One of the most popular characters of all genres of Ossetian oral folk art is Uastirdzhi/Uasgergi. In the mythological ideas of Ossetians, the image of Uastirdzhi is clearly correlated with military function. His role as the patron of men and travelers is connected with this. Ossetians also perceived Uastirdzhi as the patron of their distant ancestors.

In all areas of activity, Ossetians turn to Uastirdzhi for help. According to their ideas, Uastirdzhi is a mediator between God and people. The most is dedicated to him a large number of sanctuaries that are scattered throughout Ossetia, such famous sanctuaries as Rekom, Dzvgyisy dzuar, etc. are named after him. Every year in November throughout Ossetia, the holiday of Uastirdzhi - Dzheuzhrgoba is widely and solemnly celebrated. Not a single Ossetian feast, not a single good Ossetian undertaking is complete without turning to Uastirdzhi with an appropriate request that meets the occasion. The name Uastirdzhi in the religious and mythological consciousness of Ossetians is prohibited for women. They call him “lægty dzuar”, which is interpreted as “the patron of men”. But, as it seems to us, “lægty dzuar” carries a more voluminous semantic load than its current understanding. The word “læg” in Ossetian means not only “man”, but also “person”.76 Therefore, the expression “lægty dzuar” is more correctly translated not as “patron of men”, but as “patron of man”.

In Ossetian folklore, Uastirdzhi is almost always depicted riding a wonderful three-legged white horse and wearing a white cloak. He, considered the patron saint of every person, is at the same time the scourge of thieves, swindlers, perjurers, and murderers.

The popularity of Uastirdzhi in the Ossetian pantheon of “Zeds” and “Dauags” is spoken of in many plots of mythological legends. The most obvious example in this regard can be provided by the legend “Who is the most honorable of the saints among the Ossetians” (“Chi u kadzhyndær iron adæmæn sæ dzuærttæy”).77 According to this legend, on one of the campaigns the angels Khuytsauydzuar (lit. “divine angel”) found themselves together "), Uastirdzhi, Tbau-Uatsilla (patron of Mount Tbau, lord of thunderstorms), Alardy (lord of smallpox) and Khori-Uatsilla (patron of cereals). Night found them in one place, and they stopped to rest. Not far away they saw a shepherd with a huge flock; the angels decided to beg him for a lamb for dinner. Khuytsauy-zuara was sent as a petitioner, but the shepherd refused his request and drove him away. He did the same with the other angels, finding a reason for refusal for each of them. The last petitioner was Uastirdzhi. The shepherd is ready to give him not only one lamb, but the entire flock, motivating his action by the fact that Uastirdzhi is the fairest among the other angels, patronizing the poor: “What is one lamb? Let all this cattle be yours! - said the shepherd. - Poor people live thanks to you. Before God you are our benefactor. The poor and oppressed call on you, you are a just intercessor for them.”

According to the views of Ossetians, God initially created people, devils and giants (“wayugs”). But, since people were not able to defend themselves, the giants, being stronger, began to oppress people, imposing tribute on them. The devils, too, possessing a more agile mind and cunning, lived at the expense of people. This state of affairs, according to the Ossetians, was put to an end by Uastirdzhi.78

During the times of “ævyda-vydon” (lit. “innocent-guilty” - according to the mythological views of Ossetians - the time when God created people, devils, and giants at the same time), people were dependent on devils and giants. Giants were divided into three-headed, seven-headed and nine-headed. This division existed not because several heads grew on the body of one giant, but because people gave one giant three people as tribute, another seven people, and a third nine. And people in those days were so helpless that they did not even know how to throw a stone or hit another with a stick. Even when the giants sent for tribute, people meekly came to them themselves. On one of these days, one of the seven sisters was supposed to go to the giant. The sisters began to mourn each other in advance and each said to the other: “No, I will go instead of you.” At this time, Uastirdzhi was driving past their house and, hearing the girls arguing and crying, went into the house. Having found out what was the matter, he promised to help. Having taught the girl how to bring the giant, Uastirdzhi ordered the rest of the village residents to dig a hole in order to then lure the rapist there. The giant fell into a hole, and Uastirdzhi turned to the people to deal with him. People began to bring stones and sticks to the pit and throw them on the giant’s head and killed him. Since then, Uastirdzhi began to teach them to throw stones, hit with a stick, run and much more. And people learned to throw stones and sticks, learned to make weapons.

According to Ossetian mythology, Uastirdzhi, in addition, always stands up for people before the inhabitants of heaven, and even before Styr Khuytsau (the Great God). And the fact that the celestials give people gifts (Falwara - small livestock, Khori-Uatsilla - cereals, and even the adamant Afsati allows people to hunt animals under his protection), people attribute to Uastirdzhi, who made such a request to the Almighty. The Great God himself always chooses Uastirdzhi as a messenger to people. Therefore, the popularity of this celestial being among Ossetians, regardless of whether they are Christians or Muslims, is so great that it would not be an exaggeration to say: for the Ossetian Uastirdzhi is the same as Buddha for a Buddhist, for a Christian - Jesus, for a Muslim - Mohammed, and even more .

Many researchers identify both the name and image of Uastirdzhi with the Christian saint. Georgiy. Some authors elevate Uastirdzhi to the name and image of the ancestor of the Scythians - Targitai. In particular, V.S. Gazdanova writes: “An analysis of the functions of Uastirdzhi indicates that it combines priestly, military and economic functions at the same time. The evolution of this deity of the Ossetian pantheon did not come from the Scythian or Alan war deity, and its prototype should not be sought in the three-functional model of the world. Uastirdzhi is closest to the Scythian Targitai, with which it is connected not only functionally, but etymologically.”79

But, no matter how this etymology is interpreted, all researchers are unanimous in the opinion that the image of the Ossetian Uastirdzhi is rooted in paganism.

