Veles Night: Ukraine’s Historic Halloween
The night when the souls of the dead come to Earth, Veles Night is a modern celebration in Ukraine that channels the spirit of historic Slavic pagan rites. While Ukrainians have increasingly embraced the Western holiday of Halloween on October 31st, Veles’s Night draws inspiration from old customs dedicated to the god Veles. Held from October 31 to November 1, it is considered a Slavic counterpart to Halloween, blending elements from various Ukrainian traditions into a mystical night of honouring the past. Let’s take a closer look at Veles Night: Ukraine’s Historic Halloween.
Contents
The Origin of the Holiday
Виникнення свята
Veles’s Night – Велесова ніч – has deep roots in pre-Christian modern paganism (also known as neopaganism) traditions and is heavily associated with the god Veles. As this arose among modern pagans, it is not an ancient holiday. It became popularised in Ukraine around 2019, as it began to be equated with Halloween.
Veles’s Night also marks the transition from autumn to winter, a time when the boundary between worlds was believed to grow thin. Ukrainians performed rituals to honour their ancestors and seek Veles’ protection for the coming year.
Who is Veles?
Велес: хто це такий
Veles (Велес, Волос) is a prominent deity in Slavic paganism. In Slavic mythology, he is regarded as the guardian of wealth and livestock, the patron of trade, music, art, and poetry, and the ruler of the underworld. Veles is commonly portrayed as a bearded figure, often with a pipe in his hands (the pipe of peace), and is frequently depicted as a bear, his animal form. He is also known as the Lord of the Forest and is a shapeshifter who can transform into other animals.
The cult of Veles is reflected in various place names, such as the Ukrainian villages of Велесніїв, Волосів, Волосате and the area of Велесниця. In Kyiv, an idol of Veles stood “under the mountain” in the Podil area. Chronicles record that this idol was destroyed during Prince Volodymyr’s Second Religious Reform in 988, marking the beginning of the adoption and spread of Christianity in Kyivan Rus’. According to legend, the idol was cast into the Dnieper River. Interestingly, there was once a grand temple of Volos in Podil, and today, that historic spot is where Voloska Street is located.
Rituals
Ритуали
In preparation for the holiday, it’s traditional to clean the house and take a bath, leaving a new broom and a bucket of fresh water for the souls of your departed ancestors. On this night of the 31st October, homes were decorated with горобина (mountain ash, also known as rowan tree ash) to ward off evil forces. Salt was also sprinkled under the threshold for extra protection. Ukrainian houses were often decorated with courgettes, pumpkins, apples, and autumnal flowers.
A key element of the Veles’s Night celebration was a bonfire lit on the highest point of an area. Jumping over the fire was a traditional practice associated with the holiday. After sunset, families gathered around the table for dinner, during which they symbolically honour their deceased relatives by placing an extra setting on the table. It is still customary to only speak positively about lost loved ones. Many believe that the souls of the dead can visit on Veles’s Night, so candles were lit on windowsills to help guide them home. Some Ukrainians also hold the belief that this night allows them to “consult” with their deceased relatives for guidance in solving challenging issues.
Before going to sleep from October 31 to November 1, our ancestors used to say «Темна ніч, заклинаю мені допомогти. Велесе, потрудися, загадане, з’явися» – “Dark night, I pray you help me. Veles, work hard, may what I have wished for appear.”
Divination on Veles's Night
Ворожіння в Велесову ніч
Ancestral guidance: If you are in a difficult situation, it was believed that you can seek assistance from your deceased ancestors. Before going to sleep, visualise your last deceased relative and share your problem with them. If you encounter them in your dream, it’s considered a positive sign – indicating that your ancestors have heard your plea and are ready to help you navigate your challenges.
Future relationships: Another old belief is to predict the future of your relationship on Veles’s Night. Ukrainian girls would throw two chestnuts into the fireplace; which were not meant to roll in opposite directions. If they did so, this meant a quick end to their relationship.
To grant wishes: On Veles’s Night, you have the opportunity to make a wish before going to bed. To do so, place an apple under your pillow and eat it the following morning. Before eating it, be sure to peel the fruit! While you’re peeling the apple, take note of how long the peel is; it is claimed that the longer the shavings are, the longer you will live.
To test loyalty: In some regions, Ukrainians sought to test their spouse’s fidelity. To do so, thread his or her wedding ring through a red woollen thread. If the ring stood still and did not swing, the loyalty of your spouse is said to be just as unshakable.
Signs and Omens
Знаки та прикмети
Veles’s Night is associated with various signs and omens that often differ from common Ukrainian folklore interpretations. For example, dreaming of a deceased relative on October 31st is generally viewed as a positive sign, contrary to the usual belief that it is a bad omen. Additionally, while black cats are commonly seen as bad omens, on this night they are seen as a good sign. Instead, it is a black dog that symbolises the arrival of an enemy that would spoil the life of the family. Keep your eyes out for a white dog near your house, as this is said to mean a new friend or family member will enter your life.
One of the worst omens was considered to be if a stranger knocks on your door in the evening. Our ancestors believed that such an encounter meant one of the residents could die during the following year. On the off-chance this happened, the stranger would be told to slow down with the following phrase: «Охолонь, незнайомця слід, не вчинивши нам біди» – “Cool down, the stranger follows without causing us trouble.”
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