#prechristian

The celebration of Autumnal feasts clearly has very ancient roots, which probably go back much further than the feasts of the first Christians. If we try to understand which pre-Christian feast the church celebration of the consecration of the church directly followed, the first clue we can draw is the time when feast celebrations were usually held. We have said that this was most often after the harvest, when the granaries were full, allowing the farmers to prepare expensive and lavish feasts not only for the family, but also for all the relatives who came from near and far for the occasion. It is clear that the feast took over some elements of the old family feast. According to some researchers, the feast can be identified with the Old Slavic feast of Rožanice, i.e. of Lady and her daughter Lelja, the goddess of spring reborn nature, spring agricultural work, fertility, love and marriage, and also with the holiday of another Slavic goddess Mokoš, who ruled primarily over the harvest, the family hearth and human destiny. According to these views, the original date of the feast customs can also be connected with the autumn equinox, when the mysterious Rod was also worshipped, who is considered the deity of birth, the creator of the universe, and the guardian of human destiny, who stood at the very top of the Slavic pantheon, similar to his female counterpart Rožanice.

Image of the fates from the book Karel Jaromír Erben: Slavic mythology, illustrations by Eva Kramarzová. Author: Naďa Vaverová

Rožanice or Rodjenice, Sudjenice are mythical beings known in East Slavic paganism and folk culture. They most often appear as a pair, perhaps mother and daughter, in younger sources the singular and plural fluctuate. In folk tradition, they determined human fate at birth and, like Rod , the first cut hair was sacrificed to them, so they are identified with the Czech Sudicka , or possibly the Greek Moira, the Roman Parks and the Nordic Norns. According to Boris Rybakov , however, they are two goddesses, Lada and Lelja. Other Slavic female spirits watching over fate include, in addition to the aforementioned Sudicka, the Ukrainian Dolja and the South Slavic Sreča .

According to written sources, where they are mentioned with Rod, they are offered honey, cheese, bread, porridge, grain, special cakes, a sacrificial table is set up for them and drinks are made in their honor, especially at the graves of ancestors. After Christianization , their feast day was celebrated on the birth of the Mother of God , i.e. December 26 [Mother’s Night??]

However, if we go further and carefully study the autumn annual customs of individual Slavic-speaking peoples, we come to the rather surprising conclusion that they are all too strikingly similar. In the course of the feasts recorded by ethnographers during the 19th and 20th centuries, we also find many identical features with the feasts in other European countries. We can therefore assume that the church holiday of the consecration of the church did indeed indirectly follow on from pre-Christian celebrations of the clan and family, but also of the harvest. These holidays were held by the village every year at the very end of summer, when it was time for the peasant to take stock and at the same time welcome the approaching autumn. Such clan celebrations took place at the turn of two seasons. People not only gave thanks for the harvest, but also tried to ensure a good harvest and sufficient abundance in the next agricultural year. They were also helped by various magical practices, which included, among other things, rich ceremonial feasts organized by the joint efforts of the inhabitants of the entire village.

This holiday was probably originally held at the time of the autumn equinox and was one of the four greatest and turning points of the entire ceremonial year. With the beginning of autumn, the deities ruling the spring and summer periods left the world of people and went to paradise, where, according to legend, they resided and rested until the beginning of the coming agricultural year. Therefore, the peasants thanked them for the harvest and brought them the first fruits of the harvest. In this way, they not only expressed their gratitude to them, but also hoped to secure their favor. In addition to Rod and Rožanice, the villagers also brought gifts to Mokoši, the personification of Mother Earth, and apparently also worshipped Veles, the god ruling over the harvest of the fields, wealth, but also the underworld. Perhaps that is why the souls of the ancestors were never forgotten, who could intercede with the deities on behalf of their earthly children, and thus directly affect the harvest of the following harvest. On these days, the whole community rejoiced, songs were sung, games were played, and rich feasts were held, during which ceremonial offerings were made in honor of the gods.

A goat or ram was also slaughtered and a selected rooster was cut into pieces. During such festivities, the youth, the future generation of the entire clan, played an important role. The young men and women not only thanked their parents for raising them and taking care of them until they reached adulthood, but above all they wanted to show themselves in a new role before the entire village. After all, they were the ones who would soon take over the farm and shoulder serious responsibilities, which they would at least temporarily become acquainted with during the autumn feasts, when, according to ancient clan customs, they had the "right** over the village.

