Day of the goddess Mokosh among the Slavs (goddess of marriage and childbirth)

On November 10 (October 28, old style), the Slavs paid tribute to the most important female deity - Mokosh She was the companion of the pagan god Perun The influential goddess was especially revered by women: they considered her their protector Some researchers associate the image of Mokosh with women in labor who spun his fate at the baby’s bedside She was represented as a long-armed woman with long hair, symbolizing flax Constantly working insects - bees, spiders, ants - were considered assistants to the goddess According to Slavic beliefs, you should never kill them: this could offend Makosh and bring disaster to the family The goddess's spheres of influence are weaving and spinning, as well as any women's crafts Since Friday was considered Mokosh’s day, which since ancient times was considered a market day, it was customary to connect this goddess and trade From November 10, women began winter work: weaving, embroidery, spinning and sewing However, on Mokosh day itself it was forbidden to work with threads and yarn Negligent women who violated this ban were subject to public censure On this day, otherwise known as the “linen show,” the girls took frayed flax out into the street, demonstrating to each other the excellent quality of their work In order not to cause trouble in the form of a severe illness, there was a ban on bathing women and children They threw a tow (fibers of flax, wool), yarn, coins, and cloth “for an apron” into the well It was believed that having received such demands, Makosh would protect all the women of the clan On this day, representatives of the fairer sex lit a fire and danced two round dances around it: both in the direction of the sun and against it Married women prayed to the goddess, asking for family well-being, the health of babies, or relief from infertility Also on this day, they wore a rope bracelet on their right wrist, protecting them from bad luck After the adoption of Christianity, the image of Mokosh was replaced by the image of the folk saint Paraskeva-Friday However, some rituals aimed at honoring Mokosh have survived to this day