Category Archives: Religion

Of the Moon, the Sun, the Stars and Wind the Servant

PublishedDecember 26, 2024 Post authortorino

That the Moon has a male gender in Slavic lands is well known. Thus, we have księżyc (Little Prince) in Polish – a term used at least for the new moon – and similar names in other Slavic languages. Even the older Polish miesiąc which comes from the assumed měsęcь may perhaps be a diminutive. Of what?

Of mies (a possible *miesic?). But there is no mies in Slavic languages. Interestingly, in Finnish mies means a “man” or a “husband”. In Estonian we have mees and in Livonian mīez. Could this be the source of the Slavic miesiąc? And what about miecz – “sword”? Certainly that also has male “connotations.” (The word for “moon” in Finnish is ku. Same in Estonian and Livonian – though the latter spelling may have been kū or kuu. Out of curiosity, note that the word for “sun” in Livonian was pǟva – the Polish paw – peacock – comes from Latin pāvo in case you are wondering).

But here comes the interesting part. The Sun in Slavic languages is famously neuter. We have mentioned that in Polesie the Sun was sometimes nevertheless treated as the “wife” of the Moon but without providing specific evidence. It seems that this has been the case and was also a belief present in neighboring Belarus. Here is a song from the Belarussian newspaper Homan (this was a publication put out under the German administration of the region in World War I):

Jasien miesiac – sam haspadar,
Krasno sonce – žana jaho,
Drobny hwiezdački – jaho dzietački,
Bujen wiecier – jaho služaŭki.

The bright Moon – himself a lord,
The red Sun – his wife,
Tiny stars – his children,
A great wind – his servant.

Clement of Alexandria’s Stromata on Germanic & Sarmatian Women

Published Post authortorino

Titus Flavius Clemens, also known as Clement of Alexandria (Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς; circa 150 – circa 215 AD) is the author of the Stromata (Miscellaneous Works). Here are some passages on Germanic and Sarmatian women (the transalation is from the “Ante-Nicene Fathers” with Rev. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, editors, available at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library).

Stromatum Liber I

Chapter XV

“There are also among the Germans those called sacred women, who, by inspecting the whirlpools of rivers and the eddies, and observing the noises of streams, presage and predict future events. These did not allow the men to fight against Caesar till the new moon shone.”

Sunt autem etiam apud Germanos sacrae, quae vocantur, mulieres, quae fluviorum vortices prospicientes, fluentorumque sonitus ac circumvolutiones, futura conjiciunt et praedicunt. Eae non permieserunt, ut ipsi cum Cesare pugnarent antequam nova luna illuxiset.

The above is an excerpt from Fontes Historiae Religionis Germanicae. Here are Migne’s notes on the same passage. The Caesar reference is to Caesar, Gallic War, Book I, chapter 50:

Stromatum Liber IV

Chapter VIII

And in Stromatum Liber IV we have a passage on Sarmatian women:

“For we do not train our women like Amazons to manliness in war; since we wish the men even to be peaceable. I hear that the Sarmatian women practice war no less than the men; and the women of the Sacae besides, who shoot backwards, feigning flight as well as the men.”

Non enim Amazones aliquas ad bellicam virtutem exercemus feminas, cum etiam viros velimus esse pacificos. Audio, mulieres quoque Sauromatidas non minus belligerare, quam viros; et alias Sacidas, quae a tergo Sagittant simulantes fugere, aeque ac viri.

Dziewanna

PublishedDecember 26, 2023 Post authortorino

Δηουόνα was allegedly a Celtic Goddess. Ausonius writes, apparently talking of the modern city of Burdigala (Bordeaux), France (The Order of Famous Cities):

Salve, fons ignote ortu, sacer, alme, perennis,vitree, glauce, profunde, sonore, inlimis, opace. Salve, urbis genius, medico potabilis haustu, Divona Celtarum lingua, fons addite divis.

“Hail, fountain of source unknown, holy, gracious, unfailing, crystal-clear, azure, deep, murmurous, shady, and unsullied! Hail, guardian deity of our city, of whom we may drink health-giving draughts, named by the Celts Divona,—a fountain added to the roll divine! Not Aponus in taste, not Nemausus in azure sheen is more clear, nor Timavus’ sea-like flood more brimming-full.”

So this was a Goddess of springs. And yet, how can this Name appear in Jan Długosz list of Polish Gods and Goddesses as Dziewanna, a Goddess of the Wild, the Polish Diana? Did Długosz simply read Ausonius? Or was something else at play here?

Christianus

PublishedAugust 9, 2023 Post authortorino

The following comes from the Anonymous Christian Monk‘s Vita et passio sancti Wenceslai et sanctae Ludmilae avae eius that is “The Life and Passion of Saint Wenceslaus and His Grandmother Saint Ludmilla” aka Legenda Christiani aka Kristiánova legenda. The monk claimed to be the uncle of St. Vojtech (Adalbert) which would make this work significantly older than Cosmas’ “Chronicle of the Czechs”. There isn’t much new here but since Meyer threw this in into his compilation of Suav religious sources, we give it here as well.

