Koliada or Koleda (Bulgarian: Коледа, romanized: Koleda) is a Slavic mythological deity personalizing the newborn winter infant Sun[1] and symbolizing the New Year's cycle.[2] The figure of Koliada is connected with the solar cycle, (the Slavic root *kol- suggests a wheel or circularity) passing through the four seasons and from one substantial condition into another.
Koliada | |
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In the different Slavic countries at the koliada winter festival people performed rituals with games and songs in honour of the deity - like koleduvane. In some regions of Russia the ritual gifts (usually buns) for the koledari are also called kolyada. In the lands of the Croats a doll, called Koled, symbolized Koliada.[3] In the ancient times Slavs used to sacrifice horses, goats, cows, bears or other animals that personify fertility. Koliada is mentioned either as a male or (more commonly) as a female deity in the songs.[2]
There are many traditions that recall both the deity and the ritual of Koliada. All of them are on or around Winter Solstice:
There are Slavic neopagan communities in most of the Slavic countries whose goal is to popularize ancient pagan belief and practice in present-day society.
Some Slavic pagan rock and folk rock bands have songs about Koliada: