Today is Saturday, and wedding groups are standing all along the embankment again, a little bored.Wedding ritualspretty boring now. Large and small groups, with longer and shorter cars, with equally slightly strained smiles and glasses of yellow bubbly liquid in their hands.Wedding ceremonies - a long-awaited reason to dress up, Girls in formal bright dresses, for some reason very short, like going to a disco, mothers in light-colored ones, fathers in tight suits, guys in polished suits important occasion boots. All of them, like groovy ones, shout at regular intervals: “bitter!”, but most of the time they whisper about something of their own.Slavic wedding traditions transformed into throwing cereals and dragging the bride in his arms across the bridge, if kilograms of live weight allow. The young people click locks on the bridge grate, which is already creaking under the rusty kilograms of past hopes, put withered flowers to the eternal flame, and dream about that long-awaited moment when this stereotyped fun can end. Perhaps they think the best thing has happened to themwedding in Slavic traditions.What is the deep essence of the Slavic wedding ceremonies?
Wedding rituals. Should not be doing that!
So sacred look like these days. Probably, something remains inside, with some almost forgotten feelings we understand that before our eyes a most important event is taking place, determining the fate of further children of this kind. But do these people know, does the bare-backed, bare-armed bride without a veil know what she is risking by going to her husband’s house in this form? I'm afraid not.Wedding in Slavic traditionsdeep and multifaceted.
The union of a man and a woman in a marriage is not just a matter for the two of them. For more high level Being is a matter of two kinds.For the bride's family this is a loss, for the husband's family it is a gain. But this is at the same time, and strengthens both types.It’s not without reason that they say that as a result of a wedding, people become “RELATED” and acquire “new RELATIVES”.
A wedding ceremony performed in heaven
People have almost forgotten that an event such as a wedding changes future destinies at the upper subtle level of our existence.The world of Rule and Navi blows directly on us, innocently living in the material, manifest world, existing here and not here at the same time.This is the world of the highest Gods who created this universe in the middle of the destructive breath of the surrounding Chaos.
Wedding ceremonytwo in this subtle world sets armies in motion.The Gods of Rule are actively involved in this most important event. At the same time, precisely at that hour when the bride, completingSlavic wedding traditions, unweaves girl's braid in the mother's house, puts on a white closed shirt and says goodbye to his father's Churs - the Guardians, to begin his wedding train, the army of Navyas, ugly and senseless creatures of Chaos, trumpets the gathering.
The ceremony of unbraiding the braid. Veles circle.
It is at this hour that the soul of a woman, left without parental patrons, represents for them a tasty prey, a most valuable prize, a ground for envy, flattery, fear and resentment!The bride goes to the sacred fire, where Chura’s husbands, the Patrons, are waiting for her, and at this time she is vulnerable to the penetration of incorporeal navias as never before.This is why the bride should be in long dress with sleeves, and the head is covered with thick fabric. No need to take risks!Wedding ceremonies The bride is not allowed to wear open dresses!
Traditional bridal veil. Veles circle.
The role of attendants and wedding rituals
And the main task of those accompanying the wedding train is to protect, protect, and bring the bride to a safe place! What did you do while observing? The bride and groom fasted and prepared for the most important day of their lives for several days.On the wedding day, everyone wore white clothes, richly decorated with protective embroidery. After all, the dangerous task of colliding with other worlds lay ahead. Wedding rituals included the invitation of a special sorceress, who made the rounds of the wedding train, casting spells and performing magic known to her alone.There was a whole group of conspiracies under the general name: “Let go of the wedding.”
The groom's friends had to surround the wedding train with a protective wall and one of them had to be with a whip to drive away all the navies who, rumbling with excitement, were crowding around in the hope of getting the now defenseless Soul.The responsibility of the groom is to bring his bride to the ritual fire, enveloping him in his love, in which there is no place for evil feelings. Modern , as you can see, they completely excluded these roles of the groom and invited friends.
Wedding rituals - water and fire
Wedding ceremony includes the obligatory crossing of flowing water - a river or even a stream. Why? Because living water, according to Slavic mythology, separates the worlds, creates a transition between this place and that, and allows you to travel between worlds.The bride, groom and wedding train go between the worlds on a subtle level, the forces of the Rule seem to test and weigh feelings, intentions, and the correctness of creation at this hour new family, a new future for both genders.This is the time when the past, present and future are woven into a new ball, from which the destinies of the next generations will be woven.This is why the bride must be open to the Gods, even if it means being open to the forces of Chaos. In that deep meaning which they carrywedding Slavic traditions.
Here, finally, is the temple, the sorcerer and the sacred fire.Wedding ceremonymust obtain permission from the Gods.
Prayer to the Gods for permission to marry. Veles circle.