Chapter 2

“At vero Sclavi Boemi, ipso sub Arcturo positi, cultibus ydolatrie dediti, velut equus infrenis sine lege, sine ullo principe vel rectore vel urbe, uti bruta animalia sparsim vagantes, terram solam incolebant. Tandem pestilencie cladibus attriti, quandam phitonissam, ut fama fertur, adeunt, postulantes spiritum consilii responsumque divinacionis. Quo accepto civitatem statuunt, nomenque inponunt Pragam. Post hinc invento quodam sagacissimo atque prudentissimo viro, cui tantum agriculture officium erat, responsione phitonisse principem seu gubernatorem sibi statuunt, vocitatum cognomine Premizl, iuncta ei in matrimonio supramemorata phitonissa virgine.”

“But indeed the Bohemian Slavs, placed under Arcturus himself, devoted to idolatrous worship, like hellish horses without law, without any duke or governor or city, like brute animals roaming about scattered, inhabited the Earth alone. Finally, worn down by pestilence, they went to a certain soothsayer witch [this is a reference to Libuše, daughter of Krok], as the story goes, demanding the counsel of spirits and the answers of divination. After receiving this, they set up a city, and gave it the name Prague. Having found there a certain most shrewd and prudent man called by the name of Premizl, whose only vocation was agriculture; they set him up as a prince or governor over them and had him unite in marriage with the aforesaid soothsayer maiden.”

“Sicque a clade et multiplici peste tandem eruti, dehinc a supra memorato principe ex sobole eius rectores seu duces preposuere sibi, servientes demoniorum simulacris et prophanis sacrificiorum ritibus bachantes, donec ad extremum dominatus eiusdem regni pervenit ad unum ex eisdem principibus ortum, vocitatum Borivoi.”

“And thus finally rescued from the disaster and the manifold pestilence, thenceforth the above-mentioned prince appointed from among his sons governors or leaders, serving demon idols and profane sacrificial rites, until at last dominion of the same kingdom came to one of the same princes, called Borivoi.”

“Hic cum excellentissime forme et egregie iuventutis flore nitesceret, quodam tempore negocii sui populique sibi commissi causa ducem suum vel regem Zuentepulc Moravie adiit, a quo benigne suscipitur et ad convivium pariter cum reliquis adsciscitur. Verum sessionis ei locus inter Christicolas minime conceditur, sed ritu paganorum ante mensam pavimento iubetur insidere. Cuius presul Metudius iniurie condolens, fertur dixisse ad eum: Ve, inquit, quod tu talis tantusque haut erubescis a principalibus repelli sedibus, cum et ipse in fascibus ducatum obtineas, sed magis cupias ob nefandam ydolorum culturam cum subulcis humotenus incubare. At ille: Quid, inquit, ob huiuscemodi rem pericli pacior vel quid boni michi conferet Christianitatis ritus? Si, inquit presul Metudius, abrenunciaveris ydolis et inhabitantibus in eis demonibus, dominus dominorum tuorum efficieris, cunctique hostes tui subicientur dicioni tue et progenies tua cottidie augmentabitur velut fluvius maximus, in quo diversorum confluunt fluenta rivulorum. Et si, inquit Borivoi, res se ita habet, que mora est baptizandi? Nulla, inquit pontifex, tantum paratus esto ex integro corde credere in Deum patrem omnipotentem eiusque unigenitum, dominum nostrum Iesum Christum et in Spiritum paraclitum, illuminatorem omnium fidelium, non tantum mundialis causa substancie, verum eciam capessende salutis tue anime pro aquirenda perhennitatis gloriosa palma atque percipienda societate sanctorum ineffabili leticia.”

“[Bořivoj I of Bohemia], in the most excellent shape and in the splendid bloom of his youth, at a certain time went to his ruler Svatopluk I King of Moravia, on account of the business committed to him and his people by whom he was kindly received and he went to a banquet together with the others. But he was not allowed a place among the Christians but ordered to sit on the floor by the table according to pagan custom [similar story in the Conversion of the Carantanians]. The Bishop Methodius, sympathizing with him, is reported to have said: ‘Alas, that you sit with scum and being a man of importance you are embarassed at not being given a place at the table, [simply] because you prefer the unholy rites of idolatry.’ And he [Bořivoj] said: ‘Why would I brave the danger [of renouncing pagan rites], or what good will the rite of Christianity confer on me?’ Bishop Methodius answered: ‘If you destroy the idols and the demons that dwell in them, you will become the master of your masters, and all your enemies will be subject to your rule, and your descendants will multiply daily like a great river in which the streams of different streams converge.’ To which Bořivoj answered ‘If, this be so, what [then] prevents me from being baptized?’ ‘Nothing at all’ said the bishop. ‘Be ready only to believe with all your heart in God the Almighty Father and His only begotten, our Lord Jesus Christ and [too] in the Holy Spirit, the enlightener of all the faithful, and not as exchange for [earthly] things but rather to achieve the salvation of your soul, to acquire the glorious palm of eternity and to perceive the company of the saints in an ineffable joy.'”

“Populum cunctum Boemorum in furorem principis accendit, eo quod paternos mores relinqueret et novam atque inauditam sanctitatis legem Christianorum arriperet. Surgunt adversus eum uno animo eademque sentencia suisque eum a finibus perturbare conantur, seu eciam vitam auferre moliuntur. Quo agnito princeps sese ab eis removit rursusque regem zuentepulc seu pontificem Metudium Moravie repetivit.”

“The Czechs believed that he [Bořivoj I of Bohemia] abandoned the old customs of [their] fathers and accepted the unknown customs of Christainity so they rioted against him, […] and hounded him abroad and even intended to kill him; and thus, [when] the prince learned [about it], he left them and returned to the king Świętopełk, or Bishop Methodius in Moravia.”

From chapter 5

Chapter 6

“Quia vero radicitus necdum avulsi fuerant paganorum supersticiosi ritus, dum plurimi ad immolandum demoniis nefanda properarent sacrificia, cibisque ex ipsis potibusque simul inquinarentur, verum in cunctis se subtraxit, occasione facta qualibet. Carceres destruxit, patibula suppliciaque, que usque adhuc inerant ad excruciandos homines, funditus sua pietate evulsit fanaque profanorum terre coequavit.”

“But because the superstitious rites of the pagans had not yet been rooted out, while many hurried to perform evil sacrifices to demons, and their food and drink were polluted at the same time, he [Saint Wenceslaus] himself was never defiled by following these, but he withdrew himself from all, on every occasion. He destroyed the prisons, the gallows, [ended?] the executions, which up to this time had been used to torture men, completely uprooted by his piety, and razed the profane to the ground.”

Galician Lelia Doura

PublishedDecember 26, 2022 Post authortorino

An interesting Divine Name appearing in Długosz’s Pantheon is Dzidzilela (a mispronounciation of a Baltic Didis Lela?). Indeed, in addition to Yassa, Lado and Nia, we frequently see in the earliest sources the Name Lela or Leli. Długosz characterized Dzidzilela as the Polish Venus. And indeed, it appears that Venus in its function as the Moon’s (Jasień’s) companion may be connected with Lela. As discussed, the Polish Leliwa coat of arms features the crescent moon and what appears to be a star but is likely Venus. More broadly, in European (and not only) languages, the leli sound is frequently associated with the night (for example, think of a lullaby). Curiously, layl in Arabic and layla in Hebrew each mean “night”.

Of course, the Alcis are the Lugian Castor and Pollux as per Tacitus (the alleged Polish Lel and Polel) while elkas in Latvian and alkas in Lithuanian may refer to an idol. Then, we have the Polish lalki for puppets/dolls (though lala may also mean a young, attractive woman). All these have been connected with the supposed IE Horse Twins.

We’ve discussed some of this before.

Who is Lela? In Suavic vocabulary the name most frequently refers to an aunt or an older female relation. Although Lada has been identified as the mother of Lel and Polel (supposedly being the same with the Greek Leda) a question arises: could the Horse Twins be the children of Lela instead in her function as the, well, Mother of the Gods (meaning the Horse Twins)?

Plenty of ink may be happily spilled answering that question (likely to no avail) but, in the meantime, let us note something strange. A curious refrain from a 13th century Galician poem by Pedro Eanes Solaz speaks these very same names in much the same way as the words Leli, Leli or Lado, Lado were sang by Suavic peasant farmers.

The poem has been preserved in three copies written down sometime in the 16th century as part of a compendium of other early Portuguese poetic works.

The Portuguese text is as follows (generally following Cohen and Corriente) in eight strophes:

Eu velida non dormia
lelia doura
e meu amigo venia
edoy lelia doura.

Non dormia e cuidava
lelia doura
e meu amigo chegava
edoy lelia doura.

O meu amigo venia
lelia doura
e d’amor tan ben dizia
edoy lelia doura.

O meu amigo chegava
lelia doura
e d’amor tan ben cantava
edoi lelia doura.

Muito desejei, amigo,
lelia doura
que vos tevesse comigo
edoy lelia doura.

Muito desejei, amado,
lelia doura
que vos tevess’a meu lado
edoy lelia doura.

Leli, leli, par Deus, lely
Lelia doura
Ben sei eu que<n> non diz leli
Edoy lelia doura

Ben sei eu qu<n> non diz lely
Lelia doura
Demo x’ é quen non diz leli
Edoy lelia doura

Here is a copy from the Cancioneiro da Biblioteca Nacional aka the Cancioneiro Colocci-Brancuti (codex 10991, number 829).

