Goddess A Day » Eastern European

Zonget

sabrina — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:46:10 +0000

Zonget is the Mansi Goddess of hunting. To the Mansi people of Siberia, she controls the supply of animals and birds to be hunted. Offerings are made to her to ensure that she will continue to provide for the people. Zonget appears as a grey bird to her followers.

Ziva

sabrina — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:19:06 +0000

Ziva (pronounced ZHEE-va) is the Slavic Goddess of longevity. She was said to have a temple on Mount Zywiec, and people would go to the temple to pray for good health and long life. Some traditions have it that she turned herself into a cuckoo bird. Ziva’s name, which means “life,” is also seen as Zywie, Zhywie, Zhywa, Zywa, Zhiva, Zivena, Siva, Siwa, Sivve, Shiwa, Sieba, Syeba, Siba, and Dsiva.

Zvoruna

sabrina — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 17:20:07 +0000

I’ve decided not to stick with my rotation through the different pantheons, because some days I look at who is next on my list and just don’t want to try to research a particular pantheon. That leads me to procrastinate about posting, which leads to my long gaps between posts. In an effort to reenergize myself, I’ve decided to stop trying to have any sort of order, although I am toying with alphabetical, perhaps in reverse order. Hence today’s Goddess.

Zvoruna is the Lithuanian Goddess of the hunt. She is a protector of wild animals and the forest, similar to the Roman Diana or the Greek Artemis. Her name, which derives from the word zveris “wild animal,” is also seen as Zverune.

Selija

sabrina — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:46:02 +0000

Selija (pronounced sel-IH-ya) is the Lithuanian Goddess of the planet Saturn. She is the last of the daughters of Saule, Goddess of the sun, since Saturn was the last of the planets known to the ancients.

Chuma

sabrina — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:00:57 +0000

Chuma is the Slavic Goddess of death. She is the daughter of Veles, God of cattle and the Underworld. Chuma is depicted as a pale woman with white hair, dressed in a white gown. She carries a pair of silver scissors and a birchwood staff. The scissors she uses to cut the thread of life, and she gives the staff to the dead to help them on their way to the Underworld. Although Chuma is a Goddess of death, she is generally seen as a benign presence, and is called on by those who are dying to bring them a peaceful end. Chuma’s name, which means “plague,” is also seen as Tshuma.

Indraja

sabrina — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:02:25 +0000

Indraja (pronounced in-DRAW-ya) is the Lithuanian Goddess of the planet Jupiter. She is one of the daughters of Saule, Goddess of the sun. Indraja was originally a water spirit, and she was meant to marry Perkunas, God of thunder, on a Thursday (the day ruled by Jupiter). When the other water spirits took her away from the wedding, she was instead turned into the planet Jupiter. Indraja’s name means “water witch.”

Žiezdre

sabrina — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:52:19 +0000

Žiezdrė (pronounced ZHEEZ-dray) is the Lithuanian Goddess of the planet Mars. She is one of the daughters of Saule, Goddess of the sun.

Vakarine

sabrina — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:54:15 +0000

Vakarinė (pronounced va-ka-REE-nay) is the Lithuanian Goddess of the evening star. She is the daughter of Saule, Goddess of the sun, and Meness, God of the moon, and the sister of Aušrinė, Goddess of the morning star. While the evening star and the morning star are both actually the planet Venus, the Balts separated them into two personalities, one who made the sun ready to go out in the morning, and one who welcomed her home in the evening. Vakarinė made sure that Saule’s bed was ready for her each night, so that she could rest well before her next day’s journey. Vakarinė is known in Latvia as Rieteklis.

Aušrine

sabrina — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:29:03 +0000

Aušrinė (pronounced ow-SHRI-nay) is the Lithuanian Goddess of the morning star. She is the daughter of Saule, Goddess of the sun, and Meness, God of the moon. It is Aušrinė who Meness raped, causing Saule to slash his face and banish him from her presence. Aušrinė was depicted as being very beautiful, wearing a crown decorated with a sun and a cloak made of stars. Each morning, Aušrinė lights the way for her mother Saule to begin her journey across the sky. Aušrinė is known in Latvia as Auseklis, although some sources say that Auseklis was a God rather than a Goddess.

Vaivora

sabrina — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:42:31 +0000

Vaivora (pronounced vye-VOR-ah) is the Lithuanian Goddess of the planet Mercury. She is one of the daughters of Saule, Goddess of the sun.