HISTORY: AN INTRODUCTION

Early Slavic paganism has been a challenge for historians to study. Unlike other culture's mythology, there is no existing original source material because the early Slavs left no records of their gods, prayers, or rituals due to the extensive Christianisation they underwent. This leaves us with secondary sources, and with the pagan rituals that have survived to this day. The Slavic Native Faith, or Rodnovery (sometimes known as Slavic Neopaganism) is the faithful continuation of the survived rituals and beliefs from pre-Christianisation. The name derives from the Proto-Slavic roots *rod (род), meaning "indigenous", "ancestral", "native", "kin" and"race"; *vera meaning "faith" or "religion" (1). The religion itself is believed by the majority to be open, however there are many contradicting statements on the subject. Slavic witchcraft and Slavic Paganism can be considered a closed practice depending on the area/region.

There are a number of different holidays throughout the year, where rituals can either be "external" (exoteric) or "internal" (esoteric) Generally speaking, ritual activities may be distinguished into "external" (exoteric) and "internal" (esoteric) relative to the different communities. External ceremonies are mass gatherings, dedicated to the worship of common gods, involving large numbers of people. Internal ceremonies are those restricted to specific groups, holding special meaning for such groups; they may comprise private rituals and worship of specific ancestors (2).

The aim of this site is to provide a compendium of information for Slavic witches and those interested in Slavic faith and practices. I am in no way an expert, and aim to cite the information all over this site where necessary. Webpages currently include (or will include in the future): Deities, Folklore, Practices and Rituals, a Slavic pagan calendar, and more! Enjoy your stay :)