Everyone who knows a thing or two about Slavs and their culture will tell you that they are very religious, with most of them belonging to the Eastern Orthodox denomination, and some of them (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, and Slovenia)...
Category - Mythology
There are no first-hand records for the study of Slavic mythology prior to Christianisation. According to historians, the scope of Slavic religious beliefs and traditions was passed down orally (over generations) and obviously, much of it was...
Legends about dangerous creatures that feed off others’ blood or flesh have been around for more than a millennia. While Slavs are the first ones to develop myths and legends about vampires as we know them, Mesopotamian, Hebrew, ancient Greek, and...
Slavic tales and legends are filled with various mythological creatures, some good, some bad, but all picturesque for understanding how Slavic people lived back in the day. Sirin is one of these creatures. Even though Sirin is considered to be...
First, before we start with this article, I would like to scream from the top of my lungs: SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t seen John Wick, watch it first, and then come back to this article. So, with that out of the way, let’s start! John Wick is one...
In Slavic mythology, the goddess Lada is considered the counterpart of the Scandinavian goddess Freyja and the Greek goddess Aphrodite, both divine representations of beauty, spring and rebirth (end of winter). In some Slavic myths, she is mentioned...
The first historical record that mentions Devana is the Czech “Mater Verborum” which is a Latin dictionary from the 13th century. Devana is mentioned in the text “Diana, Latonae et louis branch” or “Diana, the daughter...
Ugly, bony, immortal, and evil, Koschei the Deathless is the archetypal male antagonist and probably one of the scariest characters in Eastern Slavic folklore. Having had his soul separated from his body and hidden on an island far away...
Every year in May or mid June, there is a big celebration in Polish rural areas, known as Zielone świątki or Green week. This spring holiday is dedicated to fertility and renewal of nature. Zielone świątki doesn’t have an exact date, because it is...
Those familiar with Slavic mythology know very well that stories and characters are often pretty unconventional when compared to Western standards. The Slavic belief system is often based on hundreds of years old magical and at times bizarre...
Veela (or Vila in Serbian, Wiła in Polish) is a magical creature whose infinite beauty inspired many poems, novels, and movies. According to the legends, the beauty of their bodies, magical dances, and lovely voices is beyond the mortal’s...
The Witcher book series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski gave birth to a fantasy world that catapulted Slavic mythology creatures deep into Western popular culture. Based on the books, Polish game-studio CD Projekt Red created the renowned role...
