vaesna:Slavic mythological figures [5/?]↳ Morena, Vesna—  M o r e n a  (Slovak, Russian) or M a r z

vaesna:Slavic mythological figures [5/?]↳ Morena, Vesna—  M o r e n a  (Slovak, Russian) or M a r z a n n a (in Polish), M o r ė (in Lithuanian), M o r a n a (in Czech and Slovene), or also M a r a , M a r ž e n a, M o r é n a,  M o r a or M a r m o r a was the goddess that represented death, winter and disease. They believed she was one of the most beautiful goddesses in Slavic mythology. The ritual of burning and drowning the figure of Morena: The figure was made from straw and dressed in local women’s clothing. Then, it was carried in procession around the whole village, from door to door, so that it would take away the evil spirits. Next, Morena was carried to the river bank, burned, and, while still in flames, thrown into a local river or pond. Finally, everyone would run home as fast as possible. It was believed that anyone who fell while running home would die that same year.—V e s n a is Morena’s opposite. It was believed that she carried the smell of spring with her wherever she goes and that all spring’s scents are signs of her passing through there. She is portrayed as always smiling, beautiful, naked and barefoot. Sometimes using only a few leaves of fern and some flowers for clothes. Her hair is long, almost to her knees and various different flowers are in her hair as decoration. Her breasts are large as expected from the goddess of fertility. Sometimes there’s an apple in her right hand and some grapes in her left hand and sometimes there’s a swallow, the symbol of spring, on her right index finger and a bouquet of flowers in her left hand to symbolize marriage.  -- source link

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