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Belova O. V., Petrukhin V. Ya. Veneration of “alien” gods: historical and ethnographic notes

Olga V. BELOVA — Doctor of Philology, Institute of Slavic Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (Russia, Moscow)
E-mal: olgabelova.inslav@gmail.com

Vladimir Ya. P ETRUKHIN — Doctor of Historical Sciences, Institute of Slavic Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (Russia, Moscow)
E-mal: vladimir.petrukhin@gmail.com

 

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ABSTRACT. “Primitive” attitude towards alien cults as deliberately hostile (demonic) top is characteristic for the archaic beliefs and ceremonial practices of any religious cult. The perception of “alien” gods as relevant when determining the treaty (trade) relations seems to be paradoxical from this point of view. Such are treaties of Rus’ with the christian Byzantines in the 10th century, the Varangian oath by the Russian gods Perun and Volos to save the piece, oaths of the Avars and Bulgarians according to “fathers’” customs. This trend dates back to the Roman archaic law tradition: the worship of Iranian god Mithra spread in the Roman Empire and beyond, up to the Urals. A similar mechanism of ethno-confessional interaction was preserved and transformed in traditional culture. Sacred Christian characters and their images (icons)could be used as a bail in resolving disputes between representatives of different faiths, and Christian saints helped the gentiles, if the truth was on their side. In the literary and oral testimonies of the calling of the icon as a witness in the resolution of disputes and conflicts are reflected not only the folk religious practices of appeal to the icon as a witness, the guarantor of justice, and punishment of the icon, if the Saint does not contribute to the embodiment of the desired, but also the idea of the icon as a kind of “object of power”. Archaic plots related to the perception of “alien” gods and reflecting ethnic confessional relations in written legal texts (treaties and oaths), in later folklore narratives were transformed into narratives about the miracles revealed by the saints in the course of “juridical” disputes: the central motive of these legends is the motive of the conversion of the gentiles.

 

KEYWORDS: folk juridical customs, folk religion, folklore, legends

 

УДК 398.541
DOI 10.31250/2618-8600-2019-3(5)-86-108

 

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