Chem ⭑ New SlavPol

Today I present you my translation of fragments of two polish academic publications that are great favorites of mine. Fragments chosen are centered around Yarovit and Yarilo. My own comments will be indicated by a „trans. note” disclaimer. The fragments below are merely a part of larger text. I apologize for any context lost to the lack of broader perspective on the whole of the publication.

Mitologia Słowian by Aleksander Gieysztor

Chapter V: Principal deities and myths

Subchapter: „Perun’s many ways - Sventovit, Ruyevit & company, Yarovit-Yarilo”

Yarovit-Yarilo

A deity called Yarovit (trans. note: Herovith, Gerovit, pl: Jarowit) was worshipped in two locations settled by polabian Slavs - in pomeranian Wolgast and in Havelberg, a gord inhabited by the Brizans tribe (pl: Brzeżanie). During the mission of bambergian bishop Otton in Wolgost in 1128 one of his priests hid from an angry crowd in a pagan temple, and there found a giant shield covered in golden plates, that was considered untouchable and would only be carried out during war time, as a blessing of good luck. The preacher snatched the sacred shield and ran back out of the temple terrifying the pursuing crowd - in the sput of the moment they thought they see Yarovit himself. One of the writers compares him to Mars, another calls him the god of war - there is no doubt Yarovit was a martial god. It’s hard to tell if there was any statue in his temple, as the escaping priest only noticed the shield. A shield is a ritual object in many martial cults, for example in roman Regia (trans. note: royal house on the ancient Forum Romanum) a most sacred shield was watched over by guards. So called „Stone of Yarovit” in St. Peter’s church of Wolgast (trans. note: Wolgast is now located in the northeast corner of Germany) is a tombstone dating to the earliest christian times. One of the polabian villagers saw Yarovit appear to him „in the robes of his idol” to warn him about the coming missionaries - so there seems to have existed some idol/statue of him (trans. note: episode from Vita s. Ottonis III by Ebonis).

There are no doubts as to the origin of this deity’s name. It came from the root jar-, jaro- meaning strength or severity, but also conveying the idea of stregth coming from youth, as in slavic word „jar” meaning spring. Similar military competences and analogical anatomy of the names strongly connect Yarovit and Sventovit (pl: Świętowit) with one another and with Perun - the supreme warrior god. We could try to follow Ivanov and Toporov (trans. note: famous russian folklorists) in their attempts to strengthen this thesis by means of analysing folklore and comparative religious studies. The baseline for all scholars here is belarusian text from 1846 describing Yarilo as a young man in white robes, barefoot, with human head under his right arm and stalks of rye in his left hand, in a herbal wreath, on a white horse. A ritual, which took place on 27th of April, to welcome spring before the first plowing, was performed by a procession of young girls, one of them dressed as Jarilo, sitting on a white horse, the others singing to her

„Yarilo wandered all over the world / Rye grew high in the fields, he gave women children / And where he set his foot/ There a stack of rye / Where he’s in the grain/ There the stalks grow tall”

Along Yarovit and Yarilo there is also a third name entangled in the cult practices, „Yarun” (pl: Jarun), a ruthenian idol named in Laurentian Codex, as well as a collection of common slavic words, ruthenian „jarovoj” - „of spring” „vernal”; polish word „jare” used to describe grains planted in the spring (trans. note: as opposed to „ozime” grains growing over the winter), ruthenian and czech word for spring „jar”.

As much as we can question the date and quality of this belarusian text it’s undeniable that there is an archaic note ringing in those beliefs - white robes and white horse, flowers and rye stalks, the head held by a victorious rider, the barefoot man, touching the earth with his feet in a cultically significant way, making grain sprout wherever he steps, opening the fields in the spring, with his name, the surveying of the fields. He has been accepted, his traits amalgamated with those of St. George (Sveti Jurij) who is celebrated in some places on 23rd of April (trans. note: julian, not gregorian), accompanied by burning of female effigy called Marena/Marzanna, personifying winter or death, a harbinger of spring. Sometimes young Yarilo is juxtaposed with the old Yarilo, who gives up his place - perhaps loses it in a fight with his young rival.