"Oh Gods! Will you accept the demand, will you agree with the union of these clans?” - everyone, trembling, awaits the answer to this question from the sorcerer. If the answer is “No”, the wedding will not happen now!If: “Yes,” then the sacred fire, around which the young people will walk around three times holding hands, will unite the births in an eternal union.The guardian churas will gently cover the young wife with their protection. The newlyweds are married in heaven, the families are united! Hooray! It's finished!
The families were united in heaven. Veles circle.
Now you can rest, anchored in the manifest world for the duration of the wedding feast, and then soar again to the heights of the Spirit on the wedding night, when the Gods open their world to lovers.
Modern wedding rituals
What now? Customs that have lost their meaning.Rituals at a weddingblindly copy some individual actions. Yes, the bride is in white, but the dress, inappropriate for the event, reveals her arms and shoulders, and there is no thick veil.It reveals itself just at the moment when it needs to be covered.Rituals at a weddinginvolve drinking alcoholic beverages for fun, when, on the contrary, you need to be focused, sublime and careful.Those accompanying the wedding believe that they were invited as witnesses to the event, instead of recognizing themselves as protectors for a dangerous time.As before, cars with young people try to drive across the bridge and go to the fire, having forgotten the reason for what is happening.The splash of water evokes some forgotten feelings, of course.The eternal flame, lit in almost every city for a completely different reason, attracts young people with some kind of genetic memory.
Will our society return to understanding? true reasons and consequences? Will we be able to remember, realize, and not be afraid to become different from the crowd?Will we be able to be born, have a wedding and die correctly? These senseless and dangerous weddings will of course continue.But there is hope that some of us can get it right. For those who are open to the living heritage of the past.
Where can I find out the true wedding rituals?
Where can I find out? There are many opportunities now. One of them -beautiful books from the Northern Fairytale publishing house. They contain a funny, sad, mundane and sublime world of Gods and people, full of adventures and meanings.In them people are born, get married, live, and rejoice just like the Gods.
look, in the title tale of the book “Games the Gods Play", Svarog and Lada are giving their daughter Lina in marriage, and in another fairy tale in the same book people are already having a wedding.
Here, listen to part of the story:
And at this time the groom came to the table and put a pair of shoes wrapped in an embroidered towel in front of the bride. The girlfriends immediately sang loudly and harmoniously:
Don't go barefoot, there's dew outside,
Here are some new boots for your feet,
The heels are shackled, the heels are blushed!The bride thanked the groom, sat down on the bench and began to change her shoes,then she took the groom off, gave him new boots and helped him put them on.This was a signal that it was time to walk across the bridge to the temple and receive the blessing of the gods.The groom took the bride by the hand and led her across the bridge across the river, and all the guests followed along with a song. Dobryan, of course, did not lag behind either. And the guests sang:
Because of the mountains, mountains, high mountains,
Because of the forest, the dark forest
Violent winds flew out,
Beat off the white swan
What from a flock of swan,
Nailed a white swan
What about geese and gray ducks?
It’s not a swan, it’s a beautiful maiden,
Those are not geese, gray ducks, -
That's the groom with his groom.
Fire-father broke out,
Mother Water splashed,
Copper pipes sounded -
The betrothed go and dress up,
They walk across the bridge to the temple,
the path spreads like a smooth tablecloth.The sorcerer was presented with loaves of the bride and groom, the sorcerer cut the loaves into halves, tied the groom's half with the bride's half, and brought the tied halves as a gift to the Gods.The remaining parts were divided among the guests. And at this time the sorcerer married the bride and groom with hoops while the guests sang:
Svarog comes from the forge,
Svarog carries three hammers,
Svarog the blacksmith, forge us a crown!
Marriage bondage, beautiful and new,
To be married in that crown,
Among Svarga the crowns are bound,
In bright Irya they are gilded,
On earth the sorcerer is appreciated.
Who should wear these crowns?
Well done to Van with Lyubavushka!The sorcerer tied the hands of the young couple with a wedding towel and, holding its ends, circled the couple three times around the theft.They began to shower the newlyweds with poppy seeds, grain, hops, and flower petals, and the wedding procession headed back to the banquet table. Dobryan followed the wedding events with interest.
They're so funny and smart wedding ceremonies were in Rus'!
