The Russian Pagan Pantheon is very similar in its meaning to the Roman mythology as the Slavic society used to be pagan & shared the same views. However, the ancient Russians carved statues of their gods from wood. Often they were made right in the air in forests or in fields in places that considered to be sacred. Although we know their names & functions, we are lack of tales. I suppose that the list was far richer, as territory of Russia included plenty of various pagan peoples with their own beliefs. Here are the most common gods kept until now.
The Main Russian Gods (in accordance with the written sources we possess):
Rod – a pagan Creator, I would name him a Russian Jupiter. He was accompanied by two goddesses, named Rojanitsi. They were keepers of kin, life, rain, protectors of women & little children.
Svarog – a god of fire, iron, our Russian Saturn. It is believed that he sent people pincers, so they learnt to work with iron.
Dajd’bog – a god of fertility,warmth, harvest. He joins functions of Jupiter & Juno.
Hors – a god symbolizing the sun. It has no human shape & depicted as a golden circle. Slavic spring round dances were dedicated to this god.
Lada & Lelya – goddesses, a mother & a daughter alike Cerere & Proserpina. Lada meant abundance, fertility, while Lelya was a goddess of marriage, maidens, etc.
Veles – the mighty god, a god of deads, power, magical forces. As well he was the god of ancestors, harvest, fertility.
Morena – a goddess of deads, the queen of the Dead Kingdom. It is difficult to say if they were spouses with Veles, though. She protected the Past, ancestors, roots too.
Yarilo – a god of grain, symbolizing rebirth. He was one of the strongest & popular Russian gods. People offered bloody sacrifices to him.
Perun – a god of thunder & war. He combines functions of Jupiter & Mars. He was the god of those who had power, protector of first Russian princes.
Maria KethuProfumo
Source: The Dictionary of the Slavic Mythology Mudrova I.A.
With the god, Perun, in ascension, we humans need the god, Yarilo, for the rebirth of our species.
Indeed, dear Rosaliene! And he is coming soon, as the Solar new Year is on the way. 🙂
Really interesting
Thanks, my dear! 🙂 🙂 🙂
🙂
Non sapevo…grazie.
Prego! 🙂
I had no idea the Russians had such a large number of gods, Maria. I don’t think this is common knowledge.
Why, dear Robbie? I have posted here most common ones, those we are taught at schools, in the university. Russia is a huge territory with a great diversity of folklore. Our problem is that we will never learn it.
That is exactly it, Maria. There has historically (I mean during my lifetime) been very little information available about life in Russia.
🙂 🙂 🙂 So let’s fill this gap! 🙂
As a branch of Slavic cilivization, we share the same common values,,,but yet in our own way.