Svyatogor by Andrei Ryabushkin, 1895

Svyatogor (Russian: Святого́р, IPA: [svʲɪtɐˈɡor]) is a mythical bogatyr (knight/hero) in byliny. His name derives from the words for "sacred mountain". Svyatogor's tale, Ilya Muromets and Svyatogor, forms a part of the Ilya Muromets cycle. According to the epic, the mother-Earth cannot support the weight of Svyatogor, but he can not overcome the "pull of the earth" contained in the bag: when he tries to lift the bag, his feet sink into the ground. Svyatogor's father is "dark", he is blind - a sign of coming from another world.

After becoming a bogatyr of knyaz Vladimir the Bright Sun (Владимир Красное Солнышко, Vladimir Krasnoye Solnyshko), Ilya (another bogatyr) 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 Ilya and puts him into his pocket. Eventually, the giant awakes, Ilya introduces himself and learns that the giant is Svyatogor; 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 the coffin. Before the coffin seals completely, Svyatogor passes part of his strength to Ilya through his breath.

Belarusian Rodnovers worship Svyatogor as a god.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Shnirelman, Victor: “Christians! Go home”: A Revival of Neo-Paganism between the Baltic Sea and Transcaucasia Archived 2014-09-22 at Archive-It. Journal of Contemporary Religion, Vol. 17, No. 2, 2002. p. 202
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