In their works, V.F. Miller80, J. Dumezil81 and V.I. Abaev82 proved that many pagan gods of the Alans subsequently adopted Christian names. But if we talk about such borrowings, then, in particular, Uastirdzhi adopted not only the name of the Christian saint. George, but also some features and functions of St. George the Victorious. Even the holiday in honor of Uastirdzhi coincides with the Christian holiday in honor of St. George, which is celebrated in the second half of November and is called in Georgian “Georgoba” (George’s day).

Uastirdzhi reveals many similarities with Indra, the head of the Rigveda pantheon, the God of thunder and war. Like Uastirdzhi, Indra belongs to the most anthropomorphic gods of the ancient Indian pantheon. The Rig Veda describes it in detail appearance(body parts, face, beard).

The main myth of the Rig Veda, repeated from hymn to hymn, tells that Indra killed Vritra the serpent, who was lounging on the mountain and damming the flow of rivers. Thus, he allowed the rivers to flow freely by drilling their channels.

The second most important myth associated with Indra is the liberation of cows hidden in a rock by the demon Vala. Indra goes in search of the cows, fights the demon, breaks the rock and releases the cows. Indra accomplishes this feat with the help of the divine dog Sarama and seven angiras (a class of demigods, sons of Heaven).83 The commonality of the names of the mythological dogs of the Rig Veda and the Nart epic drew attention to the researcher of Scythian culture A.I. Ivanchik. This is Indra’s companion, the dog Sarama and, associated with Uastyrdzhi, the dog Silam.84 In the genealogical plot of the Nart legends about the birth of Shatana, Uastyrdzhi is the father of Shatana, the first horse and first dog, born to the daughter of the lord of the waters Dzerassa. According to a number of options, paternity is attributed to Uastyrdzhi himself; there can be no doubt that this is a distortion of the original version, in which Uastyrdzhi himself is the father of all in three forms; in the form of a wolf - a dog, an anthropomorphic horse.85

In the legend “Why is Uastirdzhi called Lægty-dzuar”, in the same sequence, one can see the motive for killing a snake that prevents people from accessing water and saturating bulls breaking through river beds with water.86

Based on the analysis of this legend and the Rig Veda, V.S. Gazdanova concludes that Uastirdzhi/Uasgergi combines the functions and features of the Ashvins and Indra. Further in her research, V.S. Gazdanova draws attention to the fact that Uastirdzhi also had the functions of Mitra-Varuna. Oath formulas for addressing Uastirdzhi in the ritual practice of Ossetians in the case of arda (oath, oath) confirm the functional proximity of these deities.87

Thus, the snake-wrestling or dragon-wrestling of Uastirdzhi is identical to a similar motif of the Christian saint. George, as well as the biography of the Vedic Trestona, who defeated the three-headed dragon Anji-Dahak and freed his wives during the feat, who are semantically identical to the mythical cows.88 Close to these myths is the Indian analogue - Trite89 and, according to D.S. Raevsky, the tenth labor of Hercules is the killing of the monster Geryon, who had three heads and three fused torsos.90

The phenomenon of the image of the Ossetian Uastirdzhi is that it concentrates not only different eras, but also various religious and mythological prototypes.

Islam did not stand aside either, which had a certain influence on the plot motives of the tales about Uastirdzhi and on its functional essence. In some legends, Uastirdzhi appears as a champion of the triumph of Islam, an assistant and closest associate of the Prophet Mohammed, in others - as a conductor of the ideas of Islam, in others - as a devout Muslim.

In the legend “Wasgergi and his wife Fatimat, daughter of the Prophet Mohammed,” the hero, while remaining a typically Ossetian mythological character, adopted some features of the companion and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed, Ali. Being in this story the husband of the daughter of the prophet Mohammed Fatimat, he, like Ali, fights against the enemies of Islam. Even Ali's sword ends up in the hands of Wasgergi.

It has never been customary for Ossetians to praise them every time after mentioning the names of their deities. This comes from Islam, where after each pronunciation of the name of the prophet it was necessary to pronounce the formula “May Allah welcome him.” In the mouth of an Ossetian, this formula sounds like this: “Let him be taboo! (prayer, supplication, request, glory, greatness, mercy).91 (“Taboo in ud!”) or “May God greet him!” (“Khutsaui huarz salam æy uæd!”). Since the name Ali means nothing to Ossetian Muslims, and they are generally unfamiliar with his deeds, this formula has never been applied to him. All the more interesting is this plot, which apparently was influenced by Shiism.

The legend says that when Wasgergi - let him be taboo! - was still an earthly man, he received the Sarfakal saber from God. He traveled with her and recognized those whom God did not love in this way: when he swung his saber at them, it lengthened, multiplied as many times as there were doers of evil, and destroyed them.

And Wasgerga's wife - let it be a taboo for him! - was the daughter of the prophet Mohammed Fatimat. She didn't love her husband. Therefore, Wasgergi killed only two hundred enemies of God a day, but he was supposed to kill three hundred. Hundreds fled from him, for he was overcome with anxiety about why his wife did not love him.

Fatimat sent to her father many times and asked him to divorce her from her husband. He gave her a deadline for Friday, but under one pretext or another he moved the deadline from one Friday to another and did not separate them.

One day, the enemies of God began to pursue the prophet Mohammed, and Wasgergi was nearby and began to exterminate them. From excessive labor, his hand stuck to the saber. When he returned home, he boasted to his wife Fatimat:

“My beloved, today I saved your father, and yet you still act aloof with me!” Look, look!

He turned the sword point down, and the ground was covered with blood.

Another Friday has arrived. Prophet Mohammed arrived to his daughter and told her:

“I sincerely give you one last piece of advice: in the lower quarter there lives a shepherd who grazes cattle; take a closer look at his life, after that I will divorce you from your husband.

Fatimat went to the shepherd. The shepherd walked around in rags during the day, and yet in his house there was a lot of all sorts of goods. In the corner of his room, behind the door, stood a stick and a twig, their heads tied with scarves.

