Prior to the adoption of Christianity the Slavs were pagans.This means that, in their view, man and nature are closely linked.The world they perceived as alive and wise being having a soul and lives according to certain laws.It seems the world and contributed to the myths about the gods and spirits that govern human life.
patron gods of the ancient Slavs
All Slavic pagan gods somehow were patrons or any kind of activity or a particular social group.Thus, Veles is the patron saint of animals and trade, Perun - the princes and warriors, Svarog - fertility goddess Lada - the patroness of peace and harmony alive - youth and love, Makosh - fate and female crafts, and so on. D. This is due to the fact thateach deity is responsible for defining the scope of a natural phenomenon and human activities, and therefore could contribute to the success or failure of it.
to strengthen the bond with your patron Slavs were made amulets with symbols carved deities and idols.And send prayers Slavic gods.
sun gods Slavs
Slavic sun god had four incarnation according to the four seasons and the cycles of human life:
- winter sun - Kolyada, a newborn baby;
- spring sun - Yarilo, strong, young man full of life;
- summer sun - Kupayla mature strong man;
- autumn sun - Sventovit, the wise old man fading.
In this sense unit annual cycle embodied pagan idea of the endless cycle of birth and death.So, the old man dies - Sventovit - before the winter solstice, and the next morning there is a newborn Kolyada.
Yarilo - the sun god
Yarilo - a Slavic god of the spring sun, youthful strength, passion, unbridled lust for life.It features the god of purity, sincerity and furiously.Yarilo allowed on the land the sun's rays, which in some cases are treated as love arrows.The Slavs represent God as the life-giving force of the spring sun, which fills the earth and joy of life after a long winter, it awakens from hibernation.
Slavic god Jari is the patron saint of people with good, clean, bright and heartfelt thoughts.They came to him for help in conceiving children.He also was responsible for fertility and was considered the epitome of rage in the sublime understanding.
Yarilo could call Yarila, spring and Ruyev.
What is Jari?
Yarilo, god of the sun, seemed attractive to young boys.His hair was blond or reddish eyes - light blue, clear, powerful shoulders of the broad waving a red cape.Yarilo sat on a fiery horse-sun.Many girls fall in love with a beautiful young man.And each god willing to reciprocate.As the god of fertility and childbirth, Yarilo acts as a deity and physical love, men and women.This explains the fact that the doll Yarily often tinkering with a large phallus is an ancient symbol of fertility.
attributes of God
Yarilo - the sun god - was endowed with attributes such as an arrow, spear, shield and gold circle, symbolizing the sun.Amber is considered to be the stone of Bohan, the metal - gold and iron, and the day - Sunday.Also, all the solar symbols can be identified with Yarily.
Holidays Yarily
Yarilo revered god of the sun, starting from March 21, the vernal equinox, which also coincided with the pagan holiday of Carnival.From that day began the spring sun god.And it lasted until June 21-22, when the moment of the longest day and the shortest night of the year.
Yarily Another day - 15 April.For God's chosen bride at the festival - the most beautiful girl in the settlement.Or call her Yarilihoy Yarily.Chosen Yarily dressed up, put on a horse white suit, put on his head a wreath of spring flowers in his left hand took the girl ears, and the right - the image of a severed human head - a symbol of death.Horse and groom drove through the fields - it was believed that this ritual promotes fertility.At this ceremony there is another option when looking for a Woman depicting Yarily, tied to a tree, and then drive around the dance with ritual songs.
Toward the middle of the summer Yarily again honored.At that time, young men and women gathered to "Yarilin pleshka" - a certain place outside the village.All day people walked, sang, ate, danced.This holiday celebrated youth (Yarily) and Woman (Yarilihu), dressed in white robes and adorned with ribbons and bells.
As soon as night fell, lit bonfires, called "Yarilin lights."Often celebration ended with a symbolic funeral bride and groom - stuffed straw in clay masks were thrown into the water, or left on the sidelines.So if people say that it is time to end the fun, it's time to work.
Myths Yarile
Yarilo - is the embodiment of youth and life, so often in the myths he plays the role of a lover.Moreover, in some respects, it is clear that God is in love with the same time in all women on earth, and even the earth itself.
Yarile main myth is the story about the creation of life.There is a variant thereof.For a long time, Mother Earth was sleeping soundly, but somehow appeared Yarilo and began to wake her caresses and passionate kisses.Kisses were hot as the sun, and the earth, warmed them, awakened.And in place of kisses were fields, woods, meadows.Sun God continued to kiss the earth.And there appeared to lakes, rivers, seas, oceans.Land overheated from fondling Yarily and spawned insects, fish, birds and animals.The last person was born.
It sounds a variant of the pagan myth of the creation of the world and the emergence of life.