The first lights in the village were lit, which means night is near. Yarina is restless in her soul, rushing around her upper room like an animal in a cage. And after all, any other girl in her place would go crazy with happiness, and would roll her eyes languidly. Today they will come to Yarina to get married, but she doesn’t know what to do. On the one hand, you look and Gorislav is dear to her. The first fellow in the village, broad in the shoulders, and with hair darker than a raven's wing. And the look, as if living amber was burning in it. It has its own forge, a bright and large house, and even cattle. All the village girls rush at such a groom, but Gorislav sees no one. He won't even smile once. He walks around all the time, gloomy and serious, never comes to the river for a get-together, doesn’t even jump over a fire. And he is older, and tall as a rock. Yarina was still just a girl, and Gorislava stayed away. As soon as he sees something in the distance, he goes and immediately runs and hides. And she would hide, so she started peeking. She liked to watch how Gorislav worked in his forge, how his strong and dark hands, with fire, how he treated a small child. Yarina sat like a mouse, she was afraid to even breathe. And she also saw how this blacksmith smiled gloomily, so that it was as if the sun appeared from behind the clouds for a moment. He smiled only in his forge, as if he was afraid that someone would see. Gorislav sunk into the heart of little Yarina, and when she reached her sixteenth spring, the blacksmith found her hiding place. How ashamed she was then, Yarina had never blushed so much. And the blacksmith, you know, looked at her with his amber eyes and smiled. He told her to go home and no longer sneak up like a thief, but come like a welcome guest. From then on, it became a habit that Yarina would run away from her mother and go straight to the forge. He sits in the corner and is silent the whole evening. He watches how the fire in the furnace dances, how the hammer falls heavily on the hot iron. Gorislav stealthily looks at his guest and smiles in his thoughts. Curious Yarina, headstrong, with a completely unyielding disposition, but so kind and sincere that it is impossible not to love her. So Gorislav fell in love with her, and said that he would come to marry her. I'm restless because of something in my soul. And she is waiting for her betrothed, and she is afraid that he will come. Mother said that all the girls are worried about this, they are afraid to leave their father’s house. Yes, but if Yarina is scared, what if Gorislav turns out to be harsh and starts forbidding her from everything, for example, dancing or laughing. The married girls, all of them sitting gloomily at home, and not singing at all. Yarina doesn’t want this kind of life.
She heard them enter the upper room. So the matchmaking has begun. And Gorislav came not alone, but as faithful friends. He hears his father asking the blacksmith about everything. Yarina almost doesn’t breathe, she knows that her father liked such a groom. But she can’t sit still, so she bursts into the room like crazy without permission. She doesn’t see anyone except Gorislav, and he stands spellbound and only looks at her. Suddenly, she takes off from her place, and embraces her little one in his big arms and says:
- Don't be afraid of anything, dear. I will love you with all my soul. I will die for you and I will live for you. You will live with me as a free bird. You won’t, like your married friends, walk around gloomy and unfriendly. You will sing so that your voice will sound clear in my house. I want you to smile and laugh like a little child, carefree.
Yarina listens to Gorislav’s quiet voice, the beating of his heart, and all her worries go away. She has nothing to fear now with such a groom. He loves her, and she loves him. Just let the priest schedule the wedding as soon as possible, so that the whole village can walk around, drink hops and dance in circles. Yarina wants others to be happy too. And I thought it would be better if Gorislav came to her during the day to woo her, so that everyone could see what an enviable husband she would now have. It’s not good for someone like that to come at night and in the dark, because no one will refuse such a groom.
The ancient Slavs took all important events very seriously. Each holiday was preceded by a series of preparations. Each action had its own secret meaning, absolutely everything was interconnected. There were no empty dances and songs; behind every step, behind every lunge of the hand and sound, there was a message into space, to higher powers. The ancient Slavs believed in the flow of forces, in energy, so they took every step very deliberately. What can we say about the wedding. Firstly, no one took such a step out of the blue, even despite their feelings. The universe does not tolerate haste. The lovers took a long time to decide on this step, as did their parents. Starting a family was considered one of the most important actions in a person’s life. Two destinies and two lives were linked forever. In the minds of the ancient Slavs, family was an unbreakable bond. Even after death, the souls of the spouses continued to remain connected. This was the case in all worlds and dimensions. Therefore, it is no wonder that such a serious step required complete confidence on the part of the young people in each other and own feelings, as well as a whole series of rituals to tie together the life streams of future spouses.
Let's start with the name of the wedding celebration itself. In the old days it was called Lubomir. There is no need to guess at all to understand the meaning of this name. Love and Peace are fundamental concepts in the minds of the ancient Slavs. The combination of the male and female divine principles gave birth to the universe, this was due to love. In nature, everything is arranged in such a way that different polarities attract, and as a result something new happens. This attraction for our ancestors was love - the desire for a new life. The union of a man and a woman predicted the emergence of new life and the fulfillment of the main mystery of the universe. Therefore, the marriage itself was called Lubomir, two people created their own world and became like gods - creators. By the way, this name had three different meanings: it was both a holiday that was celebrated every year and wedding ritual, and marriage itself. Lubomir was strong and was created to last a lifetime. There were few possibilities to terminate it, except perhaps the death of one of the spouses, or some other reason out of the ordinary. This indicates extremely serious attitude and the respect of the ancient Slavs for the institution of marriage and family.
