Marzanna/Morana – Slavic Goddess of Winter, Pestilence, and Death – Slavic Mythology Saturday

Today is the spring equinox. So after last week’s post about (one) spring goddess, Dziewanna/Devana, we’re talking this Slavic Saturday about the goddess whose death is celebrated on the equinox: Marzanna – goddess of winter, pestilence, and death (also known as Morana, Morena/Морана, Marena/Марена, Mara/Мара).

(June 2021 Updated) Note: If you enjoy Slavic mythology, check out A Dagger in the Winds, the first book in my Slavic fantasy series called The Frostmarked Chronicles. You can also join my monthly newsletter for updates and free novellas (such as the prequel, The Rider in the Night) set in the world of the series.

The Winter Goddess – The Betrayed Wife

Marzanna is one of the most well-known deities in Slavic mythology because of her rule over the winter months. Especially in the northern regions, winter could be a brutal time for the early Slavic tribes. Though Veles/Weles was sometimes considered the ruler of winter in parts of Russia (for example), Marzanna was feared as the bringer of its chill in most areas. This is only amplified by her connection to the Zmora/Mora/Kikimora – a demon of nightmares. She is sometimes pictured in a form similar to those demons and her name has similarities as well when you compare “Mora” and other versions of her name, “Morana” or “Mara.”

Stories about the cycle of the seasons vary (and primary sources are basically non-existent), but a prominent tale is that of her marriage with Jaryło/Yarilo/Gerovit – her twin brother and a spring, war, and agriculture god.

It was said that Marzanna was a daughter of Perun, god of thunder, and Mokosz/Mokosh, the Great Mother. In this story, she was once a nature goddess. When she was young, Jaryło was stolen by the god Weles and taken to the underworld of Nawia/Nav. When he returned, the twins did not know they were related, so they fell in love and were married.

This marriage between Marzanna’s nature and Jaryło’s agriculture brought balance in nature and also peace (temporarily) between Perun and Weles. But then Jaryło committed adultery. Marzanna killed him for his betrayal, turning her bitter and making her the winter deity we know today. This split is the reason for the seasons, as Marzanna kills Jaryło in autumn, and he along with a spring goddess (usually either Dziewanna or Żywia/Vesna) kills her in the spring. The cycle continues annually, and neither can exist for long while the other survives.

This story shows a bit of tragedy that is often lacking in many mythological stories. While Marzanna is feared, she has a human element of desiring revenge and having her heart broken. An important note is that most gods in Slavic mythology had a fear and a worship element to them. Marzanna was feared for the death and disease she wrought, but she was also a crucial part of the world’s cycle. Though the goddess was definitely not the most praised, she was recognized because of both this fear and her important role.

The Drowning of Marzanna

Come the spring equinox, the death of the winter goddess is celebrated with The Drowning of Marzanna. Though the festival was not recorded well before, it is often still practiced in areas such as Poland (called Topienie Marzanny there) as a fun folk tradition.

The festival’s name gives a key insight into what happens. Different tribes and regions practiced this differently, either by burning or drowning an effigy of Marzanna (or doing both). Overall, however, the key is they were celebrating the end of winter and the coming of spring. In the burning traditions, it is often considered that Marzanna is burned in the fire of one of the spring goddesses.

Upon Marzanna’s death, she travels to the underworld of Nawia until her return in autumn.

Appearance

Marzanna is typically pictured as a pale, black or light blonde haired woman. Often, she is portrayed wielding a sickle or scythe and can either be beautiful or a horrific creature with claws and even fangs. In the latter example, she represents the fear of the winter as an almost demonic figure.

She is also believed to live in a mirrored palace, where two rivers meet. The palace is guarded by serpents, and the rivers are thought to be bottomless around her home.

In The Frostmarked Chronicles

As the series name implies, Marzanna’s role is a crucial one in my books. The series begins at the Drowning of Marzanna, when things during the festival that do not go as planned. Marzanna is the instigator of the main conflict of A Dagger in the Winds and the later books, and the goddess of winter’s wrath will loom over both Wacław and Otylia (our main characters).

That’s all for this week’s Slavic Saturday. Be sure to keep a lookout for more posts next week, and if you haven’t seen the full series of posts, be sure to check them out.

*As always just a quick disclaimer. Slavic mythology is broad and not written in many if any primary sources, so there’s a variety of interpretations. The interpretations I’m using here are from the sources I’ve found to be reliable.