We can see a bit of a duality shaping up in the image of Yarovit-Yarilo-Yaruna. On one hand he is a warrior, on another an overseer of agricultural activity, which, despite Ivanovs and Toporov’s opinions, doesn’t take any odd naturalistic interpretations on the part of the people as it naturally belongs to the dominion of supreme deities - even Jupiter comes down to bless the roman farmer during his spring festival Vinalii, that falls on… 23rd April.

We also need to examine the toponimastic evidence: the city of Jarilovo and no less than four settlements called Jarilovic in the area od Novogrod the Great. In 18th century diocese of Voronezh festivities were held around an idol called Yarilo from Wednesday to Friday or Saturday in the week after Green Week, as late as 1673 a man would lead the festival, adorned with flowers and bells, with his face painted red and white.

Religia Słowian by Andrzej Szyjewski

Chapter V: The Lost Gods

Subchapter: „Deities of fertility and vegetation”, fragments

We can see the solar hero association even more prominently in Yarovit, worshipped in Wolgast and Havelberg. His very name „Yarovit”, „The Young Victor” is connected to spring, youthful strenght and sexual passion (as in slavic words „jar” - spring, „jurny” - virile, manly, or the phrase „stary ale jary” meaning something along the lines of „old but tough”). This particular god watched over the fertility of fields and forests, humans and beasts - or so we can guess from the threats of Yarovit’s priest made against all those who will choose the „german god” (trans. note: Christian god) over their local deity. In Wolgast a sacred golden shield of Jarowit was held described as „great of size and exquisitely made”, a clear solar symbol, that nobody but the god or his priest could touch. As the greatest sanctity in the temple to the polabians it was also a symbol of victory - let’s not forget that Otto of Bamberg describes Yarovit as a war god similar to Mars. As the greatest, untouchable sacred object, and at the same time the harbinger of victory it corresponds fully in its symbolism to the white horse of Sventovit. In the „Vita s. Ottonis” we find a clear reference to Yarovit as the god of military, his name is translated into latin as „Mars” („deo suo Gerovito, qui lingua Latina Mars dictur). Just like with Sventovit we see a trio of interconnected associations: fertility - solar hero - war.

The celebrations of Yarilo mentioned by the missionaries of Otto were likely the planting festival of 15th April. It could involve the god’s „descent” among the people, enacted with the help of the sacred shield. That the god spoke through the lips of żerca (slavic priest) we know from other versions of „Vita s. Ottonis” (trans. note: hagiographic writings about Saint Otto). Scholars try to reconstruct the pre-christian celebrations through XVIII century ethnographic materials concerning Yarilo (admittedly not Yarovit), with ruthenian and belarusian origins. Texts recovered from diocese of Voronezh mention local bishop putting an end to the festivities surrounding Yarilo held on 23rd April in julian calendar (15th of April corresponds in gregorian). In christian context Yarilo is replaced by Saint Jurij (description of the same ritual as one described above follows, girl dressed up as Yarilo, the same song). People would dance circle dances (korovod) on top of the freshly planted fields and end the day with a feast with orgiastic elements. The purpose of the rituals was to close the winter and open the spring; Yarilo opens the gates of earth, letting the spring out.

Yarilo’s attributes clearly point to his role as god of vegetation and fertility. The girl assuming his likeness during the festival, also known as Wiosnołka or Wiesnowka (trans. notes: pronounciation „vyos-NOHW-kah” or „vyes-NOHV-kah”) could be an echo of „divine bride”, an offering to the god, an incentive to arrive with the spring. Many songs refer to Yarilo causing the earth to sprout and bloom as he walks but also summoning dancing girls to him. Circle dances, white robes, white horse and the cut off head are all elements of solar symbolism. The head belongs to Old Yarilo, dethorned and overpowered by his young son. All over the world similar symbols exist - from celtic Curoi to mayan Hunahpu. Young Yarilo matures and dies as the harvest unfolds, then at the end of summer a funeral is held - this time main roles were played by young married women not maidens. They made an effigy of Yarilo (putting some extra effort into shaping his reproductive organs) that they called Kostrub („COST-roob”) and then they put him into his grave, in the ground since in the earth the sun loses it’s powers and dies, letting the new sun take over. The people would sing and cry out about Yarilo dying and ask him to get back on his horse in his golden saddle. Attempts to reconstruct the rituals seem to show that young Jarilo on white horse was juxtaposed with old Yarilo on black goat. Southern slavs practice similar rituals of burning old Badniak (a piece of wood with forked roots) on Christmas Eve to make place for young Božič (son of god). Western Slavs don’t have a deity corresponding to Yarilo - they close the winter in rituals involving Marena/Marzanna, followed by a procession carrying around „maik” or „nowe lato” symbolized by the peak of an evergreen coniferous tree or a rooster as a solar bird.

