Karachun (Korochun) (21/12)

The day of pagan veneration of Karachun (second name of Chernobog) falls on the day of the winter solstice (celebrated depending on the year on December 21 or 22) — is the shortest day of the year and one of the coldest days of winter. It was believed that on this day the formidable Karachun — deity of death, the underground god commanding frost, and the evil spirit especially rule. The ancient Slavs believed that he commanded winter and frost and shortened daylight hours.

Servants of the formidable Karachun — connecting rod bears, in which snowstorms turn, and blizzard wolves. It was believed that, due to bearish desire, the cold winter also lasts: the bear in its den would turn to the other side, which means that winter would have exactly half the way to go until spring. Hence the saying: «On the Solstice, the bear in the den turns from one side to the other».

People still use the concept of «karachun» in the sense of death and death. They say, for example: « karachun» came to him, «zhdi karachun», «zad karachun», «grab karachun». On the other hand, the word «carach» can have the following meanings — backwards, crawling, «quickened» — croaked, cramped. Perhaps Karachun was called that precisely because he seemed to force the daytime to go in the opposite direction, back away, crawl, giving way to the night.

Gradually, in the popular consciousness, Karachun became close to Frost, who shackles the earth with cold, as if plunging it into a mortal sleep. This is a more harmless image than the harsh Karachun. Frost — is simply the master of winter cold.



Story «On the night of Karachun»

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