Czecho-Slovak Student Life/Volume 18/Number 1/Paganism in Ancient Slovakia

by Ivan Kramoris

Paganism in Ancient Slovakia.
For the “S. L” by Fr. Ivan Kramoris.

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N RECENT years much interest has been shown in ancient Slovak history. Altho the Slovaks do not as yet possess a complete history of their race, due to a thousand year bondage under the Magyars, still, we hope that in the near future the archives in Hungary, Germany and Bohemia will illumine many of the dark periods.

An interesting point in Slovak life of the pre-christian era is their belief in gods. Some proof is forthcoming from old runes which have been found in and around Slovakia, for it must be remembered that at that time Slovakia extended south of the Danube and probably west of the Morava, for even to-day the people living there speak a Slovak dialect.

Acording to tradition the Slovaks inhabiting this territory had several kinds of pagan gods. We now divide them into major gods and minor gods. Of the major gods there were four; Parom, Veles, Vesna and Morena. The minor ones were more numerous: Vily, Rusalky, Zmok, Skriatok, Svetlonos, Mora, Dedko, Rarasek, Jezibaba, Hoja Dunda, and many others.

Parom was the chief of all the gods, Like Jupiter he was the god of thunder, which is not suprising, for even to-day, thunder, of all nature’s wonders, bewilders one the most. The present Slovaks still use the name of this god, mostly as a curse word. Such as: “Would that Parom take you”, “Would that Parom visit you”, “A man of Parom”, etc., are even at present very common.

Another major god was Veles, who was the god of all the shepherds.

The third was a female goddess named Vesna, the goddess of spring and crops.

The fourth and very interesting goddess was Morena, the goddess of death. Her feast is celebrated in many places even to-day. The young ladies of a town, dressed in their Sunday best, elect one of the group, pin a cap to her hair, then in a sort of funeral procession walk thru the town with Morena, as they then call the young lady, holding her high above their heads. After that she is undressed and thrown into the stream. All this pictures the coming of spring. Morena, death, or winter, is done away with; and Vesna, spring, now takes her place banishing sorrow and bringing hope.

The minor gods were more numerous, as has already been mentioned, and are widely known among the Slovak common folk even today.

Vily, the best known, were of a feminine nature, of a bewitching and beautiful form, and were believed to be the souls of those who had loved and died before they were married.

Rusalky, also well known even now, were the souls of dead forefathers.

Zmok was a fiery dragon who brought riches to those who sold themselves to him.

Skriatok was a god possessing the form of a small black chick. To obtain his favor one would have to carry an egg, laid by black chicken, under his arm for seven weeks, during which time he was to recite certain prayers. At the end of the seven week a black chick would be hatched which was then to be put in the attic. A hole was drilled into the ceiling, through which money poured to those who possessed the chick or skriatok.

Svetlonos was believed to be spirit in the form of a small flying light (probably a fire-fly who led people to their destruction during the night.

Dedko was the fireside god who lived under the doorstep.

Rarasek was the god of wind and the people pictured him as the smallest evil spirit in hell.

Jezibaba, well known even now, was an ugly old woman with beard over a foot long. The witch in English seems to come close to the Slovak Jezibaba.

Hoja Dunda was some kind of crazed goddess and the Slovak of today call young women, who are a little too lively, “Hoja Dunda”.

At their burnt offerings the ancient Slovaks sacrificed animals, mostly chickens, bakery, honey cheese, and other foods. They also had drink offerings and the father of the family would, on the occasion of sacrifice, deliver a toast in some god’s honor.

Among other things connected with the pagan Slovak worship were the priests. Some were known as wizards, and travelled all over the land; others were stationed at a permanent place of sacrifice.

The Slovak burials resembled those of the Romans. The bodies were dressed in the best clothes; if the body was that of a warrior, his coat of arms went with him. The funeral pyre was built and after the fire consumed the corpse the ashes were put into an urn and preserved.

If a young unmarried man or lady died, the funeral was preceded by a marriage at which the dead body was married to the living one. The funeral over, a feas usually followed. Even here in America, the Slovaks today observe the custom of returning to the home of the deceased and having their little feast.

This paganism, by which the Slovak, no doubt, tried to satisfy his belief in a Creator, was replaced by Christianity in 863, which is the religion of the Slovaks today. May Christ always rule this devout and docile race.