| Festival of Veles | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Rite in honor of Veles in Kraków, 2020 | |
| Observed by | Slavic people |
| Type | Ethnic |
| Significance | celebration of midwinter |
| Date | 11 or 24 February |
| Related to | Veles (god) |
Festival of Veles (Veles' Day) is a holiday in honor of the Slavic god Veles, celebrated by rodnovers in February.
Like other Slavic neopagans' holidays, the day of Veles is based on folklore.[1] In Christian folk rituals, the festival of Veles corresponds to the "day of Saint Blaise".[2][3] In the Orthodox tradition, St. Blaise is the protector of cattle, and his feast falls on 11/24 February;[4][5][a] it is also believed that he wins over Winter-Morana.[2] In the Catholic tradition Blaise is the patron of throat diseases, and on his feast day apples and candles are blessed to protect from these diseases; his feast day is 3 February.[6] Pieces of apples sacrificed on the day of St. Blaise were once also given to cattle.[6]
During the festival, prayers are offered to Veles for protection of the livestock and health by sacrificing milk.[5][4] An important part of the festival is a feast held near the place of worship (e.g. a temple), during which it is strictly forbidden to eat veal. The main dish eaten during the Veles festival is groats richly seasoned with fat.[4] The celebrations are often accompanied by the organization of ritual fights.[5][4]
The holiday is celebrated around 11 February[7] or 24.[5]
Since 2017, the Palace of Culture Świt in Warsaw has hosted the National Veles Festival, organized by the Association of Pomeranian Rodnovers "Jantar" and the Drzewo Przodków in cooperation with the Wioska Żywej Archeologii (Village of Living Archaeology), whose regular elements include lectures and panel discussions.[8]