The day was approaching evening, and the shepherd's wife began to fuss, preparing for her husband's return.

"Oh my God! – Fatimat was surprised. “She is a shepherd’s wife and is trying to better meet the one who walks in rags!”

Evening came. The shepherd, hunched over, blew his snot and showed up home in this form.

- That's who came to her! – Fatimat is surprised.

And the shepherd's wife was an extraordinary beauty. In the afternoon, around lunchtime, she went out into the yard in just a nightgown and sat for a long time in the rain. To Fatimat’s surprised question, she replied:

“That’s why I’m sitting like this because now it’s raining where my husband is, and when the rainwater wets his back, I’ll better understand how difficult it is for him.”

As soon as the shepherd arrived home, his wife quickly took out a fur coat made of kurpei fur and threw it over his shoulders; she quickly handed over her shoes; she began to feed him the best foods and treat him kindly; She placed a down pillow under his head.

A little time passed, and someone shouted at their gate that his cow had not returned from the pasture and had disappeared.

The shepherd grumbled that he would have to get dressed again. Then he grabbed a stick and began beating his wife. And she herself offered him her back. The shepherd went out, quickly returned and said:

- I found the cattle! May grief befall them, I also beat you without guilt!

And with these words he went to bed.

Fatimat stayed at their house for the night. In the morning, the shepherd again dressed in rags and went to graze his flock.

“Since you show such honor and attention to your shepherd husband,” Fatimat said to his wife, “then I am a big criminal: after all, Wasgergi flies between heaven and earth, and I don’t regard him at all.” Teach me how to be.

“I’ll teach you how to atone for your guilt before him,” the shepherd’s wife tells her. - Place it under outerwear some rags, walk past the nikhas, and people will say: “Look, Wasgerga’s wife Fatimat ran away to the shepherd again, committed adultery with him and became pregnant!”

Fatima did just that. She returned home. If before she didn’t even sweep the floors, now she started cleaning and brought extraordinary cleanliness to the house, “turned it into the sun and the moon.”

Wasgergi continued the work of serving God. When he returned home, Fatimat, smiling, ran out to meet him and said:

- Arrived, God's favorite! You worked hard!

Wasgergi usually returned home sad, with his head bowed and shoulders raised. This time he raised his head high and said:

Thanks be to God! It’s good that I waited for Fatimat’s smile.

At night she caressed him, and Wasgergi said:

If I found the lever of the universe, I would grab it and turn the universe upside down.

And only then, only once, God was dissatisfied with him.

Wasgergi soon experienced the consequences of this himself. The first time he saw the handle of a whip on the road, he could not lift it. The second time Wasgergi picked up the apple, and when he cut it, all the abominations of the world jumped out: frogs, snakes, etc. Wasgergi wants to wash off the traces of the kumgan apple he saw on the road from his hands. But the third time, even greater abominations than before fell out of there along with the water, and he began to cry.

- Oh my God! - he said. -What a great enemy of yours I have become! Until now, you loved me very much!

And then a word came to him from God:

- May you be forgiven because you have repented.

And he resumed his work92.

In this plot, traditional Ossetian folklore motifs and images are combined with Muslim ones, with Islamic ideology. The use of the name Wasgergi here instead of Ali is not accidental. To be convincing, one should compare the story about Wasgergi with the story of Batraz, described by W. Pfaff.93

One of the earliest texts of a narrative nature about the adoption of Islam, which over time transformed into a myth and gave rise to its first researcher to attribute this monument of oral folk art to the fairy-tale genre, is the legend “The Acceptance of the Muslim Faith by Ossetians,” recorded by Dr. V. Pfaff in 1869. in the Kurtatinsky gorge, in the village. Kakkadur.

The legend says that in a certain settlement of Galazan (which is also found in the Nart legends about Batraz) there lived a baptized people. But the prophet Mohammed brought the khan's label, in which it was announced that the khan would give his daughter to the one who would be the first to accept the Mohammedan faith. The shepherd Telves was the first to begin praying to Allah, and the khan gave his daughter to him. After Telves and Batraz, he accepted the Mohammedan faith and married the khan’s youngest daughter. They were very good women. They lived magnificently with their husbands, their courtyard was lined with carpets so that they could sit and lie down everywhere. If a husband wanted to beat his wife, the latter considered it her duty to wrap the stick at one end with scarves and scarves, so that it would be softer for the husband to hold it in his hand. These women did not wear underwear only so that their husbands could have sex with them more quickly and easily. love pleasures. The Khan's youngest daughter, given to Batraz, fearing his mustache, never wanted to kiss her husband. Batraz, out of frustration, became an abrek. Meanwhile younger sister came to visit the elder. Seeing carpets in her yard, a stick wrapped in scarves, and herself without an underwear, she was surprised and began to ask questions. And having found out the reason, she immediately asked Allah for rain, which would stop Batraz. Batraz put on a burka and drove on, but, having encountered a new obstacle on his way, he returned back, and from then on his wife kissed him without any fear. Then, through Batraz, many more were seduced from Christianity to Mohammedanism.7

If the mention of the name Telves does not carry any semantic meaning, moreover, it is not found anywhere else: this name is not found in Arabic sources either, which could be expected, then, taking this circumstance into account, it is worth assuming that the name Batraz is not mentioned randomly and performs the function of a symbol in the above text. Indeed, in the legends about the Narts, it is Batraz who serves as a symbol of the struggle of the traditional Ossetian religion with Christianity (“The Death of Batraz”).9 The death of Batraz marks the victory of Christianity over the old traditional religion of the Ossetians. And in the legend telling about the adoption of the Muslim religion, we have the same symbolism, with the only difference that in the latter there are no violent scenes of the struggle between the old and new religions, which are clearly reflected at the level of the plot and figurative system of the epic. That is why Batraz is devoid of typical features: instead of a formidable, merciless, fearless hero, we have before us the type of a kind and submissive inhabitant of Galazan. Nart Batraz knows no barriers, no obstacles ever stop him. Batraz from Galazan returns back after colliding with the second obstacle. Nart Batraz is the personification of courage and bravery, while Batraz from Galazan is the embodiment of submission to circumstances, but the essence of the legend about the adoption of the Muslim faith lies precisely in this. The entire story from beginning to end is imbued with the idea of ​​submission, which corresponds to the spirit and principles of Islam. The basic principle of Islam is submission. If you do not have humility, then you are not a Muslim. Therefore, in the legends there is no hint of struggle, and Batraz is only a symbol of continuity - from the old religion to the new.

