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Unclean Force
Unclean force (; , 'undead') is a collective name in Slavic paganism for mythological forces and creatures including evil spirits, chorts, demons, werewolves and the undead — Domovoy, Polevik, Vodyanoy, Leshy, rusalka, kikimora and other.''Нечистая сила'' / Svetlana Tolstaya // / editorial board: Svetlana Tolstaya (executive editor), , , Lyudmila Vinogradova, Vladimir Petrukhin; Institute for Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. — 2nd edition. — Moscow: International Relations, 2002. — p. 319–321. — ''Нечистая сила, нечисть'' / // / editor-in-chief Yeleazar Meletinsky — Moscow: ''Great Soviet Encyclopedia'', 1990. — p. 388–389. — Common to all of them is belonging to the "unclean", "negative", "out of this world", the otherworldly world and their malevolence towards people. Shepherds, millers, blacksmiths, witches and sorcerers were suspected of having ties with evil forces. Origin In Christianity, unclean ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leshy (1906)
Leshy or Leshi, ; literally, '[he] from the forest'. is a tutelary deity of the forest in pagan Slavic mythology. As Leshy rules over the forest and hunting, he may be related to the Slavic god Porewit. Leshy often appears as a masculine humanoid, and possesses an ability to disguise himself as any person, including changing in size and stature. In some accounts, Leshy is described as having a wife (''Leshachikha'', ''Leszachka'', ''Lesovikha,'' and sometimes the ''Kikimora'' of the swamp) and children (''leshonki'', ''leszonky''). Leshy is known to misguide wanderers and abduct young ones, traits he shares with the notorious Chort, the "Black One" or "Devil," thus leading some to perceive him as a malevolent entity. Leshy's attitude towards humans can vary, depending on how they interact with the forest and their overall behavior. Leshy is said to possess the power to whisk away children who were mistreated by their kin, especially their parents, to the ethereal realm of for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
The ''Great Soviet Encyclopedia'' (GSE; , ''BSE'') is one of the largest Russian-language encyclopedias, published in the Soviet Union from 1926 to 1990. After 2002, the encyclopedia's data was partially included into the later ''Great Russian Encyclopedia'' in an updated and revised form. The GSE claimed to be "the first Marxist–Leninist general-purpose encyclopedia". Origins The idea of the ''Great Soviet Encyclopedia'' emerged in 1923 on the initiative of Otto Schmidt, a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In early 1924 Schmidt worked with a group which included Mikhail Pokrovsky, (rector of the Institute of Red Professors), Nikolai Meshcheryakov (Former head of the General Directorate for the Protection of State Secrets in the Press, Glavit, the State Administration of Publishing Affairs), Valery Bryusov (poet), Veniamin Kagan (mathematician) and Konstantin Kuzminsky to draw up a proposal which was agreed to in April 1924. Also involved was Anatoly Lunacharsky, People' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Biblical Apocrypha
The Biblical apocrypha () denotes the collection of ancient books, some of which are believed by some to be of doubtful origin, thought to have been written some time between 200 BC and 100 AD. The Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches include some or all of the same texts within the body of their version of the Old Testament, with Catholics terming them deuterocanonical books. Traditional 80-book Protestant Bibles include fourteen books in an intertestamental section between the Old Testament and New Testament called the Apocrypha, deeming these useful for instruction, but non-canonical. Reflecting this view, the lectionaries of the Lutheran Churches and Anglican Communion include readings from the Apocrypha. Acceptance Some of the Biblical apocrypha were in the canon accepted by the earliest ecumenical councils. It was in Luther's Bible of 1534 that the Apocrypha was first published as a separate intertestamental section. The preface to the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fallen Angel
Fallen angels are angels who were expelled from Heaven. The literal term "fallen angel" does not appear in any Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic religious texts, but is used to describe angels cast out of heaven. Such angels are often described as corrupting humanity by teaching forbidden knowledge or by tempting them into sin. Common motifs for their expulsion are lust, pride, envy, or an attempt to usurp divinity. The earliest appearance of the concept of fallen angels may be found in Canaanite religion, Canaanite beliefs about the ''bənē hāʾĔlōhīm'' ("sons of God"), expelled from the Pantheon (religion), divine court. ''Hêlêl ben Šāḥar'' is thrown down from heaven for claiming equality with ''ʻElyōn''. Such stories were later collected in the Old Testament and appear in Pseudepigrapha, pseudepigraphic Apocalyptic literature, Jewish literature. The concept of fallen angels derives from the assumption that the "sons of God" () mentioned in Primeval history, Genesi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose coming as the Messiah#Christianity, messiah (Christ (title), Christ) was Old Testament messianic prophecies quoted in the New Testament, prophesied in the Old Testament and chronicled in the New Testament. It is the Major religious groups, world's largest and most widespread religion with over 2.3 billion followers, comprising around 28.8% of the world population. Its adherents, known as Christians, are estimated to make up a majority of the population in Christianity by country, 157 countries and territories. Christianity remains Christian