The pantheon of the open air
Spirits of the hearth and harvest
The rhythm of the early Slavic village
Seasonal festivals and the wheel of the year
What was the name of the early Slavic spirit world where souls traveled after death?
What sacred oak log did early Slavs burn during the winter solstice festival of Koliada?
renaissanceman Spin the wheel of seasons to learn how ancient Slavic families lived and worshiped.
renaissanceman Koliada was the winter solstice festival marking the return of light with carols and costumes.
Which solar deity was believed to be reborn during the winter solstice festival of Koliada?
What did the round pancakes eaten during the late-winter festival of Maslenitsa symbolize?
renaissanceman Slavic Seasonal Festivals
Midsummer's bright glow, Kupala's fire's aglow, Wreaths float where love will flow.
renaissanceman Maslenitsa welcomed spring with round pancakes that symbolized the warmth of the returning sun.
According to Slavic lore, what magical flower bloomed only on Kupala Night, granting the power to find hidden treasure?
What term describes the 'double belief' system where Slavs practiced pagan and Christian rituals side-by-side?
The magic fern: Slavic folklore claimed the fern bloomed only on Kupala Night, granting anyone who found it the power to read minds.
Which winter goddess was burned in effigy at the end of Maslenitsa to welcome spring?
What did young Slavic women float down rivers on Kupala Night to predict their marriage prospects?
Either of the two times of the year when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky. Early Slavs marked these solar events with festivals like Kupala in summer and Koliada in winter.