V.B. Pfaff, it seems to us, draws the wrong conclusion from this legend, saying that only polygamy prompted the Ossetians to accept Islam. But the legend nowhere talks about polygamy. The daughters of the prophet Mohammed, like Batraz, act as a symbol of the new faith. The Prophet Mohammed gives his daughters to those who accept the Mohammedan faith as a blessing. Whoever accepts Islam receives prosperity. This is the true meaning of the “Khan’s label”.

“Seek help from patience and prayer” (Sura 2, verse 42), the Koran calls. And the shepherd Telves, who was the first to begin praying to Allah, receives prosperity. He marries the Khan's eldest daughter, who turns his life into paradise.

After Telves and Batraz, he accepted the Mohammedan faith and married the khan’s youngest daughter. But between them there is no harmony and happiness that exists between Telwes and the eldest daughter of the khan. The youngest daughter lacks patience and complete obedience, as a result of which there is no family happiness. Only after she fully accepts the basic commandment of Islam - humility, and turns to Allah in prayer, does she find happiness and harmony.

The image of Wasgergi, like the image of Batraz, is so derogatory that it is difficult to recognize in him a traditional mythological character, however, just as it is difficult to recognize the familiar Nart hero in the image of Batraz. Wasgergi, like Batraz, is married to the youngest daughter of the prophet, with the only difference being that in the story about Batraz the khan appears instead of the prophet. The adoption of Islam, as we noted above, is associated with Batraz for the simple reason that his image symbolizes in the epic the fall of the old and the victory of the new religion.94 In the second case, instead of Ali, Wasgergi appears before us, and this is also easily explained: in religious terms In the mythological consciousness of Ossetians, Uastirdzhi / Wasgergi acts as a prophet, a mediator between God and people, an intercessor of people before God. Therefore, who else but he had to fight for Islam, be the assistant and savior of the Prophet Mohammed, and his son-in-law.

The Wasgergi checker, called “Sarfakal” in the story, is borrowed from Arabic. Zulfaqar is the name of Ali's sword.

The motif of the dubious morality of the saint’s wife is also characteristic of some Ossetian fairy tales.95 But, despite all the apparent dubiousness, the morality of Wasgerga’s wife, just like Batraz’s wife, does not go beyond the Islamic idea of ​​submission. The motive of the relationship between wife and husband (in the first case - the relationship between the youngest daughter of the khan and Batraz, in the second - the youngest daughter of the Prophet Mohammed Fatimat and Wasgergi) is a test of humility. Fatimat overcomes her pride when she learns that this is the path to happiness. But, unlike his wife, Wasgergi makes a mistake: he shows pride when he says that if he found the lever of the Universe, he would grab it and turn the whole universe upside down. Thus, he elevated himself above Allah, admitting that all this would have happened not thanks to Allah, but as a result of the power that he felt in himself. For such pride, Vasgergi suffers until he repents. It is noteworthy that the plot of this legend was recorded not among Ossetian Muslims, as one would expect, but among Ossetian Christians in the village. Zadalesk in 1910

LITERATURE
76 Ossetian-Russian dictionary (edited by Kasaev). – Ordzhonikidze, 1972. – P. 248.
77 Iron taurægætæ (Ossetian legends). – Ordzhonikidze, 1989. – P. 67-69.
78 Ibid., p. 39.
79 Gazdanova V.S. The image of Uastirdzhi in the religious and mythological ideas of Ossetians / “Daryal”. – Vladikavkaz, 1998, No. 3. – P. 259.
80 Miller V.F. Echoes of Caucasian beliefs on grave monuments // Materials on the archeology of the Caucasus. Vol. III. – M., 1893; In the mountains of Ossetia. – Vladikavkaz, 1998; Ossetian sketches. Part 2. – M., 1882.
81 Dumezil J. Ossetian epic and mythology. – M., 1976.
82 Abaev V.I. Pre-Christian religion of the Alans / Selected works. Religion, folklore, literature. – Vladikavkaz, 1990. – P.102-114; Historical and etymological dictionary of the Ossetian language. T.t. I–IV. – M.-L., 1969-1989.
83 Rig Veda. Mandalas, 3. – M., 1989. – P.31.
84 Gazdanova V. S. The image of Uastirdzhi in the religious and mythological ideas of Ossetians. – P.242.
85 Kokiev G. A. Essays on the history of Ossetia. – Vladikavkaz, 1926. – P. 61.
86 Iron taurægæ (Ossetian legends). – Ordzhonikidze, 1989. – P. 57-59.
87 Gazdanova V. S. The image of Uastirdzhi in the religious and mythological ideas of Ossetians. – P.251.
88 Myths of the peoples of the world. T.2. – M.: SE, 1992. – P. 82.
89 Rig Veda. Mandalas, 3. – M., 1989. – P. 88.
90 Raevsky D.S. Essays on the ideology of the Scythian-Saka tribes. – M., 1977 – P.279.
91 Takazov F. M. Digor-Russian dictionary (with the application of a grammar of the Digor language). – Vladikavkaz, 2003. – P.341.
92 Iron adæmon sfældystad (Ossetian folk art). T.I. – Ordzhonikidze, 1961. – P. 493-496.
93 Pfaff V.B. Acceptance of the Muslim faith by Ossetians // SSKG, vol.1. – Tiflis, 1871.–S. 84-87.
7 Pfaff V.B. Travel through the gorges of North Ossetia / Collection of information about the Caucasus. T.I. – Tiflis, 1871. – P. 171-172.
9 Tales of the Narts. From the epic of the Ossetian people. – M., 1944. – P. 371-374.
94 Tales of the Narts. From the epic of the Ossetian people. – M., 1944. – P. 371-374.
95 Miller V.F. In the mountains of Ossetia. – Vladikavkaz, 1998. – P. 11; Tales of the Nart Heroes. Ossetian epic. – M., 1960. – P. 59-63; Collection of information about the Caucasian highlanders. Vol. IX. – Tiflis, 1882. – P. 22-34; An apple full of abominations / Abai Geser Khubun I.–Ulan-Ude, 1961. P.91–93.