In the old wedding rituals there was no hint of fights, drunkenness and other indecencies. Our ancestors did not drink alcohol in any form. All rituals were performed in a sober mind, and the ancient Slavs did not have to drink to have fun. Looking at how weddings are celebrated today, the author desperately wants to return to the pagan past. The ancient Slavs sang and danced, and organized various games and competitions, and did not disgrace themselves with indecent behavior. This is very important to remember, because our ancestors considered Lubomir a spiritual celebration, and first of all everything was done to please the soul, and then the body. That is, the point of the wedding was not to eat to your heart's content, get drunk as hell, and then shout obscene ditties at the top of your lungs.
By the way, tradition with wedding rings existed in the old days, only it was more multifaceted and complex. It wasn’t like the guy just came to the bride’s house and, amid the screams and screams of the guests, put a ring on the betrothed’s finger. Both sides carefully prepared for this action since adolescence. As soon as a boy or girl turned twelve, well, maximum sixteen years old, they began to wear silver ring. Silver because, firstly, this metal was considered the most sacred and pure among the ancient Slavs, and secondly, our ancestors believed that it was silver that could fully absorb all human energy. So, when the betrothal took place (by the way, it is worth noting that the very name of this action comes from the word “hoop”) the bride and groom exchanged rings. But contrary to today's traditions, the rings were not worn on the hands, but hung on the neck, closer to the heart. With such an engagement necklace, the betrothed were supposed to spend from sixteen to forty days (apparently the decision on the period was made by the sorcerer). This time was allotted so that the young could absorb the essence and energy of their loved one. The engagement, by the way, could take place in private, away from prying eyes, or in the presence of family and friends. In any case, both families knew about what was happening, and parental blessing on both sides was considered a necessary factor for the betrothal to take place. On the day when Lyubomir was celebrated, the bride and groom put on each other new rings, which were made by the master of the family. The new ring was put on ring finger right hand. Old rings were returned to their original wearers and placed on the ring finger of the left hand. This closed the spiritual circle between the spouses, hand to hand.
The wedding celebration was not accompanied by such stupid rituals as ransom. Lubomir, as previously mentioned, had a spiritual purpose, and such base and pitiful concepts as money simply could not exist there. Of course, the future head of the family had to be able to support his wife and children, but in no case did this become a determining factor, saying that whoever is richer will give his daughter to him. The man himself, his spirit, his will, and his actions were much more valued. The groom could even take part in specially arranged competitions with brothers, father, or other relatives of the chosen one. It could have been battles, although they fought with wooden tools so as not to injure or accidentally kill someone, but the fight was in full force. This was how a man’s physical fitness was tested, because he had to be able to protect his family from physical threats. They often hunted together to test how successful and skilled the groom was. The girls also had to work hard, because they had to compete with the female half of the groom’s family. Knowledge of handicrafts, cooking and household maintenance was valued. Of course, the ability to sing and dance was also encouraged, but the woman was primarily interpreted as a mistress and keeper of the hearth, not as a singer and dancer. Certainly modern women They will just snort at all these facts, but before people had completely different thinking and understanding of female and male purpose. The author will not judge what is bad and what is good, but will only say what is good when everything has its place and purpose. Everything is the will of heaven.
The reader may ask, what would a holiday be without a round dance?! Of course, there was one on Lyubomir, and not an ordinary one, but a very special one. In the evening, when the main part of the celebration was over, people moved closer to bodies of water, to the river, for example. A fire was lit there. Usually two fires were built for young people. One of them was intended for a round dance of girls, and the second for a round dance of boys. It is worth noting that the movement of the girls’ round dance took place in the direction of the sun. This was called salting. But the round dance of the young men moved in the opposite direction, that is, in the opposite direction. Even here, the sacred meaning of the understanding of the feminine and masculine principles by the ancient Slavs is hidden: the masculine principle rebels against nature, and it is characterized by the manifestation of strength and aggression, while feminine on the contrary, it creates and multiplies. The combination of these two principles gives balance and true unity, complementing each other everywhere. The bonfires themselves, around which the round dances took place, were located in such a way that at one specific point, the dancers touched each other’s backs. The sorcerer gave a sign and the round dances froze for a moment, so that upon contact, the young man always found himself opposite the girl. It was these two who were taken out of the round dance, then the movement resumed and moved smoothly until another pair was formed again. There should have been nine such pairs. Then, the girls and boys were placed so that their backs touched. Then they had to say the name of all three worlds (that is, Reality, Rule and Nav) and then turn their heads. If both turned their heads in the same direction, then it was believed that there was a spiritual connection between such people. This did not mean that the boy and girl necessarily had to get married, but it could be a sign of friendship, spiritual union and patronage, as between brother and sister.
Pre-wedding and wedding ritual
Each ritual in the wedding procession had its own strictly designated time and sequence. In general, the entire celebration with all the accompanying preparations lasted for a couple of months. Each locality had its own unique customs and nuances, but in general all rituals were divided into two types: pre-wedding and wedding. The first group included the following events: matchmaking, bridesmaids, engagement, loaf baking, bachelorette party and gala evening. Let's look at each of them in more detail.