The Slavs were an agricultural society so agrarian deities were their primary source of relations with divine, cosmic forces. There is a certain myth/archetype that is characteristic for early farmers, the myth of creative murder, in which the first birth, growth and harvest are prompted by the first death - death of a deity, hero, ancestor, who dies sacrificing himself for the people, and from his body the first plants spring, allowing the people to survive. That myth, encated in many cultures in many ways leads to the cincept of a solar god that dies and is reborn cyclically, whose individual fate is reflected by the cycle of growing grain. The stalks loose their heads under the sickles for people to be able to feed. Yarilo (and maybe even Yarovit) makes identical sacrifice.

Today I present you my amateur translation of a fragment of Religia Słowian by Andrzej Szyjewski. My own comments will be indicated by a „trans. note” disclaimer. I accept constructive suggestions for improving the translation.

Chapter 3: How to combat chaos?; Subchapter: The Adversary

From the perspective of structure of the Slavic world the most important thing is to discover against whom is the weapon of Perun directed, in other words, who is the Slavic counterpart of the Devil. Greek „diabolos” and hebrew „satan” is usually translated in slavic tongues as „bies” „czart” or „veles” (let’s forget for now about Helmold’s Chernobog who is not a deity in his own right but merely a pejorative epithet). Bies, especially in the Eastern Slavic regions is associated with something terrible and terrifying, the verb „zbiesić się” signifies falling into madness but also the convulsions that can accompany possession. Chart or chort is a class of evil spirits, that filled up the wild nature, especially woods, marshes, waters and winds; deceiving, bringing evil fate and misfortune. The term veles we know from XV-XVI century Czech texts where it appears in phrases such as „what devil, what veles, what dragon incited you against me?!” „oh what veles encourages them to commit such sins!” „go to veles!” „go to veles over the sea!”. Nowadays we say „go to hell” (trans. note: in Slavic languages we literally say „go to the devil” rather than go to hell, but I used the english phrase to give you a sense of how it resounds). This draws our attention to the person of Weles or Wołos, god known from numerous Eastern Slavic texts.

This name, encountered in many variations such as „Veles”, „Wieles”, „Velevit”, „Wołos” originates, depending on interpration that you accept, either from protoslavic „volstь” („power”, „domain”), „valas” („hair”, „fur”), or „wel-„ „vel-„ ( „to see”, but also „bewitching glance”). The looks and domain of this deity are hard to precisely pinpoint. He is most likely a Slavic derivative of indo-european Varuna, associated with the night sky and magic. Scholars also point to his close kinship with Baltic god of the dead, known as Vels or Velinas, also associated with the christian Devil. In Latvian the souls of the dead could be referred to as „veles”, and this word is used interchangably with „navia”. As a result Veles is commonly considered the god of chthonic spheres, watching over the dead but also the fertility of fields. Russian chronicles call Veles „skotiy bog”, „god of cattle” but list him on the same breath as great deities Perun or Mokosh. So he isn’t merely a protective spirit of the cowsheds.

Slavic deities edition

Reminder that slavic paganism is an open practice, and to not listen to racists and gatekeepers. Also a reminder that my messages are always open if you have any questions regarding slavic paganism. I may respond slowly but surely i will reply.

Who to pray to when you have problems with love and romance?

Lada, the goddess of love.

Vesna, the goddess of spring.

Lelya, the goddess of spring and love.

Who to pray to when you have problems with fertility, accepting infertility, and managing children and motherhood?

Mokosh, goddess of the Earth, motherhood, childbirth, women, weaving, sewing, fertility etc!