Candidate of Philology,
senior researcher at SOIGSI
Takazov Fedar Magometovich

The legend about the three-legged horse Uastirdzhi... First, Khuytsau created people, and then he created Zadta ama Daujyt. He gave everyone a name and ordered everyone to help people. Among them there was (stood out) one unsightly freak. This was the lord of evil - Dalimon. People had enough trouble as it was. And therefore he was not allowed to appear on earth. Dalimon was envious of the other zeds, and when they gathered in heaven in the Garden of Eden and each talked about their deeds, Dalimon became furious and tried to offend them with something. And sometimes he even reproached them for allegedly bragging. If I were you, I would, he says, do such good deeds for them that people would begin to pray to me just like Huytsau. Zadam Dalimon was so fed up with his statements that they finally complained to Huytsau. Huytsau called Dalimon and asked: - What do you want, why are you bothering the zeds? “They’re taking me out,” answered Dalimon, “they can help people better. If I were in the place of one of them, I would provide such a service to people that they would begin to pray to me the same way as you.” “Okay,” said Huytsau, I’ll let you go to the ground. “Well then, give me such strength that with one movement I could tear the bear into two parts,” Dalimon asked. “Okay,” Huytsau agreed to this and touched Dalimon’s shoulders. With that, Dalimon went to earth. For some time there was no news from Dalimon. One day, Fandasgar Uastirdzhi, tired and dejected, came with indignation to Khuytsau: “Downstairs Dalimon came up with some strange drink, which he calls “araka.” He settled down under an oak tree at the crossroads of four roads. Fills it with it. jugs and all other utensils. He doesn’t let a traveler come here or there, he makes them drunk with this drink under all sorts of pretexts. People lose their minds, fall on the roads, their waste is lying everywhere. In such conditions, I can’t help them in any way. Dalimon did evil instead of good. Then Khuytsau called the floating Uastirdzhi with a roar. He told about the reason for the arrival of Fandagsar Uastyrdzhi and said: “Go, and if this freak really did an evil, harmful deed instead of a good deed, punish him so that he regrets that he deceived me. Just beware of him: Before going to earth, he begged me for such strength that he could tear the bear into two parts with one movement. With a roar, the soaring Uastirdzhi took on the image of a commoner, hid the magic whip under the saddle of his horse and set off on the road. The closer he came to the place where Dalimon was sitting under the oak tree, the more often he came across drunken people: someone was lying around, someone was crawling, one was yelling, another was singing and crying. Uastirdzhi realized that Dalimon really created a poison that makes a person go crazy, not realizing what he is doing, what he is creating. Finally, he reached Dalimon’s favorite place under an old oak tree. “Good afternoon,” greeted Uastirdzhi. “Good luck and hello,” Dalimon said, “rest, have something to eat.” Uastyrdzhi dismounted and tied the horse to the hitching post. Dalimon did not recognize Uastyrdzhi and mistook him for a commoner. He immediately set the table: he put all kinds of food and the araka he had invented. Uastyrdzhi sat down. Dalimon poured the araki and served it to the guest. Uastyrdzhi took the horn and asked: “This is what kind of drink? - This drink is called araka. It has many advantages: if a person drinks one horn, then if there is no appetite at all, he will still want to eat. Whoever drinks two, the fatigue will go away. An upset, grief-stricken person drinks three glasses - he forgets his grief and begins to sing. like this good qualities this drink has. “Well, now you drink to Huytsau,” said Dalimon. Uastyrdzhi raised a toast to Khuytsau and drank araku. And indeed, he had an appetite. But then a full horn appeared before his eyes: Kira Kirichenko - Now drink to Uastyrdzhi. Uastirdzhi took the second horn, made a toast, drank. He only had time to take a bite, and then the generous owner presented him with a third glass: “And now raise a toast to the well-being of your family.” Uastirdzhi took the glass again and sent it after the previous ones. Dalimon quickly filled the empty horn and said: “Now drink to world peace.” Uastyrdzhi made a toast, but no longer thought about drinking. Dalimon began to insist: “How can you stop at four? Four is dedication. What was left for Uastyrdzhi? And the fifth followed the others. The owner quickly handed over a full horn again. - You can’t help but drink to Mykalgabyr. The guest made a toast and drank. Then he stood up, just had time to thank him, and Dalimon handed him a full horn, saying that he needed to lift him over the threshold. Uastirdzhi drained the horn. Dalimon immediately reminded: “And with this glass, entrust yourself to Fandagsar Uatirdzhi. Why won’t you drink for your good journey?” With a roar, the soaring Uastirdzhi had no choice and again... By that time, the drink was doing its job. He forgot why he went. With difficulty he was able to thank Dalimon, and staggered towards his horse. But then Dalimon again found himself near him, in a jug in his right hand, and a full horn was held out to his left: “You drank seven glasses, maybe you’ll bring them to seven times seven.” At that moment, Uastarji remembered Khuytsau’s instructions. “Okay,” said Uastirdzhi, pretending to take a glass and with his left hand grabbed Dalimon’s left hand. He took out a magic whip from under the saddle. Dalimon, seeing the whip, guessed that it was Uatirji soaring with a roar, and it was not for nothing that he Here. Uastirdzhi raised his whip high to strike with greater force: “Because you deceived Khuytsau, because instead of doing a good deed you did evil to people, for this from today the gates to the heavenly Garden of Eden are closed for you.” Let you not have the right to life on earth, so that you are afraid of daylight. Let you not have anything from zeds, from people either. Thus, let your appearance be created from different parts of the bodies of animals that live on earth,” and Dalimon whipped. Dalimon jumped on the spot: the jug and the horn flew in different directions. He looked at himself and, when he saw his new appearance, howled at the top of his lungs. He rushed at Uatirdzhi. His horse got scared and reared up. Dalimon did not reach Uastyrdzhi, but grabbed the front the left leg of the horse. Uastirdzhi also said: “So that you are small and weak in strength,” and with that he struck him a second time with the whip. The one with the horse's leg that was snatched off shrunk. Uastirdzhi still jumped off his horse, but Dalimon disappeared underground with the horse’s leg. What else was left for Uastyrdzhi? He struck the wound of his horse with a whip. The wound healed instantly, and Uastyrdzhi soared into the sky on a three-legged horse. Since that time, Uastirdzhi has had a three-legged horse, but he has never let his rider down. True, Uastirdzhi then forgot to destroy the drink that Dalimon created, and it still brings evil to people and will continue to harm those who drink it.

