Dual faith - what is it? Paganism and Christianity - a phenomenon of dual faith in Russia

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Recently, there has been a clear trend of growing interest in religion, and more than once we have heard that paganism and Christianity still coexist on the territory of modern Russia. Dual faith in Russia is a phenomenon that is still widely discussed. We will try to understand this issue in detail.

Concept

Dual faith is the presence in the generally accepted faith of signs of another belief. As for our country, at present in Russia Christianity coexists peacefully with echoes of paganism. Orthodox people still celebrate Maslenitsa, burn a scarecrow with pleasure and enjoy pancakes. It is worth noting that this day of the beginning of spring is celebrated before Lent. In this sense, it is customary to talk about syncretism, that is, about the indivisibility and, as it were, peaceful coexistence of belief. However, Orthodoxy and pagan cults did not get along so easily.

Negative connotation of the concept

The phenomenon of dual faith originates in the Middle Ages, this word is displayed in the texts of sermons written against the Orthodox, who continued to worship pagan gods.

It is interesting to note that the concept of "folkreligiosity" at first glance seems identical to the definition of "dual faith", but with a deeper analysis it becomes clear that in the first case we are talking about a peaceful way of existence, and in the second - about the presence of confrontation. Dual faith is a designation of the conflict between the old and the new faith.

About paganism

Now let's talk about this term. Before the Baptism of Russia, paganism was what replaced religion for the ancient Slavs. After the adoption of Christianity, this term was increasingly used to refer to non-Christian, "foreign" (foreign, heretical) activities. The word "pagan" has come to be considered a curse word.

According to Y. Lotman, paganism (Old Russian culture), however, cannot be considered something undeveloped in comparison with the Christian religion, since it also satisfied the need to believe, and in the last stages of its existence it significantly approached monotheism.

Baptism of Russia. Dual faith. Peaceful coexistence of beliefs

As mentioned earlier, before the adoption of Christianity, Slavic paganism was a certain belief, but there were no zealous defenders and opponents of the new faith in Russia. People, accepting baptism, did not understand that the adoption of Orthodoxy should mean the rejection of pagan rituals and beliefs.

Ancient Russians did not actively fight against Christianity, just in everyday life people continued to adhere to the previously accepted rituals, while not forgetting the new religion.

Christianity was supplemented with vivid images characteristic of the former beliefs. A person could be an exemplary Christian andit is to remain a pagan. For example, on Easter day, people could loudly shout to the owners of the forest about Christ's resurrection. Easter cakes and eggs were also offered to brownies and goblin.

Open wrestling

The dual faith in Russia, however, did not always have the character of quiet coexistence. Sometimes people fought "for the return of idols."

In fact, this was expressed in setting the Magi of the people against the new faith and power. Only three open clashes were ever witnessed. It is known that representatives of the princely authorities used force only in those cases when the defenders of paganism began to intimidate the people and sow confusion.

On the tolerance of Christianity in Russia

The positive aspect of the new religion was its high tolerance for established traditions. The princely power acted wisely, adapting people to the new faith in a gentle way. It is known that in the West the authorities tried to completely get rid of established customs, which provoked many years of wars.

The Institute of the Orthodox Church in Russia put ideas of Christian content into pagan beliefs. The most famous echoes of paganism are undoubtedly such holidays as Kolyada and Shrovetide.

Research opinions

The phenomenon of dual faith in Russia could not leave indifferent the public and outstanding minds of different generations.

In particular, N. M. Galkovsky, a Russian philologist, pointed out that the people accepted Orthodox Christianity, but did not deeply knowit is a creed and, although not intentionally, did not abandon pagan beliefs.

Public figure D. Obolensky also noted that there was no enmity between Christianity and folk beliefs and identified 4 levels of interaction between them, which reflected varying degrees of interconnection between Christian ideas and pagan beliefs.

Scholarly Marxists in the Soviet Union protested the ignorance of the common people and argued that most of them consciously opposed the Christian faith.

Soviet archaeologist B. A. Rybakov spoke openly about hostility between Orthodoxy and folk beliefs.

During the time of glasnost, some Soviet scientists such as T. P. Pavlov and Yu. V. Kryanev, spoke about the absence of open hostility, but developed the idea that Christian asceticism was not close to the optimistic mood of pagan culture.

The ideas of B. Uspensky and Y. Lotman reflected the concept of the duality of Russian culture.