An English translation of the text is as follows (from 2005’s Songs of a Friend: Love Lyrics of Medieval Portugal: Selections from Cantigas de Amigo):

I the lovely one, didn’t sleep,
lelia doura,
but my friend was wont to come to me,
e doi lelia doura.

I didn’t sleep and was always grieved,
lelia doura,
but my friend was wont to arrive for me,
e doi lelia doura.

My friend was wont to come to me,
lelia doura,
and he’d speak so beautifully of love,
e doi lelia doura.

And my friend was wont to arrive for me,
lelia doura,
and he’d sing so beautifully of love,
e doi lelia doura.

I ardently desired, my friend,
lelia doura,
that you would be together with me,
e doi lelia doura.

I ardently desired, my love,
lelia doura,
that you would be close at my side,
e doi lelia doura.

Leli, leli, by God, leli,
lelia doura,
I know very well who doesn’t say leli,
e doi lelia doura.

I know very well who doesn’t say leli,
lelia doura.
A demon is he who doesn’t say leli,
e doi lelia doura.

And here is the same in the Cancionerio Vaticano (codex Latinus 4803, number 415).

The refrain was not intelligible to those who discovered these manuscripts in the 19th centuries and so much has been written about its meaning. Two theories prevail. First, that the refrain is onomatopeic or, in this case, basically meaningless singalong gibberish. However, more recently, a theory has been put forward that it is of Arabic origin. This was suggested in 1964 by Brian Dutton (“Lelia Doura, Edo y Lelia Doura, An Arabic Refrain in a Thirteenth-Century Galician Poem?”) and reproposed in 2002 by Rip Cohen and Federico Corriente (“Lelia Doura Revisited”). Lelia Doura would mean something like the “night turns”. Why Arabic? Well, as mentioned above, layl refers to night or nighttime and we know that Muslims had conquered portions of the Iberian peninsula at some point.

But this is rather strange. The poet in question is Galician and Galicia had never been conquered by the Muslims. The local Muslim population was nonexistent save for Muslim serfs captured by Galician rulers raiding parts of Al-Andalus to the south (serfs who may well have been Christian in any event). Perhaps most well-known was Alfonso II who more or less successfully fought off both Muslim marauders only to succumb for a time to Charlemagne.

It is safe to say that of all parts of the Iberian Peninsula the Asturian Kingdom of Galicia seems the oddest choice for preserving fragments of the Arabic language. And this is even more so if we are talking about the 13th century when the poem was composed by Pedro.

Galicia, however, had been, the home of:

Celtic Luggones
briefly of the Hasdingi Vandals (of whom the Lugii are suspected to have been a part), and
Suevi

In the south Al-Andalus was also a major site of Suavic slave trade and, later, integrated many of the imported Suavic slaves into the local polity.

So a Central European connection seems better suited as an explanation of this refrain. Leli may not refer to “my night” but rather to either the Great Lela or, perhaps, Her Divine Twins.

Why Great Lela? Well, Didis Lado was supposed to mean Great Lado in Lithuanian but we also have Dzidzilela, perhaps a rendition of Didis Lela. It is interesting that the Polish word for “large” , “great” or “big” is durzy or, feminine, durza (see here, for example). This might be an explanation for the word doura. An alternative may be dobra meaning the “good”. And, frankly, these words may themselves bear a mutual relation.

Curiously, Cohen and Corriente use another poem by Pedro Eanes Solaz to conclude that the whole song has to do with a competition between two different women for the affections of a man. The other poem reads as follows:

Dizia la ben talhada:
“Agor’ a viss’ eu penada
Ond’ eu amor ei!”

A ben talhada dizia:
“Penad’ a ciss’ eu un dia
Ond’ eu amor ei!”

Ca, se a viss’ eu penada,
Non seria tan coitada
Ond’ eu amor ei!

Penada se a eu visse,
non á mal que eu sentisse
Ond’ eu amor ei!

Quen lh’ oje por mi dissesse
Que non tardass’ e veesse
Ond’ eu amor ei!

Quen lh’ oje por mi rogasse
Que non tardass’ e chegasse
Ond’ eu amor ei!

Thus, they render the following translation of both of these poems:

So sang the lovely girl:
“Now may I see her tormented
Whence I feel love!”

The lovely girl was singing:
“May I see her tormented one day
Whence I feel love!

For if I saw he tormented
I wouldn’t be so saddened
Whence I feel love.

If I saw her tormented
I wouldn’t be so saddened
Whence I feel love.

I wish someone would tell him for me
Not to tarry but to come
Whence I feel love.

I wish someone would beg him for me
Not to tarry but to arrive
Whence I feel love.”

Then the object of our discussion is translated thusly:

I, lovely girl, was not sleeping
(It’s my turn)
And my boyfriend was coming
(And today it’s my turn).

