What did the ancient Slavs believe in? What gods were worshiped? What religion was preached in those ancient times, when Christianity was not even heard of? The religion of the ancient Slavs, which is commonly called paganism, included a huge number of cults, beliefs and beliefs. It coexisted with both archaic primitive elements and more developed ideas about the existence of gods and the human soul.
Religion of the Slavs originated more than 2-3 thousand years ago. The most ancient religious view of the Slavic peoples is animism. According to this belief, any person has an incorporeal double, shadow, spirit. Hence the concept of the soul. According to the ancient ancestors of the Russian people, not only people, but also animals, as well as all natural phenomena possess the soul.
Slavic religion is rich in totemic beliefs. Totems of animals - moose, wild boar, bear, as sacred animals, were worshiped. Subsequently, each sacred animal became a symbol of a Slavic god. For example, a wild boar is a sacred animal of the god Perun, and a bear is Veles. There were plant totems: birch, oak, willow. Many religious rituals were held near detached sacred trees.
Gods in the Slavic religion.
The Slavs did not have a single god for all. Each tribe worshiped a different one. The religion of the ancient Slavs classifies such gods as Perun, Veles, Lada, Svarog and Makosh to common gods.
- Perun - a thunderer, patronized princes and soldiers. Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich of Kiev revered this god as supreme.
- Veles - the god of wealth, the "herding" god, patronized the merchants. Less commonly considered the god of the dead.
- Svarog - the god of fire and heaven, is considered the father of other divine creatures, the supreme deity of the early Slavs.
- Makosh is the goddess of fate, water and fertility, the patroness of expectant mothers. It was considered the personification of the feminine.
- Lada is the goddess of love and beauty. It was considered the goddess of the "woman in labor", patronizing the summer harvest.
Idols of the ancient Slavs.
The religion of the ancient Slavs had not only their gods, but also their idols - sculptures that convey the image of one or another deity, which was revered more than others in the tribe. These were wooden or stone statues, which were worshiped during religious rites. Most often, idols were established on the banks of rivers, in groves, on hillocks. They were very often dressed, holding a bowl or horns in their hands, and rich weapons could be seen next to them. There were smaller house idols that were hidden in dwellings. The ancient Slavs identified the idols with the deity himself, so it was a great sin to damage the statue of the idol.
Ancient "temples" and magicians in the Slavic religion.
The Eastern Slavs who inhabited the territory of modern Russia never erected temples: they performed all ritual actions and prayers in the open. Instead of the temple, they equipped the so-called "temple" - the place where the idols were placed, the altar was located and sacrifices were carried out. Moreover, the religion of the ancient Slavs allowed any of the believers to approach the idols, bow to them and make some kind of offering. As a rule, different animals were used as sacrifices, the ancient Slavs did not practice human sacrifices.
As the guardians of knowledge, seers and healers, the ancient Slavs had magi. They kept and transmitted ancient myths from generation to generation, compiled calendars, predicted the weather, performed the functions of sorcerers and magicians. The Magi had a great influence on the princes of Kiev, who consulted with them on all important state issues.
Thus, it is safe to say that the religious beliefs of the ancient Slavs are a well-developed system that includes a huge number of different pagan beliefs professed by the Slavs before the adoption of the Christian religion. She played a huge role in shaping the worldview, worldview and culture of the Slavic peoples. Her echoes are still present in our lives.