It was very interesting for me to read the thread about Imbolc, so I decided to share with you, and to tell you about one of our Holidays, that is already very near.
On the 12th of February Slavonic Pagans celebrate Veles’ Day. It is a very significant holiday for me, because in my circle Veles is the most honored of our Gods. Veles is a very powerful and mysterious God. He has got several sides to him, so to say. He is the “cattle God”, the God of wealth, fortune, farming and cattle-breeding. Veles the cattle God comes as a Bull. But he is also the God of Volkhvs (the Russian name for Priests or Druids), the God of secret knowledge, the Keeper of Life and Death, and the Keeper of the passageway from the world of Yav’ to the worlds of Prav’ and Nav’. (In our tradition the world consists of three layers – Yav’ is the world that we live in, it is the middle world. Prav’ is literally translated as “The Righteous World”, it is the upper world, the world of Gods and Spirits. Nav’ is the lower world, the world of Dark Gods). Veles is the Guide of the Volkhvs, the Volkhvs are considered to be his children. Veles the God of the Volkhvs comes as a Bear.
As I said, Veles’ Day is celebrated on the 12th of February. In ancient times this month was called Luyten’ – the Fierce. At this time the Nature is in an icy slumber. The fierce winter is coming to an end. There still will be frosts and snowstorms, but the turning point has come already. The Sun Gods are already born and are growing stronger in their heavenly palaces in the Blessed Iryi. The rest of our Gods are there, too – they have a lot of cares. The Bright Sun comes out sometimes, to take a look and to see that everything goes on in a proper way, and then it goes back. This happens from year to year. And the great Recurrence doesn’t stop from century to century.
And only Veles, out grandfather, remains with the people during this hard period, and doesn’t let the frolicsome Spirits play tricks upon people and beasts. And Marena, the Goddess of Winter is angry with him, and tries to set fevers to people and cattle. The Nature is in the icy slumber, and Veles alone walks over towns and villages, so as not to let us get discouraged.
On this day Veles comes as a Bull, that is why butter is brought as an offering to him, and beef is not eaten at the feast. People honor Veles, who lead us through the winter hardships, through the cold weather and snowstorms, and who will never leave us, neither in Spring nor in Summer. This day is the turning point of Winter, when we start waiting for the Spring. On this day we say that Veles broke the horns off Winter.
On this day Veles protects the cattle, chases away the illnesses, and gives people strength to live through the approaching Veles’ Frosts (as a rule, they are very severe).
We start getting ready to this Holiday on its eve. We pour milk into special pitchers, spread out carpets or animal skins, onto which we put dried cow horns. On the Kapische (our place of worship) we prepare the altar, the skins and smoke it with the burning bull’s hair. At night Volkhvs go there, to learn the will of the Wise God. The dreams that come on that night are prophetic.
Wise and Mighty is Veles! Everyone honors him, even the immaterial Navii, who roam beyond the borderline between Yav’ and Nav’, over the mysterious paths of Veles’ Fields, rejoice, glorifying the Great God. Unlike the Sun Gods, Veles is not hostile to the dwellers of Nav’, he doesn’t chase them away with burning Fire, but none of them dares to oppose his Will.
This Day is also considered a good one for treating diseases, and for making different oberegi (amulets) that symbolize the Life Force and creative power. It is believed, that the oberegi, made on Veles’ Day, are especially strong. Finally the Holiday comes. We prepare the ritual food – kasha with a lot of butter, and mead to drink. Beef is strictly forbidden on this day, because it is believed that Veles was born on the Dawn of the World from the Heavenly Cow Zyomun. The food is blessed on the altar, and then it is put onto the table, for the common feast.
In ancient times on this Day women had a procession, to chase away “Cow bane”. After the procession they used to have the ritual fight of Veles and Marena. With everyone cheering him on, a masker dressed as Veles (as a Bull, in a bull’s hide and with a spear) “breaks the horn” off Marena. And then feasting and games began.
At night women – the keepers of hearths – used to do the plowing ritual. They made a furrow with a wooden plow all around the village, in order to protect it. The oldest woman went from door to door, saying that it was time to do this rite. The women washed and dried their hands, let down their hair. The oldest of them lead them from the village, warning the men not to come out of the houses and not to look out of the window, in order to avoid great trouble. The men stayed in their homes, looking at the fire that symbolizes the hearth and the honest life. After having made the furrow, the women came back, and the plow was burned. After that an offering was done to Veles, and a large cup of mead was passed from one person to another. Everyone praised Veles and all of our Gods.
Another important moment of the Holiday is Veles’ wrestling (I am not sure that this is a good word for this, but I can’t think of any better one). It is also called the Bear Wrestling, because Bear, as well as a Bull and a Snake is one of Veles’ sacred Animals. Unlike the warrior contests, held on Perun’s Day, the duels on Veles’ Day are mainly a good-humored demonstration of the Power that Mother Earth gives to humans, not to kill each other, but to do honest work. Usually two strong men come out into the circle, hold onto each other, and each tries to fall his adversary into the snow. The winner is proclaimed “Veles’ chosen one”.
The night after Veles’ Day is good for the conception of children, who will be strong in body and Spirit. Before going to bed, women brush their husbands’ hair with special combs. It is supposed to protect them from different illnesses all the year round, and to give them the Power and Wisdom of Veles.
And the Volhvs leave alone, and go into the deep forest. There, under the bright starts, the Eyes of our Ancestors, they beat their ritual tambourines and sing praises to the Wise God.
