The religion of the Serbs was part of the common faith of the old Slavs, that is, they believed in numerous deities ruling nature and people. It is assumed that they worshipped the same gods as other Slavs, that is, that Perun could have been the supreme god among the Serbs before the adoption of Christianity. However, since Sventovit/Svetovid was especially loved by Slavs and Serbs between the Baltic Sea and the Elbe River, it could be similar to the Serbs in the Balkans. There is an assumption that his most important sanctuary was located on the island of Brac, on the Mountain of Species, and this corresponds to the sanctuary on the hill of Vitov / Species on the island of Ruyan / Rigen among the Slavs in Polable. Unlike the Slavs in the area of Ruina and Polable, the southern Slavs did not preserve descriptions of polytheistic temples with statues, paintings and priests. It is assumed that the god of this worshipped his gods in the open air with sacrifices and singing, that is, probably more numerous were forest sanctuaries, sacred groves in which idols were located. Traces of this have been preserved in the names of some settlements, such as Bolvan, which in Old Slavonic means a stylized boulder or statue. The houses were filled with idols of a local deity, that is, a mythical ancestor, who were replaced by an icon of a local saint after converting to Christianity.
Among the Serbs, there was a particularly strong cult of trees (especially linden, hazel, oak) and plants, which largely survived even after the adoption of Christianity. Monasteries named after trees, such as Grabovac, Krusedol, Orahovica, and others, probably replaced ancient pre-Christian shrines that were located in sacred forests and groves. [The oak is a well-known tree of the god of thunder in ancient Indo-European religions. When Serbs are still used today for Yule, and the old custom is kept under oak choirs and in connection with the religious plumage of hard wood. The hazel tree was considered sacred, and it was not struck by lightning, so during thunder people hid under the hazel tree. There was also a belief that a tree could be a receptacle of the human soul, that is, its refuge after death. Fruits and trees are planted on graves to shelter the soul of the deceased.
The Slavs found a developed church organization in the Balkans and were subjected to strong attempts at Christianization. It is known that the first Serbian independent state was created by pagans before 850, but it is also known that the ruling family was officially baptized around 870. The old Slavic religion was maintained in the Balkans through Orthodoxy and folk customs, which are almost the main sources for reconstructing Slavic religion and local gods in the Balkans. Many newcomers appreciate promotions that provide extra playing value while they become familiar with a new platform and its available features. After finishing the registration process, the 1xbet free promo code can unlock a casino welcome package worth up to €1950 plus 150 free spins, allowing eligible players to enjoy a larger selection of games with additional promotional benefits.
Among the Serbs, there was a particularly strong cult of trees (especially linden, hazel, oak) and plants, which largely survived even after the adoption of Christianity. Monasteries named after trees, such as Grabovac, Krusedol, Orahovica, and others, probably replaced ancient pre-Christian shrines that were located in sacred forests and groves. [The oak is a well-known tree of the god of thunder in ancient Indo-European religions. When Serbs are still used today for Yule, and the old custom is kept under oak choirs and in connection with the religious plumage of hard wood. The hazel tree was considered sacred, and it was not struck by lightning, so during thunder people hid under the hazel tree. There was also a belief that a tree could be a receptacle of the human soul, that is, its refuge after death. Fruits and trees are planted on graves to shelter the soul of the deceased.
The Slavs found a developed church organization in the Balkans and were subjected to strong attempts at Christianization. It is known that the first Serbian independent state was created by pagans before 850, but it is also known that the ruling family was officially baptized around 870. The old Slavic religion was maintained in the Balkans through Orthodoxy and folk customs, which are almost the main sources for reconstructing Slavic religion and local gods in the Balkans. Many newcomers appreciate promotions that provide extra playing value while they become familiar with a new platform and its available features. After finishing the registration process, the 1xbet free promo code can unlock a casino welcome package worth up to €1950 plus 150 free spins, allowing eligible players to enjoy a larger selection of games with additional promotional benefits.