Feminists completely refuted the positive side of Christian teaching and defined it as a "male" ideology directed against the ancient Russian "female" belief system. According to M. Matosyan, the church was not able to completely get rid of pagan culture due to the fact that women were able to modify and balance Christianity with pagan rites.

Famous figure Yves. Levin means that most researchers tried to distinguish between the Orthodox and the ancient beliefs, not assuming even the slightest coincidence between them. In general, the author notes that the concept of the presence of dual faith should be devoid ofderogatory meaning.

Baptism of Russia. Political Significance

A landmark religious and political event was the adoption of Christianity. Dual faith arose as a result of the imposition of the ideas of Orthodoxy on pagan traditions. This phenomenon is quite easy to understand, because the adoption of faith is a complex process, for the implementation of which centuries must have passed. People could not refuse Slavic beliefs, because it was a centuries-old culture.

Let's turn to the personality of the person who initiated the rite of baptism. Prince Vladimir was far from a person inclined towards holiness. It is known that he killed his own brother Yaropolk, publicly raped the captured princess, and also accepted the ritual of human sacrifice.

In this regard, it is not unreasonable to believe that the adoption of Christianity was a necessary political step that allowed Vladimir to strengthen the status of a prince and make trade relations with Byzantium more productive.

Why the choice fell on Christianity

So, the problem of dual faith arose after the adoption of Christianity, but could Prince Vladimir convert Russia to another faith? Let's try to figure it out.

It is known that the adoption of Islam for ancient Russia was impossible. In this religion there is a ban on the use of intoxicating drinks. The prince could not afford this, since communication with the squad was a very important ritual. The joint meal implied, no doubt, the use of alcohol. Refusal of such a libation couldlead to disastrous consequences: the prince could lose the support of the squad, which could not be allowed.

Vladimir refused to negotiate with the Catholics.

The prince refused the Jews, pointing out that they are scattered throughout the earth and he does not want such a fate for the Russians.

So, the prince had reasons for performing the ritual of baptism, which gave rise to dual faith. This was most likely a political event.

Baptism of Kyiv and Novgorod

According to the historical data that have come down to us, the baptism of Russia was started in Kyiv.

According to the testimonies described by N. S. Gordienko, we can conclude that Christianity was imposed by Prince Vladimir by order, in addition, he was accepted by persons close to him. Consequently, a significant part of ordinary people could certainly see in this ritual apostasy from the ancient Russian faith, which gave rise to dual faith. This manifestation of popular resistance is clearly described in the book of Kir Bulychev "Secrets of Russia", which says that the Novgorodians fought a desperate battle for the beliefs of the Slavs, but after resistance the city obeyed. It turns out that people did not feel a spiritual need to accept a new faith, therefore, they could have a negative attitude towards Christian rites.

If we talk about how Christianity was adopted in Kyiv, then here everything was completely different than in other cities. As L. N. Gumilyov points out in his work “Ancient Russia and the Great Steppe”, everyone who came to Kyiv and wanted to live there had to accept Orthodoxy.

Interpretation of the Christian religion in Russia

So, after the adoption of faith, as it turned out, Christian traditions and pagan rites closely penetrated each other. It is believed that the time of dual faith is the 13th-14th centuries.

However, in Stoglav (1551) it was noted that even the clergy used pagan rites, for example, when they put s alt under the throne for a while, and then passed it on to people to heal ailments.

In addition, there are examples when a monk who had great we alth spent all his money not on improving people's lives, but on church needs. After he lost all material we alth and became a beggar, people turned away from him, and he himself ceased to care about the life of a saint. Therefore, he spent all his funds not to save a soul, but out of a desire for a reward.

As Froyanov I. Ya. notes in his research, the Old Russian Orthodox Church was rather a slave link. The institution of the church was preoccupied with state functions and was drawn into public life, which did not give the clergy the opportunity to spread Christianity among ordinary people, so do not be surprised at the strength of pagan beliefs in the days of pre-Mongol Russia.

Manifestations of dual faith, in addition to Maslenitsa, today are commemoration at the cemetery, when people themselves eat and "treat" the dead.

Another famous holiday is Ivan Kupala Day, coinciding with the birth of John the Baptist.

Very interesting manifestation of pagan and Christian beliefs is presented incalendar, where some name is added to the name of the saint, for example, Vasily Kapelnik, Ekaterina Sannitsa.

Thus, it should be recognized that dual faith in Russia, which was formed not without the participation of ancient Russian traditions, gave Orthodoxy on our Earth original features, not devoid of its charm.