I wasn’t sleeping and was longing
(It’s my turn)
And my boyfriend was arriving
(And today it’s my turn).

My boyfriend was coming
(It’s my turn)
Any my boyfriend was arriving
(And today’s my turn).

My boyfriend was arriving
(It’s my turn)
And chanting so well of love
(And today’s my turn).

I really wanted, friend,
(It’s my turn)
To have you with me
(And today’s my turn).

I really wanted, beloved,
(It’s my turn)
To have you at my side
(And today’s my turn).

My night! My night! Bt God, my night!
(It’s my turn)
I know well who won’t say “my night!”
(And today’s my turn).

I know well who won’t say “my night!”
(It’s my turn)
She’s the devil who won’t say “my night!”
(And today’s my turn).

No this is curious because this love story (triangle?) is very similar to folk songs of Suavic lands where the name Leli as well as the word Lado come up. There is Queen Lela in Croatian and Serbian songs (see for example Vuk Stefanović Karadžić’s “Serbian National Songs” in Milan Milićević’s ethnological writings). We have “leliy, leliy, my lado” in Russian songs as per Karol Potkański. Or “Łado, my Lelu” (Chronicle of Stryjkowski). Similar songs were sung in Ukraine. Finally Leliwa may have been a reference to the planet Venus itself (the Star of Leli, as per Kazimierz Perkowski).

Beyond Suavic lands we have the Hittite Lelwani (eventually a female) whose name features the suffix -vani which may mean “desire” (comparable with Venus) and which was like Persephone/Proserpina connected with the underworld (Stanisław of Skalbmierz mentions the cults of Venus and Proserpina in Poland). Or, for that matter, we may also mention the Hindu Lalita.

In fact, a recent work on the Polish Dzidzilela concludes that the whole story of Lado and Leli may be summarized as a love affair whereby a God arrives (often a Moon God) and falls in love with a Goddess, betrays her with another and then is punished (either by the brothers of his love or by someone else). He is later reborn. While this myth has a clear connection to the vegetation cycle, it is also reminiscent of the myth of Jason and Medea (miedza?) or Iasion and Demeter that we have written so often about here. Did the Moon God betray his love with another celestial? If so was it Lela? Or was Lela, as the Name itself indicates perhaps an older sister or an aunt? Did the God of the Moon tarry on Earth as Łado/Mars and seduce Marzanna? Only then to return to His true love, the celestial Łada/Lela?

As an aside, it is worth noting that the word lada in Spanish also refers to a side. It is tempting to speculate that that meaning arose from the function (my dear) of one of the Divine Twins in relation to the latter, especially, since Lada and Jasień may have been responsible for different “sides” of the Year divided in two by Midsummer’s Eve. Lela may then have been the Mother of Both (and they, the Lelki or, in Lithuanian, Alcis).

For other discussions of pottential Suavic connections to the Iberian Peninsula see here, here, here, here, here and here.

And if you want a real mindtwister, recall that wyspa – earlier yspa – is the Polish word for an island. The etymology of Hispania is not fully understood so throw this possibility into the mix as well.

Green Holiday Celebrations From the Collection of Piotr from Miłosław

Published Post authortorino

Here are some quotes from the Sermones dominicales et festivales cum glossis Polonicis (from the so-called Collection of Piotr from Miłosław)

Aleksander Brueckner brought this to the scholarly world’s attention finding cantica lascivia wherein ladies “saltant ad sonum chori et cytharae concinnando swathky lyecze” (Archiv für slavische Philologie,14, 481 at 505),

Here are different versions of the same:

Jasna Góra Monastery Manuscript

“Sed quid locusta nisi fatuas virgines et mulieres signat, saltatrices, cantatrices et coreatrices, que hodie adinstar locuste saltant ad sonitum cytare concinantes szwanthki lecze, sed sunt immemores future hiemis vernis et dire, si quando dira mors eos.”

Polish National Library

“Sed quid locusta nisi fatuos viros et mulieres signat, saltatrices, cantatrices et coreatrices, que hodie adinstar locuste saltant ad sonitum cytare concinantes, sed sunt immemores future hiemis vernis et dire, si quando dira mors eos constriget.”

Another Manuscript
(as per Słownik pojęciowy języka staropolskiego)

“Sed quid locusta nisi fatuas virgines et mulieres significat saltatrices, cantatrices…, que hodie adinstar locuste saltant ad sonitum cithare concinantes wszytky latą [wszytki lata], sed sunt immemores future hiemis et dure, scilicest quando mors constringet swyaze [zwiąże]“

Poenitentiale Merseburgense

Published Post authortorino

Karl Heinrich Meyer notes in the appendix to his compendium on Suavic religion (Fontes historiae religionis Slavicae) certain passages from the Merseburg Penitential (Poenitentiale Merseburgense) which may or may not refer to Suavic customs. Nevertheless, given that some of these may in fact have a Suavic origin we include them here. The ones included are only the ones mentioned by Meyer and represent his choice of those that appeared to him to be most likely connected with Suavs.

For the complete penitential (which contains a total of 169 different punishable offenses (some quite, including those shown here, gross) see F.W.H. Wasserschleben’s Beitraege zur Geschichte der vorgratianischen Kirchenrechtsquellen (Leipzig, 1839, page 88) and also Die Bussordnungen der abendlaendischen Kirche (Halle, 1851, page 387) by the same author (which also includes other versions of similar penitentials).

The manuscript itself is Merseburger Dombibliothek nr. 103 (from the 9th century).

Cap. 22: Si quis sacrilegium fecerit, id est quod aruspici vocant, qui auguria colunt, sive per aves aut quocunque malo ingenio augeraverit, III ann. cum pane e.a. poen.

Cap. 23: Si quis per ariolos, quos divinos vocant, aliquas divinationes fecerit, quia hoc daemonum [or daemonicum] est, V ann. poenit., III ex his in pane et aqua.

Cap. 26: Si quis sortes sanctorum, quas contra rationem vocant [or Si quis sortes, quas sanctorum contra rationem vocant], vel alias sortes habuerit, vel qualecunque alium malum ingenium sortitus fuerit vel veneraberit, III ann. poen.

Cap. 27: Si quis ad arbores vel ad fontes, vel ad cancellos, vel ubicunque, exceptum in ecclesia, votum voverit aut solverit, III annn. cum pane et aqua poeniteat, quia et hoc sacrilegium vel daemonium est; et qui ibidem ederit aut biberit, annum integrum cum pane et aqua poeniteat.

Cap. 32: Si quis, quod in Kalend. Januar. multi faciunt, quod adhuc de paganis residit, in cervolum [o cervolo], quod dicitur, aut in vecola [or vetula] vadit, III ann. poen., quia hoc daemonum [or daemonicum] est.

Cap. 34: Si quis mathematicus fuerit, i.e., per invocationem daemonum mentes hominum tulerit aut debacante [or debacchantes] fecerit, V ann. poen., III ex his i.p.e.a.

Cap. 36: Si quis ligaturam fecerit in herbas vel quolibet ingenio malo incantaverit et super Christianum ligaverit, scias eum fidem Dei amisisse, III ann. poen., I ex his i.p.e.a.

Cap. 48: Si qui simul edunt festivitates in locis abuminandis more gentium, III ann. poen. i.p.e.a.

Cap. 50: Si quis secundo et tertio idolis immolaverit per vim, III annn. poen., II sine oblatione communicet.

Cap. 74: Si quis sanguinem animalium manducaberit nesciens, aut morticinum aut idolis immolatum, IV menses poen., i.p.e.a., si autem scit, II ann. sine vino et carne.

Cap. 103: Si qua mulier semen viri sui in cibum miscens, aut inlicitas causas fecerit, ut inde plus ejus amore suscipiat, III ann. poen.

Cap. 108: Si quis [or aliquis] infans per ignorantiam gustaberit idolis immolatum aut morticinum, aut aliquid abhuminabile, III ebdom. poen.

Cap. 167: Si quis emissor tempestatum fuerit, VII ann. poen., III ex his i.p.e.a.

Yāqūt on the Rus Religion

PublishedOctober 8, 2021 Post authortorino

Yāqūt Shihāb al-Dīn ibn-‘Abdullāh al-Rūmī al-Hamawī (1179–1229) was a Greek (al-Rumi) born in Constantinople captured by the Muslims, made a slave but then freed.

His most famous work is the “Dictionary of Countries” (Kitāb Mu’jam al-Buldān), compiled between 1224 and 1228. It is in that work that he briefly mentions the Rus religion – notably distinguishing the Rus from Suavs. It is that passage that made it into Meyer’s compendium and it is for that reason that we include it here:

“The Rus are one of the peoples who border the Suavs and the Turks. They have their own language and a religion (din) and a law based on religion which is different from everyone else’s… These days, as is well known, they belong to the Christian religion.”

Note that Yāqūt’s work contains other entries on Suavs themselves but not on their religion.

Czech Gods Part III

PublishedAugust 9, 2021 Post authortorino

Here is a list of the remaining sources that appear in Meyer’s compilation and that we have not yet covered. The translations come (mostly) from Juan Antonio Álvarez- Pedrosa, Julia Mendoza Tuñón, and Sandra Romano Martín (“Sources of Slavic Pre-Christian Religion.”)