Description of the presentation by individual slides:

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Saints and patrons of Alanya. Teacher primary classes MBOU Secondary School No. 42, Vladikavkaz Zangieva Z.N.

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The Ossetian religion is distinguished by consistent monotheism and extreme antiquity. It continues the religious tradition of the Indo-Iranians and retains analogies with the Scythian religious system. Ossetians first of all turn to one God in prayer - Khuytsau. Unlike the Ossetian saints, endowed with individual characteristics, Khuytsau is conceived as an abstract image of the Creator, possessing absolute perfection and omnipotence. Messengers and representatives of God who protect people on His instructions are patron saints (zuars). The Ossetians had a cult of the seven saints ("avd dzuary"), and there are known sanctuaries dedicated to the "seven saints" - for example, the sanctuary "Avd dzuary" in the village of Galiat. The “septenary stencil”, characteristic of the Scythians, in Ossetian prayers can include various saints. In order not to anger a saint whose name was not pronounced, there is a special prayer formula that allows you to make a request to him to receive his gracious help.

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Uastirdzhi is one of the most revered saints among Ossetians. Women do not have the right to pronounce his name, but call him “Lægty dzuar” - “Patron of men”. Although in modern popular consciousness the image of Uastirdzhi is more associated with the patronage of men and travelers, Ossetian folklore indicates that the saint has many other functions, covering all aspects of human life: he patronizes agriculture and poor workers, sailors and wedding ceremony, is engaged in healing, etc. Uastirdzhi is called “ærg dzuar” (that is, “open”, “appearing” as a saint), thereby emphasizing that a saint can show his image to people. According to legends and hymns, Uastirdzhi is a rider in a white cloak, sitting on a white horse, his epithets are “Golden-winged” (“Syzgyærinbazyrdzhyn”), “Sitting on the top” (“Bærzondyl badæg”). Throughout Ossetia there are a large number of sanctuaries dedicated to Uastirdzhi.

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Uacilla Agricultural labor gave birth to patron deities, among whom the main one is Uacilla. The spirits Burochorali, Huarildar, Galagon are deities of a lower rank with narrower functions. Uacilla is an agrarian deity of an already more developed cult: he is not only the patron of cereals, but also of all agricultural labor, as well as the ruler of the elemental forces of nature - thunder, lightning and rain. They turned to him with prayers so that the bread would grow well. Wacilla has a complex nature. As the economy and worldview of the ancient ancestors developed, in addition to the indicated function, he also combined the functions of other deities or spirits that influenced, to one degree or another, the results of agricultural labor. The name “Uacilla” obviously hides the ancient Ossetian deity of nature.

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Falvara Cattle farming also gave rise to numerous beliefs and rituals. F æ l v æ r a was considered the patron saint of domestic (small ruminant) livestock. It represents a corruption of the Christian saints Florus and Laurus, who were considered patrons of livestock. But Falvara, being essentially an ancient Ossetian pagan patron deity of livestock, namely sheep, did not lose its original functions. He had his own special cult. As is known, the greatest damage was caused to sheep farming by wolves, who also had their own patron – Tutyr.

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Tutyr Tutyr, like Falvara, borrowed its name from the Christian cult (Fedor of Tire). On Ossetian soil, its specific functions were also determined - protecting sheep from predatory wolves. Thus, Tutyr turned out to be not a shepherd of sheep (he is Falvara), but a master, the ruler of wolves. Therefore, the wolves, as the mountaineers believed, did not exterminate the sheep without the knowledge of their ruler. Hence, the Ossetian cattle breeders tried to be on the kindest terms with Tutyr - they paid him “khaalon” (tribute) by sacrificing a goat to him (Tutyryts æu), organizing a special holiday - “Tutyrt æ”, performance of the ritual “Tuty ry ko mdar æn” (Fast of Tutyr), etc.

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Safa The most popular fetish among Ossetians (in connection with the cult of the hearth) until recently was the iron chain. The hearth is the sanctuary of the family, the altar at which descendants made sacrifices to their ancestors and dedicated funeral food to them. At the hearth they performed and consecrated major events in the life of the family, all its endeavors. The hearth served as a symbol of family unity, the continuity of the clan. The hearth was placed as a shrine, even the enemy, the blood of the family, came under its protection. The supra-focal chain, as an accessory to the hearth, also became sacred. Moreover, it united in itself the entire set of concepts about the hearth and transferred its entire meaning to itself. The unquenchable fire meant the continuity of the clan, the integrity of the family. Life stopped in a family (khædzar babyn is) if the last male member died in it: the hearth went out (the fire was filled with water) and the chain was removed. The heavenly Safa was considered the creator and patron of the chain. Because of this, he is the general patron of the hearth, family and its well-being. In the past, during the marriage ceremony, the best man leads the bride around the hearth and entrusts her to the protection of Safa, saying: “Uælarton Safa, take her under your protection and protection.” He is also the patron of a more subtle craft - he invents a magic knife with which he seduces the Nart Shatana, the wife of Uryzmag.