František Doucha: Sudička (ilustrace k pohádce Šípková Růženka, 1874)

In the Czech environment, Rožanice are known as Sudice, Sudice, Rodičky or Věštice, and belief in them has been documented since the 15th century. They usually have the appearance of white ethereal virgins or friendly grandmothers, dressed in long robes and covered with a veil. When they determine the fate of a child, they hold candles in their hands, which go out after the fortune-telling. One can only rarely see them, and if they do, they are paralyzed with horror.

They traditionally appear at midnight after the birth of a child and send a deep sleep upon the mother. In some traditions, they do not enter the room , but remain behind the windows or sit on the roof and foretell the child's fate from the stars. Their statements mainly concerned three areas of the newborn's life: the age he will live to, poverty or wealth, and the manner of death. For this reason, the third Fate was often identified with Death . It was also typical to imagine that the Fates would spin a person's life like a thread, the length of which determined how many years he would live, and the oldest of them would cut it. In order to ensure a favorable fate for the child, crops or animals were sacrificed to the Fates. Conversely, failure to observe customs could lead to the Fates betraying the newborn .

In order for our ancestors to honor the Rožanice, a sacrificial table called a trapeze was built for them. A trapeze covered with a new tablecloth was also prepared for the birth of a child. Consecrated bread, salt, egg, honey, various goodies and fruits were placed on the festively laid table. There was also a jug with spring water and kvass. Wine or mead could also improve the fate of Rožanice.

Their sacred day was established on the ninth day before the autumnal equinox.

Sources:

I am writing a book. Part 2

So here I return, dear readers—if any exist. Once again with a description of my book, which I continue to work on actively. This time, I really want to develop the setting in which the character lives: Poltava region in the 1820s, within the world of Ukrainian (Slavic) mythology. These past days have been dedicated to studying Ukrainian mythology—its cosmology, pantheon, and the beings that inhabit it. And now I want to present this world to you, to show what the world looks like in the mythology of my people, and to fully construct its structure for myself.

In Ukrainian mythology, as in many Indo-European mythologies, the world is divided into three realms: the heavenly, the earthly, and the underworld. They are all bound together by the World Tree, whose leaves reach into the heavens, whose trunk stands on the earth, and whose roots are hidden in the underworld.

The heavenly world, sometimes called Vyrij or Prav, is a paradise in the form of an eternal garden, located far across the sea or on the other side of the river. There dwell the gods, bright beings, and the souls of ancestors, and it is where birds fly in winter, carrying souls on their backs. They settle on the branches of the World Tree, waiting for winter to end in the earthly world.

The earthly world, also known as Yav, is our material reality where humans live. Here, the primary battles between order and chaos take place, and it is a crucial domain for the functioning of higher powers. Humans have a special role in maintaining cosmic order through taboos, rituals, and holidays to ensure that darkness does not consume this world.

The underworld, known as Nav, is a realm hidden in the roots of the World Tree. It is the world of the dead, forgotten souls, demonic beings, fears, and death. However, it is not a dark and evil place in the Christian sense. It also grants fertility and prosperity, being an eternally green realm. Here reside various souls of the dead and unborn, including unclean spirits.

The traditional worldview of Ukrainians also personifies the Sun, viewing it as a living being—possibly the deity Dazhboh—who rides across the sky in a chariot and descends into the underworld each night. The Moon and stars were also personified. The Moon was seen as either a partner or rival of the Sun, and the stars as souls of the dead or unborn.

Cycles are vitally important in Ukrainian mythology: the daily cycle, the yearly cycle, and the life cycle. Deeply sacred were the transitional, liminal moments within these cycles. These are the moments celebrated in festivals—like solstices, the transition from winter to spring, or birth, marriage, and burial.

Many elements of the world are mythologized and given roles: the winds are the children of Striboh and can be benevolent or malicious; thunder and lightning are created by Perun, whose name could not be uttered during storms, lest one be struck; water links the world of the living and the dead; and fire is both purifying and dangerous—its presence in the home hearth embodies the family line and must be treated with respect.

