#crnobog

Chernobog

First mentioning of this deity comes to us from a German priest Helmold. When he describes customs and beliefs of Polabian Slavs in his 12th century "Chronica Slavorum", mentioning:

Est autem Slavorum mirabilis error; nam in conviviis et compotacionibus suis pateram circumferunt, in quam conferunt, non dicam consecracionis, sed execracionis verba sub nomine deorum, boni scilicet atque mali, omnem prosperam fortunam a bono deo, adversam a malo dirigi profitentes. Unde etiam malum deum lingua sua Diabol sive Zcerneboch, id est nigrum deum, appellant.

translated:

The Slavs, too, have a strange delusion. At their feasts and carousals they pass about a bowl over which they utter words, I should not say of consecration but of execration, in the name of the gods—of the good one, as well as of the bad one—professing that all propitious fortune is arranged by the good god, adverse, by the bad god. Hence, also, in their language they call the bad god Diabol, or Zcerneboch, that is, the Black God.

(Tschan, Francis Joseph, The Chronicle of the Slavs by Helmold, New York: Columbia University Press, 1935, p. 159.)

Other mentioning of the same deity are dated to 16th century, and they are using Helmold's claims as a main source. Other than those, we have Knýtlinga saga from 13th century which mentions one deity called Tjarnaglofi. That name, which can be understood as slavic Crnoglavi, means "black headed" and can be connected to earlier attested Zcerneboch, which, as mentioned, means "black god" in modern Slavic languages Crnobog/Czarnobóg/Chernobog.

However, when Helmold writes about Chernobog being an "evil god" and identify him as the "Devil" we can undoubtedly see his christian interpretation of the Slavic believes, which isn't strange if we keep in mind that Helmold is a Roman Catholic priest. If we look into name of Chernobog closely we can see that the first part of his name, "cherno" indeed means "black". But to ancient Slavs as well as other Indo-Europeans, that color does not have strict moral connotation, it is more often related to a chtonic aspect. Later part "-bog" can mean deity, but also it can mean well-being, wealth, or a good fortune. This allows us to recognize Chernobog as a local name for the Slavic deity of other world and giver of wealth - Veles.

Text by: Dušan Božić

Sources:

Веселин Чајкановић - „О врховном богу у старој српској религиј“, Српска књижевна задруга, Београд, 1994

Myroslava T. Znayenko - "On the concept of Chernebog and Bialobog in Slavic Mythology", Acta Slavica Iaponica Vol. 11, 1993, pp. 177-185.

Александар Лома - „Пракосово: словенски и индоевропски корени српске епике“, Балканолошки институт САНУ, Београд, 2002

( MEME. ) ╳ @crnobog

            if it’s meant to be an INSULT, sweeney’s not biting. he’s had a hell of a day, and exchanging jabs with the god isn’t something he’s prepared to do. “yeh’re not too far off the fuckin’ mark, actually. was in one.” —— as if that was going to garner him any sympathy. 

Lou Mitchell’s diner. It was one of the very first places her friends had told her to visit when she would pass through the airport gates to the Windy City. While it had been some time since the last time she was in Chicago, the feel and sounds of the bustling city were very familiar. Even with her gifted vision, Margaret could not help but smile to the few souls passing her on the sidewalk as her blindman’s cane vibrated energy to her surroundings. Lou’s was no different.

She pushed the door open slowly, blind scarred eyes glancing up through the dark sunglasses nestled on the bridge of her nose to the few diners enjoying a hot meal in the early evening with a light snow outside. Taking the kind arm of the hostess for the evening, Margaret followed the woman’s lead to a booth, settling herself down and moved the napkin to cover her lap carefully.

“One cup of tea for me and a cup of coffee, black for my friend who will be joining me soon. And some of that famous cake of yours too for my friend please,” cooed the woman, watching the waiter bow in his head in understanding before retreating to fetch the order, returning just as quickly. Margaret’s fingers gingerly caressed the rim of her cup of Oolong tea, watching the steam dance around her fingers before both hands cradled the warm cup and ghosted her lips.

Unable to explain it, Margaret had strong sensations about the diner and the spirits lured her to the small restaurant with their inaudible whispers, beckoning her to settle in the booth and to patiently await the surprise that would push through the doors.

“Now...to wait...just who might you be, God of the Old World?” purred the Oracle, sipping on her cup of tea slowly, waiting for the door’s bell to chime.

? days of Slavic mythology:

Traditional Slavic deities: Chernobog

Crnobog, or Чернобог as his very name shows, is Slavic black god – god of darkness and winter deity. Slavs believed that cold, famine, poverty, illness originated from this god.

The holiday of Korochun was devoted to him at the winter solstice longest night of the year 21st to 22nd December. Cernobog was respected as all the other gods. He was considered equal to other gods of the pantheon.

In some South Slavic vernaculars, there exists the phrase "do zla boga" meaning to the evil god used as an attribute to express something which is exceedingly negative.