Iriy

Iriy, Irij or Vyriy (Russian: ирий, ирей, вырий) is a mythical place in Slavic mythology where birds fly for the winter and souls go after death, sometimes identified with paradise.[1] Snakes have their own iriy where they go for the winter which is located underground.[2]

The term was first mentioned in the writings of Vladimir II Monomakh. During the Christianization of Kievan Rus', people were able to imagine heaven and hell based on the idea of iriy.[3]

Etymology

This term is sometimes said to be derived from rai, the Slavic word for 'paradise', but this is probably a folk etymology.[4]

In modern times

Storks carried unborn souls from iriy to Earth.[5] This idea was simplified to "storks bring children into the world".[6]

References

  1. ↑ Людмила Викторовна Евдокимова (1998). Мифопоэтическая традиция в творчестве (in Russian). Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  2. ↑ Елена Левкиевская (2010). Мифы и легенды восточных славян (in Russian). Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  3. ↑ Левкиевская, Елена. Мифы и легенды восточных славян.
  4. ↑ Max Vasmer, Этимологический словарь русского языка (М., 1964—1973), s.v. ирей.
  5. ↑ Gieysztor, Aleksander (1982). Mitologia Słowian (in Polish). Warsaw, Poland: Wydawnictwa Artystyczne i Filmowe. ISBN 83-221-0152-X.
  6. ↑ Jakubiec, Z. (2009). "Dlaczego bocian przynosił dzieci?". Bocianopedia (in Polish). Retrieved 10 March 2011.
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