Matchmaking.
When the bride was chosen and feelings were tested, it was the turn to meet the chosen one’s parents and ask for their consent. Before this, of course, the groom announced his intention to his parents. They usually came to get married at the end of the evening, right up to the night. There was an intention here, if the groom was given a turn - a turn, then he could leave the girl’s house unnoticed. This would not cause unnecessary gossip and gossip. Here concern was shown not only for one’s own position, but also for the girl’s position. Usually the groom was accompanied by his two closest and trusted friends. They had to use all their skills and abilities in order to win over the owners of the house. First, the conversation took place with the girl’s parents so that they could evaluate the groom. Only after his candidacy had been previously approved by the household, was the girl herself called in for a conversation and asked for her opinion. A note to modern young ladies from the author - the girls were asked for their opinions, which means they were valued as individuals, and there were no misogynists. Of course, the opposite probably also happened, but in most cases the girl could, if she wanted, refuse to marry if the boy was not nice to her.
Bride.
After matchmaking and reaching agreement on the part of the bride and her parents, it was the turn of the groom and his family to appear in a favorable light. Parents and close relatives gathered and went to visit the groom's house. Of course, there is no denying that this campaign had a material motivation. The girl’s parents had to make sure that the groom was a working man who would be able to support his family in the future, despite all the difficulties. The young man should already have his own farm. You cannot and should not accuse our ancestors of commercialism, because kissing under the moon alone will not satisfy you.
Engagement.
After the matchmaking and viewing, it was necessary to make it clear to those around, in particular the rest of the boys and girls in the settlement, that the bride and groom were no longer free for unnecessary antics and frivolities. The groom and his family got ready and went to the bride's house, where, according to custom, a table rich in treats was set. The bride and groom were seated together, and their hands were tied with towels. This meant the betrothal itself, after which it was no longer possible to refuse the wedding without bringing shame on the family. Moreover, the refusing party had to pay the second family for the so-called “moral damage”.
Baking a loaf.
The loaf is generally a symbol of Slavic hospitality. Our most respected and long-awaited guests are still greeted this way - with a loaf of bread and salt in their hands. The loaf was a symbol of home and comfort. It’s no wonder that the future housewife had to be able to bake this pastry. Our ancestors turned baking a loaf into a real sacred ritual. It took place in the bride's house, where all married relatives gathered. Their number had to be odd; according to the beliefs of our ancestors, this was a lucky omen. They baked a loaf of bread, accompanying all this with songs and dances. In a word, the Slavic women organized gatherings (oh, these women, just give them a reason).
Bachelorette party and evening of well done (bachelor party).
Before Lyubomir's day, the bride and groom gathered their closest friends to spend the last day of their old, single life. It was a kind of farewell to childhood, youthful carefreeness and lightness. Family did not mean shackles for the ancient Slavs, but it was regarded as a huge responsibility that required no small courage and fortitude. This was spiritual maturation for the spouses, and such last evenings were a way to say goodbye to the past and begin a new chapter in their lives.
Thus, all pre-wedding preparations ended. By the way, during this entire time, both the bride and groom were obliged to fast in order to cleanse the body and spirit before starting family life. The wedding itself, that is, Lubomir, consisted of several stages. Let's look at each of them in more detail.
Dressing.
In the morning, after the ritual ablution, the bride and groom dressed in their homes new clothes, mainly white, with many embroidered amulets, against all sorts of dark forces and misfortunes. Such clothes were usually made by women from young families themselves. The girl's dress had to be long, to the very floor, with wide sleeves. A scarf made of thick fabric was placed on the bride's head. All this strictness in clothing spoke of the girl’s purity and purity (yes, virginity was considered one of the most necessary qualities for a girl).
Requests, or invitation.
This was mainly done by friends of the future newlyweds. They invited guests and relatives to the holiday. There was a custom when the bride gave gifts to the guests.
Escorting the groom and ransoming the bride.
The parents “shooed” their son out of the house so that he could bring his bride. As for the ransom, everything is quite ambiguous here, as some sources claim that such an event was not held at Lyubomir.
Posad.
The name of this ritual comes from the word “to plant.” When the groom came with his family to the bride’s house, they were seated at the table, and members of both families exchanged gifts in honor of the twinning.
Wedding.
The word itself comes from the word “wreath”. The Magus, in the presence of both families, friends and relatives, performed a ritual to unite the bride and groom, and at this time wreaths were placed on their heads. Usually the wedding took place in the temple of the goddess Lada, or in the temple of the god Svarog. However, this is not surprising, because who can bless the newlyweds better than the Forefather and Forefather of the universe themselves?! Most good days Friday, Saturday and Sunday were considered for weddings.
Coating.