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Afsati In Ossetian hunting mythology, the deity of hunting and the lord of horned animals, Afsati, occupies a place of honor. Many folk songs are dedicated to Afsati; he is also the hero of various legends. The image of Afsati, which he is endowed with in folklore, once again testifies to the significant spread of hunting among the Ossetian population over the centuries. While hunting, one could not point a finger at any object, so as not to offend Afsati. Therefore, the Ossetian hunter had to, if necessary, point to an object or animal with his fist. Those who violated the ban were hit on the fingers with a stick, saying, “May you find Afsati’s favor. Don’t prick the Eye of the good Afsati!” Having reached the hunting place, they made a halt, and among other rituals (they made a fire there, appointed a guard, etc.), the elder, before eating at the rest, raised his eyes to the sky, said a prayer, turning it to Afsati. In prayer, he asked the ruler of the animals to accept their poor offering, but made from the bottom of his heart, and they themselves were asked to send at least some inconspicuous animal from their herd. After a break, the hunters went to hunt with the obligatory performance of a song in honor of Afsati. According to Ossetian legend, success in hunting depended entirely on the mercy and disposition of Afsati, who distributed the game among the hunters. Without his will, as they believed, not a single hunter could kill a single animal, even the most insignificant game. But if an afsati wants to provide someone with game, then the hunter can have the prey without leaving his home. Hunters kill those animals that Afsati himself supposedly slaughtered and ate, and then revived and intended as prey for one or another hunter. The rest of the animals from Afsati's herd could not be visible to anyone.

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Donbettyr The Ossetians revered the ruler of the water kingdom, the spirit of the seas and rivers - Donbettyr. It is mainly found in epics, where some heroes trace their ancestry back to them (from the Donbettirs). Donbettyr was considered the patron of fishermen. They worshiped him, observing certain rituals at the time of fishing (similar to what happened with Afsati). It must be assumed that in ancient times the Ossetians also had a more extensive cult of Donbettyr, which was celebrated with a special holiday “K æ ft y ky y v d”. It is also possible that the Ossetian name for the month of October - K æ ft y m æ y - also goes back to the ancient cult of rivers and seas and their inhabitants. The belief in the water spirit is also associated with the belief in the existence of water maidens (dony chyzytæ), who were considered the daughters of Donbettyr

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Valery DZIDZOEV

KNOWN AND UNKNOWN IN OSSETIAN ETHNOGRAPHY AND MYTHOLOGY

WHAT IS COMMON AND DISTINGUISHING ABOUT THE OSSETIAN UASTYRDZHI-UASGERGI AND SAINT GEORGE? In the centuries-old history of Ossetia, Wasgergi (Uastyrdzhi in Ironic) was and remains the most revered and beloved deity (after God). He is the patron saint of men, warriors, and all travelers, regardless of age, religion and social status. In the famous Nart epic (of course, in the Ossetian version), Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi is a celestial being and is depicted as a mighty warrior on a white horse. Contemporary Ossetian artists have created many interesting portraits of Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi in the form of a powerful gray-bearded man on a large horse, usually on three legs. Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi had a good relationship with sledges. He even participated in their campaigns, as a result of which they got great booty. According to the Ossetians, Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi is the father of the controversial and legendary Satan and performs the most important functions of a mediator between God and people. Sometimes Wasgergi-Uastyrdzhi appears among people in the guise of a poor old man and thus learns the real standard of living, joys and problems of people. Women were not allowed to speak his name. They called him and continue to call him “Legti Ized” - “patron of men” (in Ironic “Legti Dzuar” - “God of men”). Every year in November, after the end of agricultural work, the Vasgergi-Uastirdzhi holiday was and continues to be celebrated throughout Ossetia. Many Ossetian-Digorians called this holiday “Legti yokhsevyo” (literal translation - “evening of men”). In fact, it was a holiday that in the rest of Ossetia is known as Dzheorguyba (a holiday in honor of Uastirdzhi; in Digor, Wasgergi). This holiday took place in the second half of November and lasted, as now, for a whole week. It was arranged, as emphasized above, after all agricultural work was completed. I note that in many Digor villages the holiday “lie down yohsevyo” - Dzheorguba - was never linked with the name of St. George (translated from Greek, this name means “farmer”).

