Summary page for Lada, the Slavic goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.
Pantheon:
Deity Of:
Marriage, Love, Fertility, Beauty, Spring, Harmony
Archetype:
Love: Lada embodied love in all forms, from romantic to unrequited.
Protector: Lada watched over marriages. She ensured harmony and happiness in unions.
Group:
Rozhanitsa and Bereginya
Other Names (a.k.a.):
Czech: Krasopani (Краснопани), Krasina (Красина)
Russian: Lada (Лада)
Slav: Lada
Ukrainian: Lada (Лада)
Other Pantheons:
Roman = Venus
Greek = Aphrodite
Norse = Frig
Hindu = Bhavani
Egyptian = Isis
Goddess of Love: Lada embodied love in all its forms.
Beauty: She symbolized beauty and grace.
Marriage: Lada protected marriages and ensured their harmony.
Spring and Fertility: She represented the fertility of spring, bringing renewal and growth.
Nature and Life: Lada symbolized nature’s life force, mothering the sun and water.
Harmony: She maintained universal harmony and balance.
Blessings: Lada was known as the giver of blessings and life energy
Parents:
Svarog: god of Sky, Fire, Blacksmiths
Siblings:
Dazhbog: god of Sun, Light, Fertility, Abundance
Kresnik : god of Agriculture, Cattle
Mokosh: goddess of Fate, Weaving, Fertility, Harvests, Earth
Perun: god of thunder, lightning, rain, warriors
Semargl: god of Vegetation, Agriculture, Fire, Moon, Hearth
Stribog : god of Wind, Air, Storms
Svarozhich: god of Fire, Sun
Svetovid: god of War, Agriculture, Sun and Heavenly Fire, Wisdom
Ziva: goddess of Life, Fertility
Consorts:
Lad: god of Marriage, Celebrations, Joy and Merrymaking, Summer, Household Protection
Beautiful Woman: Lada was depicted as a stunning woman. She symbolized beauty and grace.
Golden Hair: She often had golden, flowing hair. Her hair represented light and warmth.
Adorned with Pearls: Her hair was often adorned with pearls. This added to her elegance.
Crown of Roses: Lada wore a crown of roses. This symbolized love and fertility.
Traditional Dress: Lada wore traditional Slavic clothing. Her outfit included a golden belt and intricate designs.
Nature’s Colors: Her dresses were made of leaves and natural colors like green, azure, and crimson. Butterflies often surrounded her.
Holding Lelya: She usually held her son, Lelya. He was the god of love.
Flowers and Grain: At other times Lada held flowers and grain in her hands. These symbolized growth and harvest.
Sunlight Rays: Artists showed her with rays of sunlight. She embodied the warmth of spring.
Stunning Statue: A grand statue of Lada stood on a hill. She wore a beautifully embroidered dress, decorated with precious stones.
Precious Metals and Stones: Gold, bronze, and emerald were associated with her. She symbolized wealth and abundance.
Star of Lada: Her symbol was the Star of Lada, representing harmony and protection.
Symbolism:
Star of Lada: Her symbol, representing harmony and protection.
Spring: Represented the renewal and fertility of spring.
Love: Embodied romantic and familial love.
Beauty: Symbolized physical and inner beauty.
Marriage: Protected and blessed marriages.
Fertility: Brought fertility to the land and people.
Birch Tree: Birch trees were decorated in her honor.
Metals and Stones: Gold, bronze, and emerald were associated with her.
Weapons:
None Known
Sacred Animals:
Birds: Especially songbirds, symbolizing beauty and harmony.
Butterflies: She was often depicted with butterflies surrounding her.
Celestial Associations:
Venus: Lada was associated with the planet Venus.
Realms:
Realm of Love and Harmony: She ruled over love, harmony, and balance.
Connected to Earth: Linked to the earth and nature’s renewal in spring.
Worship Places:
Temples: Lada had temples in Kyiv and other Slavic regions.
Kyiv Temple: A grand temple in Kyiv honored her beauty and love. It featured a statue of Lada holding her son, Lelya.
Rituals & Divinations:
Spring and Summer Songs: People sang songs in her honor during spring and summer.
Offerings: They offered flowers, birds, honey, and berries to please her.
“Zaklinanie Vesny”: This ritual in early March asked Lada to hasten spring’s arrival.
Marriage Blessings: People offered sacrifices for a happy and loving marriage.
Matchmaking Rituals: They performed rituals to find love and ensure harmonious relationships.
Love Divinations: Lada presided over love divinations and matchmaking rituals.
Festivals:
Spring Celebrations: Festivals in her honor took place in spring, celebrating renewal and love.
Early Summer Celebrations: Celebrations continued through early summer, with songs, dances, and rituals around decorated birch trees.
May 1st: A major festival on May 1st celebrated Lada with songs and dances.
Green Holidays: From mid-May to June 25th, people celebrated “green holidays” in her honor. They performed rituals and praised her role in nature’s growth and fertility.
Revered by Ancient Slavs: Ancient Slavs honored Lada as a protector of marriage and family.
Spring Fertility Rituals: They linked her with spring fertility rituals to ensure bountiful harvests.
Mother of the Sun and Water: She symbolized the nurturing aspects of nature.
Goddess of Spring: Lada was celebrated as the goddess of spring, love, and beauty.
Supreme Rozhanitsa and Bereginya: She was the supreme mother goddess and protector of harmony.
Afterlife Beliefs: Myths said Lada collected the souls of the righteous after death, bringing them to women desiring children.
Protector of Women: She watched over women and girls, ensuring their well-being.
Slavic Pantheon: Lada held a prominent role in the Slavic pantheon, representing the ideal of feminine beauty and love.
Visit All Slavic Gods & Goddesses
- A. Kononenko, L.P. Virovetz, Encyclopedia of Slavic Culture, Writings and Mythology (Russian Version) Энциклопедия славянской культуры, письменности и мифологии (Folio, Kharkiv, 2013) “Лада” Pages 236-238
- A. N. Nikolayeva, Slavic Myths (Russian) Славянские мифы Мифы мира. Самые сказочные истории человечества (Bombora Izdatelstvo, 2023) Page 66
- Editors of Drevnerusskiy Slovar, Лада (Drevenrusskiy Slovar (Russian) “Древнерусский словарик”, 2010-2024)
- Editors of Spadok.Org.UA, Pantheon of Slavic Gods (Ukraine) Пантеон язичницьких богів слов’ян (Spadok (Ukrainian), August 17, 2020)
- Editors of Visit Ukraine.uk, Zeus and Perun: The similarities between Slavic and Greek gods (Ukrainian) Зевс та Перун, Діоніс та Ярило: що пов’язує слов’янських богів з грецькими (Visit Ukraine Today, May 26, 2023)
- G. Glinka, V. Zhukovskiy, A. Gilferding, Slavyanskaya Mifologia (Beliy Gorod, 2020) ЛАДА, Pages 37-39
- Galina Lozko, Слов’янський пантеон у світлі етнорелігійного ренесансу (“Об`єднання рідновірів України”, 1995-2024)
- Igor Ozhiganov, Slavic Gods and Goddesses (Russian) Славянские Боги и Богини (Naslediye Sluchkogo Kraya (Russian) “Наследие слуцкого края”, October 31, 2019)
- J.A. Coleman, The Dictionary of Mythology: An A-Z of Themes, Legends, and Heroes (Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2007)
- Mayevska Svitlana Vasilivna, Pantheon of Slavic Gods (Ukrainian) Презентація ПАНТЕОН СЛОВ’ЯНСЬКИХ БОГІВ – ТО НАШЕ НЕБО. (Na Urok (Ukrainian) «НА УРОК», April 01)
- Yaromir Slushni, All Slavic Myths and Legends (Russian) Все славянские мифы и легенды (ACT, Moscow, 2021) Pages 6, 98