This was the most important stage in Lubomir. After the wedding, the scarf was removed from the bride’s head and some kind of headdress was put on. Before this, the now young wife’s braids were unraveled; in some corners, the braids were even cut off. This action took place in the father’s house, after which the husband took his new wife to his house. The new headdress meant new status and new responsibilities for the girl. Now she was leaving her father's clan and becoming a member of her husband's clan. Even in the event of a marriage breakdown, a woman could no longer return to her old clan, since she was no longer part of it.
Transportation of dowry.
For each girl, from childhood, her family prepared a dowry - something that could be useful to the young housewife in a new home. Anything valuable could act as a dowry: money, livestock, a plot of land, bedding, furniture and much more. After the wedding, all this became the property of the husband, too, like his house, the property of his wife. This kind of equal exchange took place among our ancestors, and there was not a hint of pathetic commercialism.
Post wedding rituals
After the wedding, their own rituals were carried out. On Monday morning, after wedding night, it was customary to hang the bride’s shirt on the porch, on which there were supposed to be traces of viburnum, that is, blood (something smacks of the TV series “Clone”, where this shirt was generally dragged throughout the city, screaming and dancing). In honor of this, the mother of the groom presented her now daughter-in-law with an elegant scarf and a red belt, which was a symbol of a married woman.
A month later, after Lyubomir, in order to help the new hostess get comfortable in someone else’s house, a new feast was organized, where families and relatives of the newlyweds gathered. Such a feast was called Kalachins, because on this day it was customary to give each other rolls. Such a feast could be held both in the groom's house and in the bride's house.
The time for holding Lubomir was usually chosen in the spring or early summer. But still, the decisive factor here was the type of action of the bride and groom. For example, it was easier and more convenient for warriors to organize a celebration after completing a military tour and participating in battle. Farmers had a wedding after harvesting. That is, the time was chosen when families had good income to hold a wedding ceremony, because it required quite a lot of expenses. For example, before the wedding itself, there was a tradition of giving gifts to all loved ones, and this was done more than once. The gifts themselves were prepared by the mothers of the young. These were mainly scarves, belts, rag dolls, small change, etc. This action emphasized the readiness of the girl and the boy to create new family, which will be independent and wealthy. But it also meant a kind of invitation to a new family circle, and providing trust. All major costs were borne by the families of the future spouses. Gifts from guests were not assessed as an opportunity to offset expenses. On the contrary, when a guest’s gift was assessed, the bride and groom certainly had to give this guest a more expensive gift. This emphasized the principle of “our people”, who were not usually counted.
In conclusion, the author would like to say to all readers - if you love, then love with all your heart and without doubt. No matter who you are or where you come from, you and I can have different roofs over our heads, and different words in the head, but love is inevitably the same for everyone. Believe what you believe in with your soul, do not set limits for yourself, think with your heart, and then you will find your path along which you will go hand in hand with your kindred spirit. Love and prosper my dears!
Slavic Wedding video
A wedding is an exciting event for all participants, and a Slavic wedding or even just a wedding in the Slavic style can become an unforgettable, high celebration. Some customs of a Slavic wedding are known to everyone - for example, a wedding train, which used to be called a squad, or the presence of a loaf - a ritual cookie. A well-known ritual of a Slavic wedding is laying an embroidered Slavic towel on the ground, showering the newlyweds with hops and rye “for luck,” and a rich feast. And yet there are Slavic wedding traditions that need to be remembered and explained. This is discussed in the article.
According to many sources of ancient chronicles, we know that the Slavic wedding itself began long before its celebration. It all started with matchmaking - some kind of agreement to create a family union, concluded not only between a guy and a girl, but also their parents. In this action, it was important to obtain the bilateral consent of the parents to the young people’s decision to get married.
Customs, rituals and traditions of a Slavic wedding
Shortly before the wedding, it was customary to visit the graves of deceased relatives and friends. It was assumed that in this way the future husband and wife received blessings from their ancestors. This action is to feel the relationship with the Family Tree. This is very important for prolongation of the family, when the newlyweds want someone from the family of the husband or wife to be incarnated in their family. Such a close relationship with their ancestors was important for the Slavs of ancient times.
Also, before the wedding itself, it was customary to organize stag and hen parties, which are popular even in modern wedding traditions.
Bachelor party(a youth party, or a groom's party) is not so much a tradition as a ritual. It could be adhered to either the day before the wedding, or several days before the wedding, which begin from the days of the handshake (betrothal, betrothal, or engagement). The peculiarity of a bachelor party is the ritual feast with peers and friends who are unmarried. This is farewell to carelessness, single life, festivities and “freedom.” Rituals can be expressed in mysteries - theatrical performances, games with masks on the face, riddles, fairy tales and fun.
hen-party(girl's evening, evening, or bride's party) is a ritual pastime of the bride with her unmarried bridesmaids, which takes place either on any day from the day of the marriage, or the day before the wedding itself. This is the time when the bride says goodbye to her girlhood, an easy and simple life, where previously she was not required to have much responsibility and independence. All Russians and Slavs know about the fun and festivities on such a day. However, in the Russian North, a bachelorette party does not begin with fun at all - here you can find crying, lamentations, and poetic regrets. This is how they say goodbye to girlhood and say goodbye to it forever.
