Paganism in Russia

Paganism was the central place in the culture of the ancient Slavs . The earliest forms of religion that were of great importance in those days were fetishism, magic and totemism. The last direction was in a separate place. The most revered totems of the Slavs were a cock, an eagle and a falcon among birds, a bear and a horse among animals.

Paganism in Ancient Russia, according to modern researchers, has passed several stages of its development.

The initial period was characterized by the deification of the forces of nature. The symbolism of ancient Slavic art reflects the attitude of people of that time to nature. In their opinion, it was inhabited by a multitude of spirits. The paganism of Ancient Rus at the initial stage was expressed in the worship of the Slavs of Mother Earth. Its symbol was a square divided into four squares, in the center of which are dots. Water cults were also very developed, groves and forests were revered as dwellings of the gods. In the pagan forest, Bear was the master.

By the first millennium of our era the deities of the ancient Slavs are beginning to acquire an anthropomorphic appearance. From that moment, the human features in the deities gradually come to replace the bestial ones.

Paganism in Russia of that period is characterized by worship of such deities as Dazhbog, Svarog, Veles, Stribog, Khors, Makosh, Yarilo. These gods were the most revered among the Slavs.

Svarog personified the sky, was considered the ancestor of all deities. For several centuries, the most revered was Dazhbog - the god of sunlight, the ripening of the harvest, the heat. His symbols were silver and gold.

Horse was the god of the sun. His name means "circle", "sun". This deity did not have a human face. It was represented by a simple gold disc. The worship of Horsa was expressed by a spring dance with a round dance, the custom of baking pancakes on the Shrovetide, skating the lighted wheels that symbolized the sun.

Paganism in Russia at the second stage of its development is characterized by the cult of Rozhanits and Rod - goddess of fertility and creator of the universe. This direction of religion was closely connected with the veneration of ancestors, a home, a family.

Rod was considered the god of fertility, thunderstorms, sky. The Slavs said that he was riding on a cloud and rain was falling on the ground. From this, children are born. The genus was a pagan creator god. Rozhanitsa were nameless goddesses of well-being, fertility and fertility. Their Slavs were revered as defenders of young children and young mothers.

In the same period paganism in Russia comes to a three-part view of the world. The image of the structure - the lower (underground), the middle (terrestrial) and the upper (heavenly) worlds - can be seen on the surviving idols.

Sacrifices and worship took place in special sanctuaries-temples. They were round earthen or wooden structures that were erected on hills or mounds. Later they became quadrangular.

The Slavs have artificially consolidated the process of the continuous struggle of the dark and light forces of nature in their notions of a temporary cycle. The starting point coincided with the onset of the new year at the end of December. Celebrating the birth of a new sun was called "carol".

At the last third stage of development, pagan religion was elevated by the cult of the god Perun. Vladimir, the Kiev prince, in 980 tried to reform the religion, seeking to elevate folk worship to the state level.

It should be noted that of the all-Slavic deities of fertility, a special role and significance was assigned to warlike gods. The Slavs brought bloody sacrifices. They were the gods of Perun and Yarilo. The second personified death and resurrection, a young sheep was sacrificed to him. Perunu was worshiped as a god of thunder, the rise of his cult begins with the first campaigns of the people of Kiev.

Despite the adoption in 988 of Christianity, paganism in Russia existed long enough.