According to the legends of many people in the world, on the night of November 1, the souls of the dead return to earth and roam the streets. This holiday has long been called Halloween, but in Ukraine there was another similar event – Veles Night.
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Veles Night is an ancient Ukrainian holiday, which also fell on the night of November 1, just like Halloween as we know it today. The event has very deep roots that go back to pre-Christian times, when our ancestors gave glory to the god Veles. He was considered the patron of music, art, poetry, talent, beauty, love and happiness. Veles was also the protector of all clairvoyants, mediums, magicians and just creative people.
According to ancient beliefs, Veles helped people live together with nature, herding livestock, growing grain, and consuming food (such as milk) without killing animals. He was also considered the god of wealth and abundance, so he was revered along with Perun, who was so important in pre-Christian times.
What to do on Veles night
On Veles Night, according to popular belief, the souls of the departed return to earth and travel among the living. Therefore, the night is considered very mysterious and magical. Our ancestors noticed that if there is frost on this day, spring will be good.
In ancient times, there were several interesting rituals associated with this holiday:
- lit candles were placed in houses so that the spirits of deceased relatives could find their way home;
- They spoke only good things about the dead, and in the evening they gathered for a common dinner, at which the table was set not only for the living, but also for the dead.
They believed that dreams have a special power on the night of November 1. If you saw a deceased relative in a dream, this was considered a very good omen. To find happiness, they collected money and gave everything to the poor. They also lit bonfires and jumped over the fire, as when celebrating Ivan Kupala.
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2024-10-26 09:41:00