Vyunishnik(junins, bypass rite, vyushnik or calling out to the newlyweds) is a bypass rite when the wedding time is marked by congratulations, round dances, glorification, and honoring of the newlyweds who entered into a family union during the current year. This ritual ends the long period of post-wedding time. A Slavic wedding was not a matter of one day, but a whole period, important for all its participants, and not just for the young. The ritual of bindweed or wreath helped newlyweds move from one social status in another, from unmarried to married.
Slavic towel and other attributes
Slavic towel is one of the main attributes of a Slavic wedding. It is the protection of the family and is passed on from generation to generation. Different types There are about 40 variants of such towels, and all of them are a reflection of different Slavic cultures. Stepping on an embroidered towel spread on the ground means magically protecting your young family with the power of both clans, as well as future descendants of the new family.
Loaf- This is baked bread made from sweet dough with various decorations on it, also made of dough (curls, flowers, braids, leaves). It symbolizes rich life, prosperity for a young family. With the help of a loaf, a ritual was also performed that united the bride and groom with the gods, giving the opportunity to feed people on earth. For example, respect was paid to Mother Earth and Father Sky.
Rings symbolized the Sun, a connection with the solar symbolism of the Slavs. They are also symbols of love, unity, loyalty and harmony.
Wreath- part of the Slavic paraphernalia, symbolizing for a young couple eternal love and the power of the Sun, hidden in herbs and flowers.
Homespun towel, which is tied around the hands of the bride and groom.
Modern wedding in Slavic style
The traditions of the Slavic wedding are now not fully implemented, of course. But weddings in the Slavic style are gaining popularity. Today they lay a towel on the floor in marriage salons, bake a festive ritual loaf, and the newlyweds put on rings. The bride can wear a wreath of herbs and flowers, or the newlyweds wear woven headbands, and the bride wears a dress in the Slavic style, embroidered with protective embroidery.
A sorcerer or priest is invited to such a wedding, who pronounces praises to the Gods, honors the ancestors of the two families of the bride and groom, and solemnly unites the couple into a union. The action takes place in the lap of nature. After the wedding, guests shower the newlyweds with grains of wheat and “cones” of real hops.
Despite the lost traditions, the Slavic wedding still continues to exist in different cultures and peoples of the Slavs. It is now possible to thoroughly repeat all the ritualism of such an event if we put together all the pieces preserved in chronicles and legends. But it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the cultures of the southern, western, eastern and northern Slavs. They can be very different in some ways, even when it comes to weddings.
The Slavic wedding ceremony is a whole complex of customs associated with a wedding. It consists of several parts and stretches greatly over time (for several months!). Conventionally, Slavic wedding rituals can be divided into wedding rituals themselves, as well as pre- and post-wedding rituals. There are various, sometimes contradictory, data on how the ancient Slavs held weddings. Different territories had their own peculiarities of the ritual, but in general it remained uniform.
Let's start with pre-wedding rituals:
These are so interesting and important events happened before the wedding. It is important that before the wedding, the future newlyweds had to fast.
But the brightest day, of course, was wedding. It included:
Thus ended the wedding day. But that is not all.
After the wedding there was a custom of hanging the bride's shirt. There should have been traces of blood on it (“viburnum”). Then the matchmaker presented the newly-made wife with a scarf and a red belt. If there was no blood or the shirt was not hung out at all, then such a woman was not girded. According to some reports, if the groom himself made a woman out of a girl, then she was still not awarded a red belt. The hanging took place on Monday morning. Also, after the wedding, it was customary to light the stove and prepare a treat for the father-in-law.
Kalachins are another post-wedding custom. It was needed in order to strengthen relations between families, so that it would be easier for the bride to get used to it. Kalachins were held a month after the wedding in the wife’s house. The newlyweds gave twelve rolls of bread to their parents.
There were also other post-wedding rituals. Usually these were feasts either in the husband's house or in the wife's house.
The groom's friends played a big role in the wedding. They helped him and symbolized support for his future family.
Slavic wedding ceremony
One of the wedding ceremonies was the wedding. It personified the divine blessing of the young for the union. Required condition for the wedding was the purity of the bride (virginity). During this ceremony, the newlyweds put wreaths on each other (hence the name - wedding). The wedding took place in a church (usually Svarog or Lada, because they are the patrons of the family).
Most favorable days Friday, Saturday and Sunday were the days for the ceremony. The future husband and wife were preparing two rings, two towels, two candles, two clay mugs, and a pot of honey for the wedding. The ritual was performed by the Magi. Before the start, it was necessary to line up all the guests and important participants according to certain rules. By the way, the bride and groom were called princess and princes, respectively. Why were pre-prepared attributes needed?
