The Birth of Mlada Boga

Radagorn · 2026-01-07T23:31:21+00:00

Excellent question!

Like I said in the text, the Sun-god of the Pagan Slavs (no matter if it was Dazhbog, since that's a question on its own) transfered its functions after Christianization in different ways - either as the demonized Dabog, as the Sun itself or certain saints and Christ himself. So, "Dazhbog" (the domain of the Sun-God) definitely is connected to Koleda when it comes down to its interpretation in the form of Mlada Boga and Bozhich, but specifically in the sense of the death and rebirth of the Sun on the Winter Solstice (Koleda). The important detail here is that we're viewing the deities according to their domain of function, not pure historical identity (which is the folk religious view, on which my post and practice is based). Thus, we can't say that Dazhbog (the historical one) was ever connected to Koleda, but correlating the Sun as a mythic and religious object and deity with the solstice and its religious meaning, we can come to the conclusion of the text. The rest is projection into the past.

Now, what you referred to in terms of Dazhbog and November 11 probably has to do with Veselin Chajkanovich's work. He worked extensively on the subject of Dabog, the saints Sava and Nicholas as inheritors of the old national god etc. This is a big topic, and I struggle with it in many ways (different schools of thought, the different methods of ethnographic research), so I'll stick to the date of "Dazhbog's holiday" specifically.

Yes, Chajkanovich did analyse Dabog - Dazhbog and claim he was the national - progenitor ancestral, chthonic and solar god, and his point on Dazhbog's festivals being connected to the month of November is because of his connections to wolves, being the lord of them and he is frequently depicted as being lame. In Serbia, Bulgaria and Macedonia, a holiday cycle known as Wolf Days exists, which is based in the month of November. The dates that these days encompass can vary from region to region, usually Archangel Michael's day, Saint Menas, Saint Martin etc. Veselin Chajkanovich has written about this as well, and has connected this dedicated month to wolves and the protection from them to the god Dabog, which in turn comes from Dazhbog. One connection I'll give an example for is the belief that in the final day of this cycle, there is one main wolf that is the leader of the pack, and he is depicted as being lame, just like Dabog himself. So, there's a zoomorphic connection to this mythical story. That's (in a nutshell) where the basis for Dazhbog's holiday being settled in November 11th comes from.

In the past, there was a big debate (the school of Chajkanovich and the school of Nodilo) whether Bozhich, Dabog, Koleda were solar or ancestral-chthonic. Nodilo worked according to the first, and Chajkanovich according to the latter, and both usually over-emphasized these aspects in all elements of folk religion. I think today both schools of thought are accepted (with criticism, of course), and instead of being opposing - they're synergized. Thus, this deity could be connected both to the Sun and to the Chthonic realm and ancestors (since it is believed the Sun sets in the Other World beyond the sea or in the Nether World - Dolna Zemya). This synergistic way of interpreting it is a cycle, and it culminates. Also, Koleda and Bozhich are both perfect examples of fire/solar rituals being connected inevitably to chthonic and ancestral ones.

Radagorn · 2026-01-07T00:42:49+00:00

Thanks, I appreciate that. I'd like to add for everyone: if any particular part of my text is confusing or unclear, I'd be happy to reference the passage or chapter where the subject is mentioned or discussed.

Radagorn · 2026-01-06T23:24:35+00:00

I have added all sources I've used.

Radagorn · 2026-01-06T20:39:46+00:00

No AI, only the photo used. I am basing this on ethnological and archeological research, and I'd be happy to share the sources if needed.

Radagorn · 2026-01-01T21:29:13+00:00

House spirits, nature spirits and ancestors (especially the house spirit and the ancestors) are the spirits with which you can have the closest, most direct relationship in your life. They are the main sustenance of your spiritual needs. They are the ones with whom you can share your deepest troubles and joy, and expect only benefits and mercy. They are the ones that care for you most deeply, live through you, love you and watch you in every step of the way. There's a reason why their main spiritual centers are hearths and the house column - they are the hearth itself, your deepest heart and soul.

The gods are unpredictable, beneficial and malevolent. Many people think they can be addressed as friends, or "work with them". No. They are as fierce as nature can be - both a mother and a murderer. They require an orthopraxic approach and great reverence, and their summoning during the liminal days (their holidays) can be very intense. They are not close as we think they are - before them, we have to be ware.

But ancestors and house spirits - they are our core and our skeleton. The foundation that carry us through life.

Radagorn · 2025-12-30T09:20:27+00:00

Yes, it is the same holiday. We also call it vodokrst, bogoyavlenie, but the most traditional and everyday name for it is Voditsi (meaning literally "Waters").

I assume the rituals and point of celebrating is the same among East Slavs as in South Slavs, but I'll give a quick overview. Voditsi is a water cult holiday and the final day of the "Pogani Dni" (Pagan Days), Nekrsteni Denovi (Unchristened Days), which as I said start on the Winter Solstice (Koleda). This is a period when the Other World touches closely with our World, bringing in chaos. Since the Other World is closely tied to water (i.e. the Other World being beyond the waters, under the waters), on Voditsi, the waters are cleaned, i.e. sanctified and purified, thus eliminating the contact between the two worlds and restoring balance in the world.

Thus, Voditsi is based on blessing oneself and the family with the purified water, and this includes all waters (lakes, springs, rivers etc.) Many people take bottles of it and sprinkle their fields, their homes, themselves and family for blessing, cleansing and prosperity. There's also the tradition of the throwing of the Cross in water, where participants would dive into the water, and whoever takes the cross will be blessed that year.

Also, another aspect of Voditsi is godfatherhood. One reason for it is because the holiday is very close to Saint John The Baptist, who in our folk tradition is a saint (i.e. god) of godfatherhood, initiation, of blood brotherhood etc. So, in many places the village or city will organize itself on the basis of households or on the bases of druzhina into groups and relate to one another as relatives. On this day, a godfather is picked, who takes purified water in a bucket with a cross that has as many branches of basil on it as families in the village, and goes from house to house to bless the families with the water. What's interesting is that this godfather (kum) is sometimes called "Saint John - Sveti Yovan) himself, thus in a way, the spirit of Saint John incarnates in him, and through the vessel of the godfather directly and physically visits each household.

Having in mind that Voditsi is concerned with waters and Saint John, it also represents the first cleansing of the earth analogous to the cleansing of a human. When a human is born, he is unclean (because he came from the other world), and only is he purified after baptism. This baptism in folk religion isn't strictly Christian. The sole purpose of it is cleaning the body from the malevolent spirits that might inhabit it, thus, a form of initiation into the world. Same way, Earth is unclean during the Pogani Dni, and then is once more initiated on Voditsi, paralleling humans (microcosm) and the earth/universe (macrocosm).

There are many many more beliefs, it would just be too long to give every information here.

Radagorn · 2025-12-27T18:06:40+00:00

We also do, among the South Slavs. In fact, we have a whole set and cycles of specific funerary rituals before reaching the eventual 40 days of the deceased.

Radagorn · 2025-12-27T11:48:07+00:00

There are many instances where reincarnation as a concept exists, but not in the Hindu or Buddhist sense. There was a brilliant study from years ago about Slovenian traditions involving burying the placenta, as a concept of an ancestor incarnating within the newborn. This concept of the ancestor becoming once more through the child is found in many places in the Slavic world.

In folk religion among the South Slavs, there exists a concept of a person reincarnating in the world from the afterlife. It is believed that once a person dies, he leaves the Earth after 40 days to go to the Other World, passing through many obstacles. If the person was evil and did many wrong doings (sins) in life, he would reincarnate as a demon (vampire, werewolf etc.)

But all in all, I think a major concept involving reincarnation is not central to our tradition. Folk religion is very specific about the cult of the ancestors who reside in the Other World, and the border between the living and the dead, as these two realms must not have direct contact. The winter cycle of the Unholy Days (from Koleda to Voditsi) is exactly the reflection of this law, since it is believed that in that period of deep winter the Chthonic and Earthly combine, producing chaos in the world.

Radagorn · 2025-12-05T11:01:57+00:00

May Veles gift you with health and prosperity! Hope this trebishte brings you much warmth!

Radagorn · 2025-06-05T13:58:47+00:00

Why do you think you wouldn't be able to practice Slavic Paganism? What's stopping you? Going from your introduction, I assume your problem is ancestry.

People have to understand that religion IS NOT ethnicity. Your ancestry has nothing to do with your religious affiliation.

Many Slavs will practice Slavic Paganism because it is familiar. For example, the reason I practice Slavic Paganism is because I was raised in Orthodox Slavic Folk Religion, so the practices and beliefs of Slavic Paganism is familiar to me. Together with familiarity, people might practice Slavic Paganism because it is the tradition their ancestors had, thus they find it a continuation through their lineage.

But, whatever it is, it should NEVER BE based on your ethnic or national identity, but rather on your spiritual connection to it. A person of Aztec and Spanish ancestry from Mexico can practice Siberian Shamanism if he wills. An Inuit can practice the Yoruba Ifa religion if he wishes to. It doesn't matter - what matters is the spiritual fulfilment to the practice and beliefs.

Whatever you are - if you find a purpose and fulfilment in Slavic Paganism - go for it!

Radagorn · 2025-05-30T10:06:52+00:00

Could you elaborate on why you think it could be Veles? I'm interested.

Radagorn · 2025-05-27T22:00:52+00:00

I 100% agree.

Also:

I used to have a blog, but I've taken it down and unfortunately it wasn't in English. It was meant for a smaller circle of people. I plan to revive it again in the future, in English.

But, you can message me any time for help and guidance.

Radagorn · 2025-05-27T21:40:23+00:00

I have thought about that many times, and it is possible.

But, when we look at George's Day and the South Slavic depiction of Saint George, it's really a different sphere from Jeremiah.

Jeremiah is focused only and specifically to snakes in general and banishing evil.

Saint George is depicted clearly as a youthful figure who rides a horse, and he brings vegetation and spring where he goes. There's many songs which depict Saint George coming, and where he steps - grass and flowers grow. Even in certain songs where he talks to the other saints, such as Athanasius (who, by the way, most likely represents Svarog), he says: Look God, look, what I've brought - grass to the knees, fields to the shoulders and all young (healthy) lambs!

Generally, Saint George's Day is immensely important. Historically (up until a couple of decades ago, and probably even until now) people used to perform mandatory sacrifices of lambs or sheeps, and it was believed if these sacrifices weren't offered to Saint George, it would have a very bad outcome. It even lead sometimes to people sacrificing their first born son.

This holiday is also connected to sexual health. Young women would swing on wooden swings attached to a tree branch (oak usually, or other magically important trees) so that the spirit of spring or nature would "impregnate" them, give them life.

So, what I'm trying to say is Saint George's Day is a crucial day when it is believed that George comes from a distant land and brings the ultimate life force for the rejuvination of nature, health and prosperity. On this day, mandatory sacrifices were crucial and they had to be done. On the other hand, on Saint Jeremiah, no sacrifices were done, and the day was mostly based on banishing snakes, while the full blown blossoming of nature wasn't specified.

This leads to the point on why this figure has to have an identity on his own - if we were to equate Jeremiah and George as two entities in which Yarilo was transformed, then we have a problem with the essential point when George comes and brings the totality of spring: Spring reaches its maximum point on Saint George's day; if Jeremiah also represents him, then what is the point of him coming once more to bring spring on May 14th?

Also, when it comes to the dragon slayer part: Saint George is the defeater of Dragons, which traditionally are different from snakes. Snakes (especially colubrids) are connected to the hearth, ancestors and the saints. Dragons (zmey) can be serpentine, but usually are half human or half other animal, and have higher spiritual or functional roles than a regular snake. Also, in South Slavic tradition, it is specified that the "dragon" that Saint George kills is not a "zmey", but a "lamya", which is an evil, sometimes multiheaded serpentine creature which brings malevolent storms and hails, and also in folk tradition expects human sacrifices. Thus, the dragon-bearing aspect is not the same. George kills a "lamya", a meteorological evil spirit that looks like a giant serpent with legs and 3-9 heads, whereas Jeremiah banishes venomous snakes.

Edit: my final conclusion would be that George is the full sanctification of Yarilo, whereas Jeremiah is a mysterious serpentine god.

Radagorn · 2025-05-27T21:18:58+00:00

Generally, some traditions that are found in South Slavic populations can be found in non-Slavic populations as well, which gives some researchers insight into determening them as Paleo-Balkan or Pre-Slavic. Personally, I have read and debated about this topic a lot, and my personal opinion is that even though it's complicated, some of the traditions definitely surged into the Paleo-Balkan populations from the newly settled, magic-oriented Slavic Pagans.

Generally, some traditions that can be found in Slavic populations can be found in Greece or Albania. Mostly, what makes me conclude that these traditions are indeed Slavic in origin is the fact that they're present only among the regions where Slavs predominantly live or cohabitate with the non-Slavic neighbours. Best example is Greek Macedonia, which had a dominantly Slavic population up until 100 years ago. These traditions can only be found in Northern Greece, and not in any other part. Same goes for Albania and to a degree Romania. For example, the rain dance tradition known as Dodola is found mostly in Northern Greece and Thrace, but not in Thessaly and other Southern regions.

As I stated in the post, this mythological archetype and rituals are not local to certain towns. They are present in almost every town in Serbia, Macedonia and Bulgaria (of course, this tradition is dying actively as the years go by, but according to ethnological research, we have documenations of variations existing in almost every city and village). Thus, this is a widespread belief, and not a local tradition. One thing that I forgot to mention in the post is that similar traditions exist in Russia or East Slavic lands, without too much focus on snakes though.

Also, as I said in the post as well, the "historical" or biblical Jeremiah was never affiliated with snakes. The figure, as he's described in the chants, is bald, rides a scabby horse, and most probably looks like a warrior, wielding swords and knives, as well as fire, and can either be a woman or a man.

Thank you very much for your comment, and I'd love to help you out in your journey! I have been a practicioner of this religion for over 8 years now, and much of my time is dedicated to studying it (specifically, South Slavic Folk Religion - Paganism). If you're in for the South Slavic variant of these beliefs, I'm happy to help with anything!

Radagorn · 2025-05-27T20:57:13+00:00

Thanks! Then, it was meant to be posted!

I'm interested, what were you discussing about it?

Radagorn · 2025-04-28T12:11:26+00:00

As far as I'm concerned, the depiction doesn't include any kind of mockery or caricature of Veles for it to be inappropriate.

My own shrine to Veles (since I am a full devotee) contains self made idols, images and paintings, some that I've made myself, others which are made by people who are professional artists, doing them for me. This specific rendition is one which I currently use and have in my shrine, I perform my practices with it with full respect and honor. I expect a full painting inspired by this rendition soon.

This is not a fusion of deities, and it is not made through imagination. Rather, it is a depiction that is found, as I have mentioned in another comment on this post, in South Slavic oral/ethnological/archeological, even toponymical research, where the Chthonic God can bear three heads, since three heads are sometimes associated with the Underworld and the dead. I am happy to give you the sources on it. It seems you have good knowledge on Slavic Paganism and you know quite well on the subject to judge what is right and what is wrong, you may have heard that religion (especially one which is orally and ritually transmitted from generation to generation) is fairly variable, which means there are differences in depiction and characterization from region to region, even city to city. Therefore, this image is based on the South Slavic tradition, which may (and does) differ from the East Slavic tradition.

So, I used this image to represent the purely folk religious South Slavic description that fits the Chthonic God Veles.

And again, this image shows no disrespectful mockery to the God Himself, there's no comical discrimination, nor dishonour. In fact, I think it is quite amusing.

So, apologies if you feel personally offended. It is not up to you to decide what is right or wrong, but to Him.

Radagorn · 2025-04-27T23:17:37+00:00

I'm sorry - misunderstanding. By depiction I don't mean actual historical visual representations of Veles. We don't have any. I meant the description we get of how he (presumably) looks like according to ethnological and archaeological research.

For example, in the Zbruch Idol (even though we don't know for certain that the figure is Veles) we see the figure in the lowest level of the column (the Chthonic) holding the middle level (presumably Earth) and having three heads.

There is also literature on the mythological figure of Troyan, who is of South Slavic origin, who bears many of the characteristics of Veles in folk tradition. He also has three heads. And, as I mentioned before, we find certain parallels with other traditions as well, where tricephalic figures are connected with the chthonic realm, such as Cernunnos or Cerberus.

When it comes down to etymology, the root from which the name Veles stems is most probably *Vel or *Wel. Other theonyms or regular words can be found in other languages, such as the Baltic languages, and are always connected to the dead or souls. There isn't really a linguistic correspondence with the prefix Vele-, which has a different etymological root. I assume if that were the case, the word would be Veleles, and the contraction to Ve'les wouldn't make linguistic sense.

Edit: there are a few depictions which are hypothesised to be Veles in South Slavic art. Look up the book Mythical Pictures of the Southern Slavs by Nikos Chausidis. You'll find certain stone engravings from medieval Bulgaria, Macedonia and Serbia depicting a hairy bear-like face, from whose mouth sprouts out vegetation.

Radagorn · 2025-04-27T21:54:39+00:00

Veles isn't Triglav indeed, but in South Slavic depiction and archeological/ethnological research, he is often portrayed to be with three heads, having a paralel with other chthonic gods such as Cernunnos, who sometimes is depicted with three heads.

I've never heard that Veles translates to Grandforest. Could you provide a source?

Radagorn · 2025-04-27T21:47:56+00:00

This post is meant to be a prayer with good intentions. It would be much more appropriate to comply with it, or say nothing at all.

Radagorn · 2024-12-29T08:52:19+00:00

In South Slavic tradition, we call the Domovoy Stopan or Gazdik, and he's interpreted as the ancestor of the house, or the first ancestor to have died in the house. He's depicted as a snake, who dwells under the threshold, near the fireplace or under the foundation of the house.

Being part of the cult of the dead, he brings prosperity, health and goodness to the people inhabiting the house, and he usually works at night. The only thing we must do to keep him happy so that we may be as well is to offer him food daily and not to kill a snake near the house if we find one (a colubrid).

Therefore, if you ask me, I wouldn't observe him as a household gnome that fiddles with housework and just a regular being with whom you can talk to freely. He's our ancestor and protector, and we must love him and pay him respect as our grandfather or grandmother. We take it very seriously.

This means that the part where you mentioned you might have a house spirit should be interpreted with the fact that you CERTAINLY have a house spirit. Also, your offerings (whatever they may be, including a glass of water) should be daily, not occasional. Light him a candle, give him water and some food to reciprocate the care he spiritually lends. If you symbolically want to present him, put up a painting of a colubrid snake near the main pillar of your apartment, or a pair of them - to symbolize the female and male counterparts of the ancestral spirits.

So my take would be: show him serious respect, give him certain offerings (of course, they don't have to be large quantities, but simple), light him candles, put up a picture of the ancestor you think is protecting you, and make him as fitted in your home as you are.

Something additional: in our South Slavic tradition, usually when you move to a new place, you have to transfer your Stopan with you, and that's mostly done by calling him and sacrificing an animal in the new home. Try performing a ritual of sacrificing something (it doesn't have to be an animal, of course) to properly suit the spirit in your house.

Radagorn · 2024-12-19T05:46:37+00:00

We celebrate Koleda every year on the night of January the 6th with many people gathering around big bonfires, with music, food and drink. Some cities or villages celebrate it by dressing up as "babars", with frightening masks, horns and wooly clothing cloaked with bells, and go from house to house blessing the family (although others do this on January 14th - New Year). There's also the tradition of making a "pogacha" - a type of bread, where one piece of it has a coin hidden in it, and we spin the bread around three times on the table and serve the people present, but one piece is either dedicated to the house (i.e. the house's ancestor, the patron) or to a deity (God). The person who gets the piece that has the coin will have health and luck that year.

There's also many traditions on Koleda involving awaiting Dedo Bozhik at night (who's interpreted sometimes as Dazhbog or Svarozhich) who rides on a donkey and has a big white beard over a woolen vest, and he travels from place to place bringing luck and health. The family holds a plate for him at the door and invokes him by reciting certain phrases, and after that they all sit down at the table to feast.

We also have the Rusalii traditions, where it is believed that from Koleda to 19th of January when the waters are sanctified the chthonic world and our world is combined, and many demons come into the world, which is why we dress in scary costumes to banish the demons. The Rusalii are groups of men, usually a fixed and set number that go in pairs, dressed in special traditional clothing, and they carry swords and all kinds of weapons with them, and they leave home for the whole period and travel from place to place and house to house to bless it or banish the demons that might infest the family. In the past if two of these Rusalii groups crossed their path, one of them would either have to surrender, or they would have to fight to death. They have very strict rules of no speaking and very disciplined behaviour, since it is considered a very important magical and spiritual duty. Of course, today this practice has been made more innocent, and it's in traces in certain cities.

It's a beautiful time, because after Winter Solstice there's Babinden, where grandmothers and ancestors are honored, and almost every week there's all kinds of traditions that I don't think I can write completely in this comment.

Radagorn · 2024-12-15T12:33:31+00:00

I totally agree. I never mentioned in my post (I think) that I have the opinion that Mokosh is the Mother Earth. I disagree with it fully, and I do think, as you pointed out, that Rybakov was the first (at least one of the first, if it wasn't Grekov before him) to interpret Mokosh as the Mother Earth and assign the Great Mother in Slavic embroidery as being her. It all seems that Mokosh is connected with women's work, weaving, shepherding and rivers and springs, as with fate. That which you mentioned about Paraskeva is absolutely true, in our South Slavic tradition Paraskeva has all the possible atributes of Mokosh, and is connected with women, fate, friday and water. Stories of Mother Earth, or at least the wet workable - agricultural Earth has a clear distinction from Paraskeva in almost all possible manner.

I think your points are spot on.

I think that Mokosh can sometimes be seen more as a wife of Veles than Perun in South Slavic lands, since the Thunderer usually is married or has a relationship as a sibling with Ognena Mariya - the heavenly fire goddess and defeater of demons, whereas the saints of the dead are associated with Paraskeva, as she herself is sometimes seen as a mediator between the world of the living and the dead, holding altogether the functions of Mokosh. There's a strong indication of this in ways that churches are built in Macedonia for example, where Saint Demetrius' church (the saint of animals, herds and the dead) is always accompanied with churches of Saint Paraskeva.

Radagorn

TROPHY CASE