Perun's day - a holiday in honor of the patron saint of warriors and farmers

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Perun - the God of Thunder in Slavic mythology, the keeper of power, the patron of warriors, farmers, hunters, fishermen, furriers, beekeepers and tailors. According to legend, on this day, Perunov's horse rushing across the sky fell into the water

horseshoe, why the water in all reservoirs became cool. It was believed that Perun "summer ends", by the onset of this day, haymaking was already coming to an end, and the harvest was beginning. According to popular beliefs, rain on Perun's day washes away all evil spells, illnesses, damage and evil eye, and if there was no rain, then the people fearfully expected forest fires. As usual, it was impossible to work on that day. Preparations for the holiday began a week in advance. All over the village, women baked a huge pie, cooked a lot of cottage cheese and brewed beer.

Celebration Attributes

Perun's Day is celebrated in late July-early August. However, the celebration can be rescheduled to Friday or Sunday. Traditionally, this holiday is celebrated on the fortieth day after the people perform all the ablutions, cleanse the body, soul and spirit on the day of Kupala, the day of the summer Solstice. As a rule, the festivities last all night and end only at dawn. In the oldtimes, oaths were sealed with the name of Perun. Its symbol is strong

oak, so it is advisable to carry out festivities in an oak grove or near a mighty oak, the presence of water and stone is also necessary. The peculiarity of this holiday is the repetition of the deeds of the Thunderer, that is, rumbling with the help of drums, buckets, barrels, shields, hammers and chains, splashing water on the ground. Of course, it cannot do without ritual fire. The holiday must have been accompanied by such products as bread, honey in combs, pea and turnip dishes, meat and fish. Of the plants, oak, iris, tarragon, cuckoo's tears were welcomed. Perun's day passed to the sounds of trumpets, bells, tambourines, rattles and pipes. All the celebrants were dressed in red clothes: men in shirts, and women in scarves and towels.

Festival program

From the very morning on Perun's day, all the men gathered for the beginning. Everyone was required to have a cold weapon with them: a knife, an ax, a sword, a spear. Armed men sang praises to the brave Perun, making a solemn procession, after which the weapon should be consecrated. As a rule, a bull was brought as a sacrifice. On his sacrificial blood, the magi performed a conspiracy of weapons. At the end of the beginning, ritual fights were organized, symbolizing the battle of Perun with Veles. Men demonstrated their courage and bravery in one-on-one, wall-to-wall and one-on-one battles. Then there was an initiation into the warriors. This was a very important event for young teenagers, becausewho passed the test became a full-fledged warrior, received the right to bear arms and, of course, a new status that made the girls treat them differently.

The celebration ended with the presentation of gifts to the altar of Perun. The Magi set fire to the boat, in which these gifts were located, and on the burnt ashes, covered with earth, a feast and a feast were performed. At the general feast, they remembered all the defending warriors, commemorated the dead.

After the baptism of Russia, Perunov day was replaced by the day of the Prophet Elijah.