The history of the development of the human race is filled with various legends and beliefs, which for the most part do not stand up to any constructive criticism. However, there is something that even the most inflexible skeptics give in to - the legends and myths about religion. So, everyone knows for sure that paganism laid the foundation for the development of modern spiritual views. The ancient Slavs, living on the territory of modern Southern and Eastern Europe, worshiped a huge number of gods, the main of which was the god Perun, the son of Svarog. Today, evidence of the worship of the Thunderer is found all over the world.
The very first mention of it is the Old Slavonic treaties, manuscripts and annals. One of the clearest examples is the famous Tale of Bygone Years, in which the god Perun is presented as one of the six main pagan Slavic gods.
It is worth noting that this Almighty was the lord of lightning, thunderstorms and rain. According to some reports, it was identified with the harvest and fertility. The cult of veneration of Perun manifested itself especially brightly during the reign of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, also known as the “RedSun . It was then that this thunder god began to be revered as the patron of the squad and warriors. In those days, a huge number of temples appeared, where services took place, the constant witness of which was the eternal flame.
Perun is the god of heaven, but also the earth was considered his fiefdom. Fields, forests and groves were subject to his direct authority. Therefore, it is not surprising that in those days it was considered sacrilege and blasphemy to tear off a branch from a reserved tree. For such a transgression, inevitable punishment followed. The oak grove was of particular importance. It was believed that among the powerful centuries-old branches of this tree, a mighty supreme power hides during a thunderstorm. Based on this, the Slavs believed that if lightning hit the oak, the god Perun became angry and indicated that people had angered him.
Sometimes animals, most often wild boars, were offered as sacrifices to the Almighty. It was believed that the boar is a product of evil, and in order to fight it, it is necessary to bring gifts to Perun. In addition, many stories and chronicles claim that even people lay down on the altar to pay for great sins and to appease God. It should be noted that blood offerings were very rare: usually only once a year, in July.
It is worth saying that the god Perun is the patron of the fern. It was believed that only the father of the whole Earth is able to endow him with flowers. Ancient temples and sanctuaries sometimes had a shape resembling an octagon of a fern. The ancient Slavs called this plant none other than"Perunov color". They firmly believed that on the night of Ivan Kupala, God de alt with unclean forces with the help of lightning, thunder and thunder. It is from the charge sent down to the earth that the fern blooms.
Some sources claim that there are records representing the commandments of the god Perun. There are 33 of them in total. Each of them teaches a person to be better, purer and more truthful, punishes how to live in harmony with oneself and the world.