culture, culturally diverse in its Western Christianity, Western and Eastern Christianity, Eastern branches, and doctrinally diverse concerning Justification (theology), justification and the natur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents within the city limits, over 19.1 million residents in the urban area, and over 21.5 million residents in Moscow metropolitan area, its metropolitan area. The city covers an area of , while the urban area covers , and the metropolitan area covers over . Moscow is among the world's List of largest cities, largest cities, being the List of European cities by population within city limits, most populous city entirely in Europe, the largest List of urban areas in Europe, urban and List of metropolitan areas in Europe, metropolitan area in Europe, and the largest city by land area on the European continent. First documented in 1147, Moscow became the capital of the Grand Principality of Moscow, which led the unification of the Russian lan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Evil Spirit
Evil, as a concept, is usually defined as profoundly immoral behavior, and it is related to acts that cause unnecessary pain and suffering to others. Evil is commonly seen as the opposite, or sometimes absence, of good. It can be an extremely broad concept, although in everyday usage it is often more narrowly used to talk about profound wickedness and against common good. It is generally seen as taking multiple possible forms, such as the form of personal moral evil commonly associated with the word, or impersonal natural evil (as in the case of natural disasters or illnesses), and in religious thought, the form of the demonic or supernatural/eternal. While some religions, world views, and philosophies focus on "good versus evil", others deny evil's existence and usefulness in describing people. Evil can denote profound immorality, but typically not without some basis in the understanding of the human condition, where strife and suffering (cf. Hinduism) are the true roots ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, also known as an archmage, mage, magus, magic-user, spellcaster, enchanter/enchantress, sorcerer/sorceress, warlock, witch, or wizard, is someone who uses or practices magic derived from supernatural, occult, or arcane sources. Magicians enjoy a rich history in mythology, legends, fiction, and folklore, and are common figures in works of fantasy, such as fantasy literature and role-playing games. Character archetypes People who work magic are called by several names in fantasy works, and terminology differs widely from one fantasy world to another. While derived from real-world vocabulary, the terms: ''magician'', ''mage'', ''magus'', ''enchanter/enchantress'', ''sorcerer/sorceress'', ''warlock'', ''witch'', and ''wizard'', each have different meanings depending upon context and the story in question. ''Archmage'' is used in fantasy works to indicate a powerful magician or a leader of magicians. Enchanters typically practice a type of imbued magic that pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Witches
Witchcraft is the use of magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meaning. According to ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', "Witchcraft thus defined exists more in the imagination", but it "has constituted for many cultures a viable explanation of evil in the world". The belief in witches has been found throughout history in a great number of societies worldwide. Most of these societies have used protective magic or counter-magic against witchcraft, and have shunned, banished, imprisoned, physically punished or killed alleged witches. Anthropologists use the term "witchcraft" for similar beliefs about harmful occult practices in different cultures, and these societies often use the term when speaking in English. Belief in witchcraft as malevolent magic is attested from ancient Mesopotamia, and in Europe, belief in witches traces back ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such as gates, grilles, railings, light fixtures, furniture, sculpture, tools, agricultural implements, decorative and religious items, cooking utensils, and weapons. There was a historical distinction between the heavy work of the blacksmith and the more delicate operations of a whitesmith, who usually worked in Goldsmith, gold, Silversmith, silver, pewter, or the finishing steps of fine steel. The place where a blacksmith works is variously called a smithy, a forge, or a blacksmith's shop. While there are many professions who work with metal, such as farriers, wheelwrights, and Armourer, armorers, in former times the blacksmith had a general knowledge of how to make and repair many things, from the most complex of weapons and armor to simple ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miller
A miller is a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a grain (for example corn or wheat) to make flour. Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalents in other languages around the world (" Melnyk" in Russian, Belarusian & Ukrainian, " Meunier" in French, "Müller" or " Mueller" in German, " Mulder" and " Molenaar" in Dutch, "Molnár" in Hungarian, " Molinero" in Spanish, "Molinaro" or "Molinari" in Italian, "Mlinar" in South Slavic languages etc.). Milling existed in hunter-gatherer communities, and later millers were important to the development of agriculture. The materials ground by millers are often foodstuffs and particularly grain. The physical grinding of the food allows for the easier digestion of its nutrients and saves wear on the teeth. Non-food substances needed in a fine, powdered form, such as building materials, may be processed by a miller. Quern-stone Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
