially strong, and therefore in Rus' these days they were waiting for enemy invasions. There is evidence of this in history: the Patriotic War of 1812 (June 24), and the Great Patriotic War of 1941 (June 22) began near the day of Skipper-Snake. The tales of Perun and Skipper were sung on this day by the Magi in Vedic temples and called on the faithful to the rivers and lakes to perform sacred ablutions in order to be cleansed of sins. According to the folk calendar, this day fell on the period of snake weddings. It is believed that at this time the snakes crawl and go by train to the snake wedding. In many settlements, there are still “cursed places”, the so-called “snake hills”.