Dievturība

Dievturība is a contemporary continuation of the ethnic religion of the Latvians from what it was before Christianization in the 13th century. Adherents call themselves Dievturi (singular: Dievturis), literally "Dievs' keepers", "people who live in harmony with Dievs".

Beliefs

Dievturība is primarily rooted in Latvian folklore, folk songs and Latvian mythology. The main god is Dievs, who unifies spirit and matter, as well as other dualities such as father and mother or good and bad. Other deities are either aspects of Dievs or other types of non-deified spirits. The goddess Māra represents Dievs' material aspect. Laima is an aspect of Dievs, and connected to causality, fire and fortune.

By necessity, modern Dievturība differs from the historical Latvian religion. For example, there is no evidence that the Latvian pagans recognized a trinity of deities; in Dievturība, Dievs, Māra and Laima are a triune godhead. In Dievturi theology, several triumvirates of deities and concepts are recognized.

Humans are believed to be naturally good due to the will of Dievs. The human is also understood as threefold, and consists of ' – physical body, ' – ancestral spirit, and ' – soul. After death, the physical body is destroyed, the astral body enters the ' (world of shadows) and gradually disappears, and the soul is eternal and unifies with Dievs.

The end of autumn and the start of winter is accepted as the time of remembrance of dead ancestors. In the dark time of autumn, people gave food for their dead relatives due to the "dying of nature" or as a thanks gesture for a good harvest during the summer.

Former President of Latvia Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga wrote that “the ancient Latvian did not think of himself as lord and ruler over nature, nor superior to nature, but rather he considered himself to be an inseparable ingredient of nature.”

Beliefs

See also

References

Notes

Sources

Further reading

External links