After the Holiday Veles’ Week begins – six days, during which amazing and wonderful things happen to those, who had honored Veles.
On the 12th of February Slavonic Pagans celebrate Veles’ Day. It is a very significant holiday for me, because in my circle Veles is the most honored of our Gods. Veles is a very powerful and mysterious God. He has got several sides to him, so to say. He is the “cattle God”, the God of wealth, fortune, farming and cattle-breeding. Veles the cattle God comes as a Bull. But he is also the God of Volkhvs (the Russian name for Priests or Druids), the God of secret knowledge, the Keeper of Life and Death, and the Keeper of the passageway from the world of Yav’ to the worlds of Prav’ and Nav’. (In our tradition the world consists of three layers – Yav’ is the world that we live in, it is the middle world. Prav’ is literally translated as “The Righteous World”, it is the upper world, the world of Gods and Spirits. Nav’ is the lower world, the world of Dark Gods). Veles is the Guide of the Volkhvs, the Volkhvs are considered to be his children. Veles the God of the Volkhvs comes as a Bear.
As I said, Veles’ Day is celebrated on the 12th of February. In ancient times this month was called Luyten’ – the Fierce. At this time the Nature is in an icy slumber. The fierce winter is coming to an end. There still will be frosts and snowstorms, but the turning point has come already. The Sun Gods are already born and are growing stronger in their heavenly palaces in the Blessed Iryi. The rest of our Gods are there, too – they have a lot of cares. The Bright Sun comes out sometimes, to take a look and to see that everything goes on in a proper way, and then it goes back. This happens from year to year. And the great Recurrence doesn’t stop from century to century.
And only Veles, out grandfather, remains with the people during this hard period, and doesn’t let the frolicsome Spirits play tricks upon people and beasts. And Marena, the Goddess of Winter is angry with him, and tries to set fevers to people and cattle. The Nature is in the icy slumber, and Veles alone walks over towns and villages, so as not to let us get discouraged.
On this day Veles comes as a Bull, that is why butter is brought as an offering to him, and beef is not eaten at the feast. People honor Veles, who lead us through the winter hardships, through the cold weather and snowstorms, and who will never leave us, neither in Spring nor in Summer. This day is the turning point of Winter, when we start waiting for the Spring. On this day we say that Veles broke the horns off Winter.
On this day Veles protects the cattle, chases away the illnesses, and gives people strength to live through the approaching Veles’ Frosts (as a rule, they are very severe).
We start getting ready to this Holiday on its eve. We pour milk into special pitchers, spread out carpets or animal skins, onto which we put dried cow horns. On the Kapische (our place of worship) we prepare the altar, the skins and smoke it with the burning bull’s hair. At night Volkhvs go there, to learn the will of the Wise God. The dreams that come on that night are prophetic.
Wise and Mighty is Veles! Everyone honors him, even the immaterial Navii, who roam beyond the borderline between Yav’ and Nav’, over the mysterious paths of Veles’ Fields, rejoice, glorifying the Great God. Unlike the Sun Gods, Veles is not hostile to the dwellers of Nav’, he doesn’t chase them away with burning Fire, but none of them dares to oppose his Will.
This Day is also considered a good one for treating diseases, and for making different oberegi (amulets) that symbolize the Life Force and creative power. It is believed, that the oberegi, made on Veles’ Day, are especially strong. Finally the Holiday comes. We prepare the ritual food – kasha with a lot of butter, and mead to drink. Beef is strictly forbidden on this day, because it is believed that Veles was born on the Dawn of the World from the Heavenly Cow Zyomun. The food is blessed on the altar, and then it is put onto the table, for the common feast.
In ancient times on this Day women had a procession, to chase away “Cow bane”. After the procession they used to have the ritual fight of Veles and Marena. With everyone cheering him on, a masker dressed as Veles (as a Bull, in a bull’s hide and with a spear) “breaks the horn” off Marena. And then feasting and games began.
At night women – the keepers of hearths – used to do the plowing ritual. They made a furrow with a wooden plow all around the village, in order to protect it. The oldest woman went from door to door, saying that it was time to do this rite. The women washed and dried their hands, let down their hair. The oldest of them lead them from the village, warning the men not to come out of the houses and not to look out of the window, in order to avoid great trouble. The men stayed in their homes, looking at the fire that symbolizes the hearth and the honest life. After having made the furrow, the women came back, and the plow was burned. After that an offering was done to Veles, and a large cup of mead was passed from one person to another. Everyone praised Veles and all of our Gods.
Another important moment of the Holiday is Veles’ wrestling (I am not sure that this is a good word for this, but I can’t think of any better one). It is also called the Bear Wrestling, because Bear, as well as a Bull and a Snake is one of Veles’ sacred Animals. Unlike the warrior contests, held on Perun’s Day, the duels on Veles’ Day are mainly a good-humored demonstration of the Power that Mother Earth gives to humans, not to kill each other, but to do honest work. Usually two strong men come out into the circle, hold onto each other, and each tries to fall his adversary into the snow. The winner is proclaimed “Veles’ chosen one”.
The night after Veles’ Day is good for the conception of children, who will be strong in body and Spirit. Before going to bed, women brush their husbands’ hair with special combs. It is supposed to protect them from different illnesses all the year round, and to give them the Power and Wisdom of Veles.
And the Volhvs leave alone, and go into the deep forest. There, under the bright starts, the Eyes of our Ancestors, they beat their ritual tambourines and sing praises to the Wise God.
After the Holiday Veles’ Week begins – six days, during which amazing and wonderful things happen to those, who had honored Veles.