Who to pray to when you have problems with accepting your masculinity and managing with fatherhood and manhood?

Rod , the god of family and the creator of other gods. (While his historical existance is debated, it doesn't hurt to utter a prayer or a few words of praise!)

Svarog, the god of blacksmiths and fire (He is the father of Dajbog (Svarozhich) so it can be a great idea to ask away for advice / help!)

Perun , the god of thunder, storms, kingship, law and order.

Who to pray to for wisdom and knowledge?

Baba Yaga, the goddess of witchcraft. (Although she is often seen as a mythical figure, many slavic pagans also view her as a goddess.)

Veles, the god of underworld, the cattle, and chaos. As he is often seen as a trickster deity.

Who to pray to for abundance and prosperity?

Perun, the god of thunder, storms, fertility, kingship, law and order.

Dajbog, the god of the Sun, light , fire and prosperity.

Who to pray to for our deceased loved ones to rest in peace?

Morana and Veles.

Who to pray to for rain and fertility?

Perun, Dodola / Perperuna.

Who to pray to for happiness and positivity?

Jarilo / Yarilo, the god of spring (and more...)

Vesna , the goddess of spring

Dajbog, the god of the Sun (and more...)

Who to pray to for justice?

Perun, as he is god of law, justice and oaths.

Who to pray to for happiness in marriage?

Perun and Dodola.

You can also pray to Morana for this.

Reminder , it's always good to ask away if a deity can help you with something. These aren't strict guidelines, but rather a resource to help you understand better who you may be able to pray to for something. Doesn't mean you should strictly pray to Perun for justice, but it means it's a good idea!

Considering she is primarily the Goddess of winter, does your worship of her change at all during the different seasons? Does her "presence" or "power" (I apologise, I'm unsure of how to specify what I mean) feel at all weaker during the summer?

And furthermore, what are your thoughts and stance on how she's often portrayed in folklore and the more known traditions connected with her?

Hwta does her "death" in the spring and her "rebirth" in the autumn mean to you, and how does it reflect in your worship?

I hope none of this comes off as intrusive, I recently started worshipping Morana, and I've never met anyone else that does as well. I am personally still quite unsure of how to go about her worship, considering the folklore about her. I'm obviously trying to research as much as I can, but hearing about other pagans' opinions would definitely help! Thanks for your time in advance, and again, I hope the questions weren't too personal. :)

Hello anon! Thank you for such a thoughtful set of questions, I would love to answer! Don't worry, this doesn't come off as intrusive to me, I understand your curiosity! I hope my answers will help guide you through your journey with her. I will divide this post into two parts in order to tackle all three questions with an equal amount of love. I will cite any sources that I use as a point of reference.

The Forest Guardian

Other names: Leshii, Leszi, Lesiy, Lyeshy, Lesovik

Enn: "Te Voco Leshy Silvarum"

Colors: Green, brown, grey

Herbs: Oak, birch, fern, fly agaric, juniper, pine, thyme, Adam's head, artemisia, black storax, poplar, trillium, mugwort, sunflower, witch hazel, knotweed, hops, yarrow, wormwood, mint, wood betony, wild strawberry, bayleaf, nettle, wild onion, clover

Crystals: Moss agate, diopside, mahogany obsidian, apatite, green adventurine, rhyolite, dendritic opal, garden quartz, malachite, moldavite, shungite, green phantom quartz, dolomite, petrified wood, chrysoprase, hiddenite, jade, kambaba jasper, fuchsite, peridot, emerald

Element: Earth, Air

Planet: Mercury, Saturn

Zodiac: Taurus (Libra)

Metal: Iron, copper

Tarot: The Hermit

Direction: East

Day: Wednesday

Animals: Wolves, bears, deer, owls, ravens

Domains: The forests, nature magick, animal magick, shape-shifting, protection, herbalism, subterfuge, stealth, tricks and illusions, navigation, defending nature, foraging, healing, survival, respectful hunting, communication witj nature (plants, animals, crystals, etc.), growth, good luck, dream work, divination, omens

Offerings: Bread, salt, honey, milk, mushrooms, tobacco, beer, cannabis, skulls, bones, plants, sticks, stones, feathers, fur, sacred dirt

Sigil: