Russia is going through an interesting period of renaissance of pagan spirituality.Of course, most clearly about yourself officials say the reconstructed Slavic paganism - unions rodnovercheskih different communities.However, against the background more and more spread ideas and other neo-pagan cults.Increasingly, for example, talk about Wicca - Witches particular religion, which is represented in our country several communities, a variety of individual practitioners and the mass of sympathizers, mainly among young people.
Religion Wicca
Wicca - neopagan religion orientation with greater emphasis on the practice of magic.Her spirituality is based on the worship of nature, personified by the Great Mother Goddess.Often it is accompanied by subordination, and sometimes equal, the Horned God, correlating with the Horned God archaic cults.For these reasons, many Wiccans often claim that Wicca - a modern successor (sometimes argued that a direct continuer, emerged from the catacombs) cult of the Mother Goddess of the ancient tribes of primitive society.Thus, they claim to be followers of the oldest in the history of world religions.
emergence of Wicca coven of witches and the first
historical value arguments in favor of the antiquity of Wicca is low.The official date of birth of the doctrine - in 1954, although, of course, many of its ideas were in the air esoteric world long before that.It is fair to note that, in its theology and practice of Wiccans really kind remodel some ideas and forms of prehistoric cults, at the same time actively synthesizing them with the ancient, medieval and modern traditions.Popularizer of Wicca was Gerald Gardner, whose name is linked to the first Wiccan coven of witches - New Forest, stationed in England.
Currents Wicca
Wiccan theology is not bound by strict dogmatic creed.The priority for it is the worship of femininity in the face of the Goddess, often triune Mother, correlated with the nature.The exact same content and understanding of Wiccan spirituality differs from community to community.Considered the most traditional areas of Gerald Gardner and Alex Sanders - Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions respectively.Against the background of rapidly developing feyskaya, Dianic, Celtic and other branches that are combined as a Solitary - single practitioners and covens - organized communities.
Organization Wiccan community
local association called Wicca witches circle or coven.Coven - is, in fact, the community of believers Wiccans.Typically, these associations administratively independent from other groups of their own kind (even within the borders of one tradition).They are the only component of the cell Wiccan community, along which there are many enthusiasts who practice Wicca and practitioners alone.
difference between the coven and the terms in Wicca
Sometimes you can find distinction between "circle" and "coven" in Wicca.According to one explanation, the coven - is the totality of believers Wiccans locally united in one community.It includes priestesses, priests who have initiated members and students who are preparing for initiation.Circle also combines only the inner core of trained and dedication to full members of the coven.But it should be noted that not all adhere to such an interpretation of the concepts by introducing different systems of differentiation.
first Wiccan coven of witches in Russia
In Russia, the term "coven" also became popular with the development of Wicca.It happened quite late (compared to the US and Europe, where Wicca at the beginning of the XXI century was already familiar traditional religion).Once the territory of the former Soviet Union were first single practice, gradually began to form a community which began to take shape within the organized community.Finally, the first coven of witches in Russia was officially registered by the authorities of the Republic of Udmurtia in Izhevsk.It was called the coven Willow Hollow.Today, there are Wiccans Union of Russia, which operates under the patronage of many other organized groups of Wiccans.The main of them - and, incidentally, the most numerous - are located in the ... Moscow and St. Petersburg!
structure
coven coven structure is conventionally hierarchical.The hierarchical principle is expressed in the fact that the leading role of the ritual and administrative concentrated in the hands of the high priestess of a coven.If a par with the goddess give honor to God, it is often the management community with shared priestess priest.They thus represent the divine powers of the goddess and the god.The conventionality of the hierarchy is that, firstly, not all covens adopted a similar scheme of organization - some argue for absolute equality and the election of the high priestess and priest in a particular ritual.Second, many groups, even those with permanent supreme witch, is not in a hurry to delegate administrative authority over them.
Wicca This differs from many other older religions, whose sign is a well-defined structure and management hierarchy.Since we are considering the flow in principle alien to the principle of centralization of administrative or sacramental sign, and each coven - is independent from other Wiccan group, and developed a hierarchical structure for this religion is unnecessary.Anyway, if it is present in any communities that rather as exceptions.
