Holidays of the Slavs - Father Frost and Snow Maiden Day

Father Frost and Snow Maiden Day is a traditional Slavic holiday, which most people in Russia have never heard of But in former times, January 30 was considered one of the most important winter dates On this day, our ancestors honored Frost, who is the prototype of the majestic god Veles, symbolizing wealth, happiness and good luck At the same time, these characters are mandatory components of winter, New Year holidays and general fun This is a real holiday for all children, as well as for adults who have not lost faith in fairy tales and magic On this day, it is customary to tell legends about Frost and his icy companion For example, there is an old Slavic belief about how the god of love and marriage Lel, due to his wayward character, made the Snow Maiden fall in love with an ordinary young man With the onset of spring, she refused to fly to the northern regions, thereby the heroine in love doomed herself to death, because as soon as the sun touched her, she immediately melted The image of the Snow Maiden is not noted in Slavic rituals, but is found in folklore, where she is the heroine of the fairy tale about the girl Snegurka (Snezhevinochka) fashioned from snow Also on January 30, the day of Perun’s main rival, Father Frost, who serves as the prototype of Veles, is celebrated In other words, Frost is the winter personification of the god of fertility, wealth and family well-being And in the spring months, his hypostasis is Yar, the son of Diva and Veles It was this Slavic deity that became everyone’s favorite Father Frost, bringing children a sea of ​​joy and long-awaited gifts It is to him that they recite poems and sing New Year's songs, rejoicing and expecting a real miracle It is noteworthy that Frost’s wife was the Snow Queen The couple had a child - Snegurochka Therefore, the girl who is Grandfather Frost’s main assistant is actually his daughter, and not his granddaughter, as is commonly believed The Day of Frost and the Snow Maiden symbolically ends the reign of the mighty winter After this, the generous Maslenitsa begins its majestic procession