- Towels. The young people stood on one, and on the second their hands were bandaged.
- Mugs. They drank a special drink (suritsa) made from honey and herbs. Then they were broken, which symbolized the end of the past life and the beginning of a new one. The fragments had to be thrown into the water. They believed that then family life will be successful (since the water will grind off all the sharp corners).
- Honey. The sorcerer used it to anoint the bride’s lips. This was a symbol of a sweet future life.
The newlyweds were also sprinkled with grain. This was done so that many children would be born into the family. Then the young people jumped over the fire three times for purification and blessing by Svarog. The Slavic wedding ceremony also involved passing through some kind of body of water (a river or even a stream). This symbolized the beginning of a new life, overcoming all difficulties together. And in general, customs that are in one way or another connected with natural elements (water, fire) are very characteristic of all Slavic rituals and traditions.
Conclusion
This is how our ancestors spent their weddings: fun and very interesting. For them, the wedding ceremony was one of the most important in the life of every person. They carefully prepared for it. Interestingly, many traditions have been preserved to this day. For example, a bachelorette party, breaking mugs (glasses) for good luck, sprinkling the newlyweds with grain or cereal, bride price. Wedding has also been preserved, but today within the framework of Christianity, not paganism. For the Slavs, a wedding was an event that happened only once in a lifetime. After all, the union was concluded not only on earth, but also in heaven.
Wedding ceremony. Slavic traditions.
Strange affair. Knowledge of the ancient Slavs.
More and more modern newlyweds are turning to Slavic traditions. For a long time folk wisdom was depressed, but now every couple can complement their wedding with the beautiful traditions of their ancestors.
It is not necessary to dress up as nesting dolls, but add wedding ceremony these beautiful traditions means making it deeper, more conscious.
It was customary for the ancient Slavs to consciously relate to different stages of life. They knew (knew) how to prepare for life together, conception, childbirth, how to raise children. Some actions seem strange to modern man, but they are filled with deep meaning
Slavic wedding.
Wedding by Slavic Custom- this is a multi-stage action with many ritual and magical steps...
Ancestor veneration
Perhaps the most important element of a Slavic wedding. After all, we physically consist of our ancestors. Each of us contains cells of the ancestors of many generations. Appealing to ancestors and blessing them is also an act of love for life, love for oneself.
Before the wedding, it was necessary to improve relations with mom and dad. It was customary to ask for their forgiveness and blessings.
Shortly before the wedding, the newlyweds visited the graves of their ancestors, offered them funeral treats, and asked for blessings.
Laying an embroidered Slavic towel on the ground
This is now done at many weddings; the tradition is accepted in many marriage salons. A towel, that is, an embroidered towel, is the most important item at a wedding. It was placed at the feet of the newlyweds. And whoever steps first will be the main one in the family.
Ritual loaf
This is a symbol of abundance, the wealth of the future family. It needs to be beautiful. Flowers, patterns, curls, fruits - the more beautiful the better. Fruits symbolizing sweetness and fertility - grapes, apples. A ritual of honoring Mother Earth and Father Heaven was performed with the loaf. The Bride and Groom united with the gods and gave food to people on Earth.
Clothes with sacred patterns
The main color of the Slavic ornament at a wedding is red. This is the color of life, fire, energy, beauty. The words red and beauty are undoubtedly connected: the maiden is red, the sun is red.
The main symbol is the Kolovrat, or saltworker. Signs similar to the swastika first appeared among the Slavic peoples. This is the most revered sign, a powerful amulet. It embodies the unity of the clan, the change of generations, seasons, the rotation of everything.
It was customary to wear ochelya - a protective headband for both men and women.
Wreaths convey to the newlyweds the powers of eternal Love and the Sun, which is hidden in the grass and flowers.
Wedding ceremony. Slavic traditions.
From time immemorial, Slavic wedding ceremonies were not performed for the sake of a beautiful show! Before you start a new family...
Sprinkling with hops and wheat
If in the West it is customary to shower newlyweds with rice, then in our case it was hops and wheat. The newlyweds were united in the lap of nature by a sorcerer, or priest, who glorified the Gods and honored the ancestors of the bride and groom. After the combination, the guests showered the young couple with hop cones and grains of wheat.
Singing wedding songs
What's a wedding without songs? But among the Slavs, wedding songs were also special, ritual, calling on the mercy of the Gods to the couple. In wedding songs, the couple was compared to flowers, sweet fruits, birds - doves, swans, symbols eternal love and loyalty.
Tying the hands of the newlyweds with a handbrake
This used to be the most important moment at a wedding. Now this custom is also very appropriate; it is usually done after the wedding in the registry office. This is usually done by a respected person whose family life is successful.
By old tradition the newlyweds remained tied until they arrived at the groom's house. There they freed themselves and together tightened the knot on the towel, which symbolized their long and lasting union.
