Svyatogor

For other uses, see Svyatogor (disambiguation).
Svyatogor by Andrei Ryabushkin, 1895.

Svyatogor (Russian: Святого́р) is a Kievan Rus' mythical bogatyr (knight/hero) from bylinas. His name is a derivation from the words "sacred mountain". Svyatogor's tale, Ilya Muromets and Svyatogor, is a part of the Ilya Muromets cycle.

After becoming a bogatyr of knyaz Vladimir the Bright Sun (Владимир Красное Солнышко, Vladimir Krasnoye Solnyshko), Ilya rides off to challenge Svyatogor, despite being forewarned not to do so by pilgrims who had miraculously healed him. On the road, Ilya Muromets sees a giant asleep on a giant horse. Ilya strikes him three times with his mace, with the only result that the giant, still asleep, grabs and puts Ilya into his pocket. Eventually, the giant awakes, Ilya introduces himself and learns that the giant is Svyatogor, and they become friends and journey together. They arrive at a giant stone coffin and both have a premonition that it is for Svyatogor. Ilya manages to lie down in the coffin first, but it appears too large for him, but it fits Svyatogor perfectly. When Svyatogor closes the lid, it seals to the coffin. Before the coffin sealed completely, Svyatogor passes part of his strength to Ilya through his breath.

Svyatogor is worshiped as a god by Belarusian Rodnovers.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Shnirelman, Victor: “Christians! Go home”: A Revival of Neo-Paganism between the Baltic Sea and Transcaucasia. Journal of Contemporary Religion, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2002. p. 202
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