Legenda Bohemica “Oportet Nos Fratres”

[section 1]

“For the inhabitants of this region lived without law until the time of the Roman-Germanic Caesar Henry [the Fowler],* knew not the king of heaven, as if they were deprvied of reason, and, forgetting that creation is the work of such a great Creator, served deaf and mute idols, straying far from the truth… After… the illustrious male Spytihnev became leader of the principality and took firm hold of the throne of this kingdom for himself and at the same time, by the will of God, began to love in earnest the cult of the Christian religion, to observe with devotion the law of God, to feel hatred for the followers of the idols and to love all those who believe in the one true God as if they were the children of his own loins. And without more delay, regenerated with the mystery of the holy baptism, wisely edified in the faith of the most Holy Trinity, he destroyed the majority of the temples of the idols and with the greatest veneration built many temples and chapels in honor of the Holy King of Kings.”

* note: Henry was a king, not an emperor.

“Ilius enim regionis incole usque ad tempora Romani Cesaris Heinrici sine lege uiuebant, celi regem, quasi ratione carentes, nesciebant, seque facturam tanti factoris esse negligentes, surdis et mutis ydolis seruiebant, a ueritate longe deuiantes (…). Postquam (…) preclarus uir Zpitigneus peruenit ad ducatus principatum et eiusdem regni solium sibi subiecit bene subiugatum, statim Deo predestinante christiane religionis cultum studiose cepit amare, legem Dei deuotus obseruare, sectatores autem ydolorum odio habere et omnes in unum uerum Deum credentes quasi filios uterinos diligere. Nec mora, sacri baptismatis mysterio regeneratus, in fide sancte Trinitatis sapienter edificatus, plurima idolorum templa destruxit, regi regum eiusque sanctis perplures domos et oratoria cum summa ueneratione construxit.”

[section 3]

“As proof of his goodwill, the exalted emperor of the Romans, Otto I… granted this happy son Wenceslaus the enjoyment of the duchy and advised him with great emphasis to be, like his father Vratislaus*, a dedicated soldier of the imperial army, to act with loyalty like a good leader all the days of his life and to always stay far away from the cult of the perverse idols.”

* note: Vratislaus I of Bohemia (circa 888-921), duke of Bohemia from 915.

“Summus autem Romanorum imperator,scilicet primus Otto(…) beatum puerum Wenzezlaum bona uoluntate constituit ad ducatus dominationem et monuit eum summis ammonitionibus patri suo Wratizlao similem esse regali militie strennuum militem et bonum ducem omnibus diebus uite sue fideliter interesse et a peruersis ydolorum culturis semper abesse.“

[section 13]

“All that which he (Wenceslaus) dared not do openly before his semi-pagan subjects to serve God, he performed in full over the course of the night at desired intervals. Because there existed a pledge among the pagan subjects, and confirmed by criminal analogy, whereby, should they find a clergyman or a Christian anywhere with the Servant of God, they would immediately cut off his head or subject him to another cruel death with no possibility of defense. For this reason, the pious Wenceslaus built hidden passages.”

“Quicquid propter semipaganos ciues palam facere non ausus est in Dei seruitium, hoc pernox totum impleuit per desiderabile cuiusque noctis intersticium. Erat enim a paganis ciuibus constitutum et federatum celestaque conratione confirmatum, ut si quis clericorum aut ceterorum christianorum cum Dei seruo alicubi inueniretur, statim aut capite truncaretur aut alia seuissima morte sine contradictione puniretur. At beatusWenzezlaus fecit occultas posterulas.“

[section 15]

“To them, the man of the Lord (Wenceslaus), moved for a brief time, answered them saying: ‘Oh incredulous fools, enemies of the Christian name… You are worshippers of loathsome idols and pagans who persecute nearly all Christians. What is more, that which at some moment was my wish for the service of God, was without doubt that which you wished for not… You established your ceremonies and festivals dedicated to the demons and not to God, you offered victims and burnt offerings to alien/strange gods, and reduced to nothing all those things connected with the true God. And on top of this, with threats and flattery you prohibited me from celebrating the divine mysteries.”

“Quibus uir domini paulisper commotus respondit et dixit: “O increduli et insani, o inimici nominis christiani (…) Vos estis cultores inmundorum idolorum et profani persecutores omnium pene christianorum. Preterea quicquid umquam in Dei seruitium meum erat uelle, procul dubio uestrum erat nolle (…) Demonibus et non Deo solemnitates et ferias uestras constituistis, uictimas et holocausta diis alienis obtulistis, et omnia, que ueri Dei sunt, ad nichilum redegistis. Insuper minis et blandimentis me ipsum prohibuistis diuina mysteria celebrare.”

Concilia Pragensia

sub anno 1366

“On the image of death (regarding those who bring death to the outskirts of town in the middle of Lent). It is known that in some cities, towns and villages the pernicious habit has taken root, on the part of clergy and laymen, of bringing images in the form of death around town to the river in the middle of Lent, accompanied by chants and superstitious representations and that there they sink said images vehemently arguing to their own shame that in this way death will not do them more harm because it has been destroyed and wiped out from the town’s boundaries. Therefore, it is ordered that each and every one of the heads of the diocesan churches, upon discovering that there are such people in their parishes, immediately remove them from divine functions, until said transgressors and superstitious fraudsters receive from the Archbishop a penitence that corresponds to their excesses and will free them from sin. Absolution for these excesses is especially reserved for the Reverend Father.”

“De mortis ymagine (de his, qui in media quadragesimae portant mortem extra villam). Item quia in nonnullis civitatibus oppidis et villis prava clericorum et laicorum inolevit abusio , qui in medio quadragesimae ymagines in figura mortis per civitatem cum rithmis et ludis superstitionis ad flumen deferunt ibi quoque ipsas ymagines cum impetu submergunt, in eorum ignominiam asserentes quod mors eis ultra nocere non debeat tanquam ab ipsorum terminis sit ultra nocere non debeat tanquam ab ipsorum terminis sit consumata et totaliter exterminata. Quare omnibus et singulis ecclesiarum parochialum rectoribus precipitur quod cum tales in suis plebibus resciverint, mox a divinis officiis tam diu abstineant, donec dicti prevaricatores lusoresque superstitiosi a domino Archiepiscopo peniterntiam recipiant pro excessibus condignam et salutarem quorum absolutionem sibi reverendus pater specialiter reservat.”

sub anno 1384

“It is also ordered that the parishioners or the leaders who represent them in the diocese of Prague should not allow superstitious representations in their parishes, and especially should not allow images representing death, which are made so as to be displayed, midway through Lent, on city outskirts, accompanied by music, on account of the bad custom that is established in some places.”

“Item mandatur ne plebani seu eorum vices gerentes per diocesin Pragensem ludos superstitiosos in plebibus suis admittant specialiter ne in medio quadragesimae extra portas urbis vel ville ymaginem ad hoc factam in modum ortis cum rithmis sicut consuetudo prava in quibusdam locis inolevit, offerri permittant.”

(another) sub anno 1384

“It is also ordered that all parishioners and the leaders who represent them shall not allow, on the anniversaries of their dead, for the parishioners in their own houses to make sacrifices with torches, on their behalf or the behalf of others, nor for them to sign the responses that are often used n such occasions. For this custom should be considered a bad habit.”

“Item mandator omnibus plebanis et eorum uices gerentibus ut in anniuersariis mortuorum in domibus plebizanorum ipsorum non permittant ut faiant fieri aliqua offertoria cum luminibus per se uel alios nec eciam cantent responsoria in talibus consueta fieri. Nam hec consuetudo uel potius abusio dicenda est.”

sub anno 1407

“Against money-lenders and fortune-tellers. In addition, oh! It has been reported before the tribunal of our Lord that many money-lenders, fortune-tellers, sorcerers and sorceresses are appearing in different parishes and this is publicly tolerated by the parishioners, who, free from all censure, openly practice different spells, disregarding and setting aside the one holy Christian faith. Thus, it is ordered that each and every parishoiner should no longer tolerate such sorcerers and sorceresses any longer in their parishes but rather they should condemn them and expel them and send them before the tribunal of the authority so that they may complete the punishment imposed upon them for their salvation. Moreover, any parishioner who does not heed this must be reported by the prior of that place to the higher prelates, and must be punished by them with aseverity as a prticipant in a crime that has been condemned and is condemned.”

“Contra usurarios (et) sortilegos. Item heu ad nostri domini audienciam est deductum quod multi usurarii sortileges incantatores et incantatrices in diversis parochiis commorantur et publice tolerantur per plebanos absque omni correccione libere diversa sortilegia exercentes in sancte et (et) unite christiane contemptum fidei et scissuram. Igitur mandatur plebanis universis et singulis quatenus tales sortilegos et sortilegas non tolerent ulterius in parochiis eorum, sed corrigant et expellant tales pro poenitencia peragenda ad superiorum audienciam remittant eis salubirr imponendo alias quicunque plebanus circa hoc negligens fure debet per loci decanum denunciari prelats superioribusi.”

Spanish Religious Connections

PublishedJuly 26, 2021 Post authortorino

In Polish folk songs we have the Names of Leli and Didzilela. These are frequently associated (whether correctly or not) with celestial objects. Similar Names appear in Croat songs and among other Suavs. We know we also have Yassa and Lada.

There is a coat of arms by the name Leliwa which, in its objects and the blue background also has celestial connotations:

Now, this obviously brings up the Moon and either the Sun or perhaps some other bright light in the sky – Venus maybe?

Note that the Moon and the Sun sometimes appear at the same time (same with Venus).

In any event, there is a town in Spain in the province of Toledo called Velada. Velada refers to a soirée or an evening party or late evening vigil. This is that town’s coat of arms:

What does this mean? Perhaps nothing but it is still interesting. Perhaps the ancients were intent to honor the time of day when the lunar bodies joined in the sky (as husband and wife or two lovers?).

For the Bructeri prophetess Veleda/Velaeda see an earlier post.