In the land of the Lyutichs, in the Western Slavic and Venedian lands, Radogost was revered as the highest god. The richest Wendish temples in the holy city of Retra were dedicated to Radogost.
Radogost, according to the Book of Kolyada, is the son of the god Kolyada and Radunitsa. And Kolyada is the son of Dazhbog and Maya Zlatogorka. Dazhbog - the descent of Vyshny. That is, Radogost is the third descent of Vyshny.
When Radogost was born, he roared like a lion. Both Heaven and Earth shook from his roar. And in fact, Radogost had a lion's head. This indicated that he is the essence of the punishing face of the Almighty. Radogost came into the world fully armed. In his hand he held a shield, and on the shield he carried the head of a buffalo, representing the god Beles. In his other hand he held Svarog’s hammer, and on his head sat the Duck, who appeared at the beginning of peacemaking.
Radogost came into the world to punish all demons and sinners. From his departure to Nav, Radogost became an afterlife judge who judges human souls and punishes sinners. During the Fierce Age, Radogost's power is great. But the priests of the temple of Retra in vain identified Radogost with the Almighty, for Radogost shows the world only one of the faces of God, namely the afterlife face.
Here Radogost himself sits before Viy - He holds the scepter in his right hand and judges the dead souls. And in the spacious hall of the palace - the souls await his verdict. “The Book of Kolyada”, XII 6
*The days of remembrance of the dead are dedicated to Radogost: November 7-8 (19th flowering) Parents' Day, as well as April 21 (1st flowering) - the day of the Family - Radogoshcha - Lyutich, Radogost was also incorrectly identified with Chernobog. Therefore, they also revered him on the last day of the month of Luten, that is, on the day of Chernobog. This delusion led the Lutin people to destruction.
On Radogoshchi, believers celebrate funerals for their departed ancestors. They hold funeral feasts, bring treats and carnation flowers to the graves, talk with the spirits of their ancestors, and consult. 06 the same is said in the “Book of Veles”, Lute, III, 4:8:
“We went to old burial grounds and wondered where our ancestors lay under the green grass. And now we understand what to do and who to follow..."
The Magi, the keepers of ancient knowledge, in some cases (for example, when a person despaired after the death of someone close and the melancholy became unbearable) gave the thirsty the opportunity to see deceased relatives and talk with them. Having performed complex rituals and sacrifices with surya, they opened the eyes of the chosen ones and made the world of the dead visible.
“And then we came to the blue river, swift as time, but time is not eternal for us, and there we saw our ancestors and mothers who plow in Svarga, and graze their flocks there, and weave sheaves, and have a life the same as ours, only there are no Hun there, no Hellenes, and Rule reigns there...”
“Book of Veles”, Rod, III, 1:14
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru