Ancient celebrations dedicated to Perun
Reviewing the ancient origins of the feast, we find many rituals and beliefs, survived though the centuries and adapted in the Christian tradition. Perun was associated also with war and weapons, for this reason in the ancient celebrations after praising the deity and preparing a sacrificial ox, the men performed ritual blessing of their weapons. Then the ritual combat between Perun and Veles was reenacted.
According to the ancient legend, Veles, the Slavic deity of earth, underground and cattle, envied Perun and his celestial cloud herds. So, once he turned into a huge snake, drove Perun’s cattle from heavens and hid it in his underground caves. All clouds disappeared from the sky, causing a terrible drought on earth. On learning about the abduction of his cattle, Perun drove in his fiery chariot to the cave of Veles and called him out. Veles slipped out of the cave and ran away, Perun chasing him in his chariot and shooting his lightning. Trying to escape, Veles turned into a man, a cow, then into a horse, but each time Perun recognized him by the characteristic golden mark and stroke him with his fiery arrows. Veles hid under a tree – and the tree was destroyed, he hid under a stone – and the stone was broken in pieces. Then Veles jumped into the water and lied low on the bottom. “Here you will stay, this is the proper place for you!” – shouted Perun, then opened the caves to let out his celestial herds. Two days of the warm rain filled the ground with moisture, restoring its fertility and fruitfulness. And Veles from then on never dared to come out of the deep waters.
(the legend is translated from Russian, original text is taken from http://www.licey.net/myth/book2/poedinok)
Picture: Perun idol, photo by Svyatoslav Don.
Taken from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Perun_idol.jpg
In the Christian traditions, St Ilya replaced Perun in the folk beliefs.
The feast of Ilya was widely known as “angry”, or “fearsome” day, considered one of the most dangerous period in the year. People believed, that Ilya could apply punishments on those who worked in the fields not respecting his holiday, could send terrible thunderstorms and driving rains on the fields, not harvested yet, as well as could strike households with lightning. But he also ruled rains which ensured fertility of the ground and crops’ health, so the rain at Ilya’s feast day was considered a good sign, which meant good harvest, and also protection from the fires.
Picture: George Morland. Before a Thunderstorm.
Taken from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Morland_-_Before_a_Thunderstorm_-_WGA16242.jpg
In many regions this day was considered calendar boundary, after which the first signs of autumn appeared, the period of rains and storms started, some animals disappeared for winter season, and wolves became more active. Until today, people avoid to bathe in rivers and ponds after Ilya’s Day.
In the beginning of the celebration people made so-called “live fire” by rubbing and the bonfire of oak logs was lit from it. Often the prayer service was held outside in the field. In Ukraine and Russia peasants arranged so-called “bratchina”, a communal meal, at which the ritual ox was roasted and eaten by the whole community recalling the sacrifice to Perun. Bratchina ended with games, dances and songs. In Bulgaria the traditional roasted ox or bull was known as “kurban”.
There was a tradition in the Southern regions of Russia and in Ukraine to bake bread made of the flour of the new harvested grain for Ilya’s Day. The bread was blessed in church and included into the festive meal. In some regions people made gifts to propitiate the Prophet, bringing some lamb meat, honey, beer, some ears of rye and peas to the church.
The greater part of the legends and beliefs considering Perun, and later St Ilya, were designed to explain such natural phenomena as thunderstorms, lightning, the ones most complicated and terrifying in the bygone times.
By ancient folk tales, Ilya delivers water to the saints in the heaven, and spills a bit of it, which falls on the earth as rain. And in winter there are no thunderstorms because in winter saints don’t use water. By another belief, thunder is created by the moving of Ilya’s chariot, in which he rides in the skies, and from under the hooves of his horses the lightning comes out. In case of a thunderstorm on Ilya’s Day, peasants closed tightly the doors and windows of the house and prayed before the icons, appealing to the mercy of the Saint.
There is a legend, that when demons rebelled against God, he ordered Ilya to drive them all away from heavens. From then on Ilya has been hunting the evil creatures, sending his “fiery arrows” on them, which are seen from the earth as lightning.
Ilya was considered the powerful destroyer of all evil spirits, which were terrified by the Saint and tried to hide from him and his powerful rains by all means. In some Slavic regions people believed that demons turned into various animals like hares, cats, foxes etc. For this reason, people usually kept cats and dogs outside the house during the day of Ilya, in order not to attract the storm and lightning of the Saint to the house. Also the rain on this day was believed to possess special powers against the evil, and people used to collect it and wash themselves with it to be protected from the evil creatures and spells.
The prohibition of bathing after Ilya’s Day is explained, probably, by the folk observations, that water became colder and was filled with different vegetation. Anyway, in some regions people say that when Ilya the Prophet was riding in the skies, one of his horses lost its horseshoe, which fell into the water making it cold. Other legends tell that in this very period all evil creatures came back into rivers and lakes from the shores, so it was particularly dangerous for people to enter the waters.
Picture: Fyodor Vasilyev. Before a Thunderstorm.
Taken from http://www.wikipaintings.org/en/fyodor-vasilyev/before-a-thunderstorm-1