The Zorya

In Slavic mythology, the Zorya (alternately: Zarya, Zvezda, Zwezda, Zory) are the three (sometimes two) guardian goddesses, known as the Auroras. They guard and watch over the doomsday hound that threatens to eat the constellation Ursa Minor, the 'little bear.' If the chain breaks loose and the constellation is devoured, the universe is said to end. The Auroras represent the Morning Star, Evening Star, and Midnight Star, respectively,cite web
last = Smart
first = Dr Antony E.
title = Zorya
publisher = Encyclopedia Mythica
date = 08-02-2004
url = http://www.pantheon.org/articles/z/zorya.html
accessdate = 2008-03-23] although the Midnight Star is sometimes omitted. In some myths, the morning Zorya was the wife of the male Myesyats, the moon god, and was a major goddess. In other myths, the Zoryas are virgin goddesses who flank the sun (see sundog), and Myesyats is an unrelated female moon goddess. The Zorya are associated with marriage, protection, and exorcisms.

The Morning Star is "Zorya Utrennyaya" (also "Zvezda Danica", "Zvezda Dennitsa", "Zwezda Dnieca", "Zvezda Zornitsa", "Zora"). She opens the heavenly gates for the chariot of the sun in the morning. She is depicted as a fully armed and courageous warrior. She is the patron goddess of horses, and is associated with the planet Venus. She is invoked to protect against death in battle, and her prayers were addressed as "Defend me, O maiden, with your veil from the enemy, from the arquebus and arrow..."Fact|date=August 2008

The Evening Star is "Zorya Vechernyaya" (also "Vecernja Zvezda", "Zvezda Vechernaya", "Zwezda Wieczoniaia", "Zwezda Wieczernica", "Zvezda Vechernitsa", "Zarja"). She closes the gates of heaven each night as the sun returns home.

The Midnight Star is "Zorya Polunochnaya" (also "Zwezda Polnoca"). Some legends omit this Zorya, leaving only the Morning and Evening Auroras. Each night, the sun dies in the Midnight Zorya's arms and is then restored to life. She is a goddess of death, rebirth, magic, mysticism, and wisdom.

The Zorya are sometimes associated with the Triple Goddess mythic archetype, with the Morning, Evening and Midnight Zoryas representing the maiden, mother, and crone, respectively.

In popular culture

The novel, "American Gods", by Neil Gaiman, features the three Zorya among the represented deities. Zorya Vechernyaya also appears as a denizen of Faerie Minor, a member of the political police, in "The Dragons of Babel" by Michael Swanwick.

Zorya is also the main character in a series of French graphic novels titled "L'Épée de Cristal", written by Goupil and drawn by Crisse, published by Éditions Vents d'Ouest

Zvezda Dennitsa is the name of a character in Marvel Comics, a member of the Russian team, Bogatyri.

Zorya Dance Ensemble

Zorya Dance Ensemble is a Dallas-based Ukrainian dance group. [ [http://www.uast.org/Zoria/index.htm Zorya Ukrainian Dance Ensemble Webpage.] ]

ee also

* Hecate
* List of night deities
* Zaria (goddess)

References