There are many definitions of "paganism."Some researchers say that paganism - it is a religion, others suggest that more than a religion, but rather a way of life, the thought of an entire people, and others simply assume that this component of the folklore of ancient people.Still worth a closer look than it was paganism in the life of people of distant times by the example of the life and culture of ancient Slavs.
In the current interpretation of paganism - the religion of the countries that did not practice at the time of the monotheistic religions, were not followers of Judaism.Paganism was widespread, but the strongest cults were on the territory of ancient Scandinavia and Russia.It belonged to the Gentiles, and the ancient Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, and many other nations, but the pronunciation of the term memory occur runic formula Scandinavians and Slavic tradition.Even if we accept the definition, stating that it is a religion, the paganism of ancient Slavs, however, like other nations, had no religious canons.Ancient people lived by these principles.For him there was no world outside of paganism.Understand and accept the universe Slavs could only through a complex set of rules and laws and pagan devices.For them, paganism - the gods, and the gods controlled every minute of their lives, giving joy and punishment.People have lived in accordance with the cult of each deity.Each god possessed a certain part of the world and manage it, and the man took for granted and never grumbled at higher power.
ancient Slavic world existed at the behest and under the control of the gods.These were not separate deities, the gods of paganism were a clearly structured pantheon.In the hierarchy of each god had his weight and a certain set of responsibilities.The paradox of paganism lay in the fact that, to some extent, despite the extraordinary strength, which were endowed with the gods and the spirits of the ancient Slavs, are strong, they were only to the elements that control while the person includes the universe, and enlightenedfortitude person could manage all the forces of nature.
The man was like a god Rod who was the supreme deity, but because of its features include a full cycle, it can be feminine and masculine, he could be a fire, and at the same time the water, it was all - the essence of the universe.Despite this, and perhaps also because the phenomenon was too complicated to understand ancient human primacy in the pantheon of the time of Prince Vladimir was given Perun, who ran with lightning and thunder - it is clear the most powerful natural phenomena, the power of which extremely frightened old man andHe served as a regulatory component.It was clear that Perun can punish, and punish it would be a terrible blow of thunder and lightning.Like any polytheistic world of paganism - the worship many gods, or rather, each tribe were certain important deities and spirits, as the supreme ruler was terrible, but far.
This way of thinking and living so hard accustomed to the culture and life of the Slavs, after the baptism of Rus handed part of celebrations, rituals and deities of Christianity.Deity changed names only, without changing their functions.A striking example - the transformation of Perun in the prophet Elijah, who is still popularly called the Thunderer.And there are thousands of examples.The rites, beliefs, holidays, there are today.Paganism - is a powerful cultural complex, is the story of the people, its essence.It is impossible to imagine without Russia paganism.Even the concept of orthodoxy imposed by the Christian Church in the XII century, it was borrowed from pagan praise canon law, the truth - the right to live.