Certain animals also hold an important place in cosmology: birds represent souls of the dead; the stork brings children; the cuckoo knows the length of each person's life; and the owl predicts death. Snakes live in the underworld and, being cunning, are enemies of heroes and gods. Horses act as mediators between worlds and can carry a hero to another realm; bears are guardians of the forest.

The human soul is perceived as something immaterial. When a person dies, for forty days the soul remains near relatives in the form of a bird or insect, most often as a firefly. After this period, it passes into Nav, or possibly even to Vyrij. Funeral rites are designed to ease and accelerate the soul's transition into the other world.

The world is divided into the "familiar"—such as the home, hearth, yard, or village—and the "foreign," such as the forest, fields, or other nature inhabited by mythical beings. Boundaries like thresholds, bridges, or crossroads are sacred, as they are where worlds intersect. Rituals are performed in these liminal spaces.

Which deities belong to Ukrainian mythology? Not all Slavic gods are also Ukrainian—for example, Triglav or Svetovid are not. Here is a list of gods that are part of the Ukrainian pantheon:

Perun – The supreme deity, god of thunder and lightning, as well as the patron of warriors and rulers. He embodies order and is the king of the gods. Animal sacrifices were offered to him, especially bulls. A fundamental myth involves his eternal conflict with Veles, representing the struggle between order and chaos. With Christianization, he was replaced by the prophet Elijah.

Dazhboh – God of the sun, light, and fertility. A bright deity of joy who brings blessings to people. Eastern Slavs are considered his grandchildren. He travels across the sky in a golden chariot, moving the sun through the heavens. Possibly the son of Svaroh. With Christianization, he was replaced by Jesus Christ and Saint John the Theologian.

Svaroh – The creator of the world and laws. A blacksmith god who forged the world from fire. Fire, the hearth, and forges are his symbols and manifestations in this world. He is less documented than other deities.

Veles (or Volos) – God of livestock, abundance, music, magic, poetry, trade, the underworld, and the dead. Patron of shepherds, priests, and artists. A fundamental enemy of Perun, embodying chaos. With Christianization, he became Saint Blaise.

Mokosh – A female deity, goddess of the earth, moisture, fertility, women's work, fate, and embroidery. Protector of women and children. She is the archetype of “Mother Nature,” protecting her children. Possibly Perun’s wife. With Christianization, she became Saint Paraskeva-Friday.

Striboh – The grandfather of the winds, responsible for changes in the weather.

Khors – A mysterious deity of Iranian origin, associated with the sun or the moon’s nocturnal light and its cycles.

Simargl (or Semargl) – Also a mysterious deity, responsible for the fertility of fields. Sometimes depicted as a winged dog, a messenger between gods and humans.

Lada and Lel – Mother and son associated with harmony. Lada is the goddess of love, spring, harmony, and marriage, connected with the seasonal transition to spring. Lel is her son, the god of youthful love, beauty, and joy.

Zhiva (or Zhivana) – Goddess of life, nature, and spring. She is worshipped as the giver of harvest, health, and healing.

Rod and the Rozhanytsi – Fundamental deities. Rod is the embodiment of the world itself, family, and heritage. The Rozhanytsi are his assistants—female spirits who determine the fate of a newborn child.

Dolya and Nedolya – The final deities in the Ukrainian pantheon. These are goddesses of fate: Dolya represents a good fate, while Nedolya represents a bad one.

The bestiary of Ukrainian mythology is unimaginably vast. There are many spirits of the home, forests, and other places responsible for the well-being of those areas, and they must be respected. Animals also play significant roles, each fulfilling a unique function. I don’t want to describe all these beings—it would take too long. But in the book, you can definitely expect creatures like mavka, rusalky, lisovyk, and chort. I also want to integrate the domovyk into the story somehow.

The same applies to festivals. We simply have a vast number of holidays—from famous ones like Kupala to lesser-known ones like Obzhynky. I definitely want to incorporate Malanka into the plot—a native New Year holiday that may resemble Halloween to an American reader. I also want to try adapting other holidays into the narrative.