Wicca covens of witches is
Although the word "coven" today is most often used in conjunction with the Wiccan religion, it is not a Wiccan initially.Generally in English coven - is any organized group of witches and wizards, or even just a community of witches gather for magical holidays and rituals, known as covens.Therefore, coven, in fact, is any organized ritual for a group of people positioning themselves as witches.Then we discuss how and when did this term.
etymology of the word "coven»
This term comes from the Latin verb convenire, which translates simply as "the assembly".However, in the English he had acquired an additional meaning - "Mirage".PIE base of the word is believed to reflect the idea of man's belonging to the Magic.From this happened, in particular, the English word witch - «witch."
history of the term "coven»
history of the term goes back to the Middle Ages.Judging from the available historical and literary sources, this word very early was granted special ritual shade.For example, it is often used to refer to the meeting of the thirteen people - no more and no less.Mention the word "coven" in this way are known since the twelfth century.Some time later, when Europe has captured the wave of witch-hunt, this concept has been used as a working term for an underground organization of witches and warlocks.
Some prominent figures of the Middle Ages, defining witchcraft covens as the community did not pass, and the second meaning of the word.What is meant?According to them, covens of witches and covens organized did not exist in reality, but is a mirage created by the devil in order to mislead people.Such a view is taken, for example, bishop of Chartres, John of Salisbury.
Over time, however, the belief in the reality of magical nighttime hangout strengthened, both in people and in the higher layers of the secular and spiritual power.People began to talk seriously about the underground covens of witches, and the civil and ecclesiastical courts began to pay particular attention to matters relating to their exposure.I began to form a body of evidence, and after them, and found guilty of witchcraft confessions of people.The oldest of its kind in Europe documents related to the first quarter of the fourteenth century.It mentions the Irish coven of thirteen witches, led by Alice Kyteler.It was the first case in Ireland, during which the accused of witchcraft burned man.
little later, since the sixteenth century, belonging to a secret organization of witches was a common item charge any inquisitor.Coven, and thus could not exist, but this charge was the standard, because often assumed that the witch acts in collusion with a group of other persons related contract with the devil.
By the eighteenth century, when Witching processes in England subsided, Figuring the term "coven" in the practice of law has come to naught.Around the same time the process begins to gain strength to popularize occult, which peaked in the nineteenth century.And in the twentieth century, when talking about the revival of the witch coven concept again came into circulation.Finally, a group of members of the magic of the Order of the Golden Dawn, led by already mentioned by Gerald Gardner, entered into an alliance with several researchers and practitioners of witchcraft folklore within a certain family tradition, thus forming a coven "New Forest".This eventually led to a surge of interest in the European Witching tradition.Although, in fairness, we should note the fact that not all historians are inclined to trust the stories of Gardner about the appearance of this meeting.Some claimed that he simply invented.
coven of witches in northern Russia as an example of the commercialization of the concept of "coven»
Against the spread of Wicca and witch organizations, the term "coven" is becoming more popular and in the media.Do not escaped the fate of the profanation of a religious term, and Russia, where recently was told about himself a number of dubious organizations calling themselves this term.For example, "Coven of the northern witches."The reasons for this are simple.It is no secret that in our country after the fall of the Iron Curtain had established a rather colorful market of ritual and spiritual services, which is a reflection of the commercial and esoteric religious ferment in the minds of citizens.Today there is a slow but steady upgrade already established witch witch culture in particular philosophy, aesthetics and even religion.The latter applies not only to Wicca.Of course, in the commercial space ricochet appeared organizations call themselves Coveney and offers everyone their services for a fee.A striking specimen of this type of organization is a St. Petersburg coven of witches.Banteeva Natalia - its founder and manager - the winner of the ninth season of the Battle of psychics, which in itself is cause for concern, given the nature of this staging shows.After his victory fairy Natalya Banteeva not lost and gathered under its protectorate a few people, which formed the so-called North coven of witches.Commercial activities of this community is concentrated in the center of the development of the personality "Wake up", which takes the form of the classic bureau services esoteric slant.Flashy and business-oriented nature of the (touring the country, a press conference, paid services delivered to the stream, and so forth.) Puts in an awkward position of this coven of witches.Banteeva Natalia has positioned itself as a strong psychic in Russia, but, most likely, this is just a marketing ploy aimed at public relations and customer acquisition.Unfortunately, there is reason to believe that many other organizations esoteric and spiritual space of Russia activity is not the idea, but for profit.
witch covens in art
In terms of art, the most important role in the promotion of witchcraft covens played cinema.Among other things, its fruits - the famous TV series "American Horror Story.""Coven" - the title of his third season, entirely devoted to the witches of New Orleans.Also worth noting is the cult TV series "Charmed", which tells of a group of three hereditary witch-sisters.Format Wiccan coven was lit in the series about vampires, "True Blood."And finally we can remember "Salem."This is another modern series.The coven of witches in it opposes the church and the civil court.The film is based on real events Salem Witching processes.