However, due to various reasons, first of all, in my opinion, due to a superficial knowledge of history, ethnography and folklore, the beloved and popularly celebrated holiday “lie down yohsevyo” - Jeorgub began to be identified with the name of St. George. The problem is complicated by the fact that some Ossetian historians, ethnographers, and folklorists contribute to the falsification of this issue. Thus, in the short dictionary “Ethnography and Mythology of Ossetians” 1, published in Vladikavkaz in 1994, we read: “Dzheorguba, Dzhiuorguba (“feast in honor of St. George”) - a holiday in honor of Uastirdzhi, organized at the end of agricultural work... 2 " . Here, as we see, ethnographic scientists themselves are mistaken and mislead the reader. That they do not understand the fundamental and obvious difference between the most revered and respected deity in Ossetian mythology - Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi and a real historical figure, a noble Roman warrior, originally from Cappadocia (a region in the center of Asia Minor, in the territory of modern Turkey, which is in conquered at various times by Rome and then by the Ottoman Empire), beheaded in 303 AD. in Nicomedia for preaching the Christian religion 3 and becoming one of the most revered and popular saints of the Christian world under the name Saint George (St. George) 4, the following testifies. The authors-compilers of the short dictionary write: “Every Ossetian family,” notes L.A. Chibirov, “no matter where they lived and no matter how poor they were, celebrated this holiday without fail (in honor of St. George. - Author), certainly slaughtered the sacrificial animal, because Uastyrdzhi is a person, a saint revered by Ossetians, the most important character in the pantheon of Ossetian deities” 5 . I note that Professor L.A. Chibirov, who is quoted by the compilers, does not connect St. George with Uastirdzhi-Uasgergi. For example, I don’t understand why the author-compilers are trying to support their own confusion on this issue with a footnote to the famous ethnographer who in this case does not mention St. George. In this regard, I would like to draw attention to the great desire of a significant part of Ossetians, who tend to “explain” in detail to the guests of Ossetia some issues of history, culture, traditions, ethnography, folklore of the Ossetian people at various entertainment events (weddings, banquets, kuvdas, etc.) . I have witnessed hundreds of times how our “experts” in history and traditions explained in detail the meaning of the second traditional toast at the festive Ossetian feast - to Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi, always emphasizing that this is “for St. George.” They explained without really knowing the history of the Great Martyr. Moreover, without knowing the history of Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi. However, “experts” in the history of the Ossetian people convince everyone that Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi and St. George are one and the same. It seems that there is nothing difficult in understanding the difference between a really existing Roman warrior of the late 3rd - early 4th century AD. and the most revered deity in Ossetian mythology. Nevertheless, the myth that has taken root in the minds of many Ossetians that Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi and St. George are two names of the same historical or historical-mythological character continues to live and “successfully compete” with real historical facts.

Thus, in post-Soviet Ossetia, special addresses by the leaders of the republic to the people on the eve of the Dzheorgub holiday (in November) have become a tradition. In these appeals, which, as a rule, are published in republican newspapers, the holiday of Jeorgub is personified with the holiday in honor of St. George. In the Address of the Head of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania T.D. Mamsurov in November 2011 we read: “Dear fellow countrymen! Congratulations to all residents of the republic for whom our traditions are sacred and significant! Within a week, in every house of the republic, people will hopefully ask the patron saint of Ossetia, Saint George, to protect our land from trouble and evil, to grant it peace, tranquility and prosperity” 6. Is it necessary to prove that the patron saint of Ossetia is not Saint George, but Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi - the most revered deity in Ossetian mythology, the patron saint of men, warriors and travelers. That is why the largest number of sanctuaries are dedicated to him in Ossetia. The name of Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi, the patron saint of Ossetia and the most revered deity among Ossetians, is given to sanctuaries known throughout the republic - Rekom, Dzvgisy dzuar and others. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that not far from the village of Zadalesk in the Digor Gorge of North Ossetia there is a place of worship of the Ossetian Digorians, which is called “Digori Izad” - St. Digoria. This place has another name - “Digori Wasgergi” - Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi Digoria (Western Ossetia). Every year on January 15, festivities begin with a sacrifice in the Digori Izad sanctuary, during which they ask the patron saint of the Digori Gorge, Digori Wasgergi, to send down a good harvest year, the safety of livestock, health for people, etc. Both in former times and now, the vast majority of Ossetians perceive the patron saint of all Ossetia not to be Saint George (who, of course, deserves great respect and veneration in the Christian world, which will be discussed in more detail later), but to Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi. That is why not a single Ossetian festive feast is held not only in North and South Ossetia, but also in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kyiv, Dushanbe, Baku, Tbilisi, etc. not without a special and obligatory appeal to Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi with the appropriate prayer and request. In former times, such prayers and appeals to Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi, as a rule, “ended with the performance of a hymn song dedicated to him” 7 . Thus, the statement that “St. George is the patron saint of Ossetia” should be recognized as erroneous. The identification of Saint George with Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi is also erroneous. A careful study of the biography of St. George convinces us that over many centuries his glorious name has acquired many legends that are not supported by documents. However, it is reliably known that in Russia the apocryphal legend about Saint George, who was tortured to death three times for preaching Christianity by order of the Persian king Dadian (Dacian, Datian), but was resurrected all three times, became widespread. And for the fourth time, by order of Dadian, Saint George’s head was cut off. It should be emphasized that there is another version of his death, according to which his head was cut off by order of the Roman emperor Diocletian. There are contradictions and discrepancies in various options“tales about the life” of St. George, but this should not cast doubt on the fact of the real existence of the courageous Roman warrior. I would like to emphasize that the numerous versions of the “life of St. George” (“Martyrdom”) fall mainly into two groups: 1. canonical (Gr. kanon - rule, prescription) - the church’s canonization of St. George, legitimation, transformation of the image of the saint George into the unshakable, mandatory rule for all Christians; 2. apocryphal (Gr. apokryphos - secret, i.e. works of religious literature with biblical subjects, the content of which did not completely coincide with the official doctrine, therefore they were not recognized by the church as “sacred” and were prohibited). In other words, the apocryphal group contains, at worst, a forged, unreal text, and at best, an unlikely plot. Being a Roman soldier, Saint George very often appears before us in an apocryphal interpretation. Many apocryphal legends, tales, poems and poems are associated with his name. Of course, only apocrypha can explain the fact that he suffered torment for Christ under the Persian king Dadian (Dacian, Datian) in the city of Lydda (on the territory of historical Palestine). However, over time, significant changes were made to the text of “Martyrdom”, and the Persian king Dadian “became” the Roman emperor Diocletian, and the city of Lydda “turned” into Nicomedia. For fans of St. George and Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi, both in Ossetia and beyond its borders, it should be interesting that these apocryphal writings bore the imprint of paganism. In them, the remnants of deep pagan antiquity are surprisingly intertwined with the folk epic of Georgians, Ossetians, Arabs and many other peoples. I will also note that to hell with St. George the Victorious, the Great Martyr, i.e. Christian saint, in the imagination of many peoples, including a significant part of the Ossetians, the features of a pagan deity were organically added. Further it will be said in more detail that since ancient times the name of St. George has become very popular among many peoples, including Russians, Ossetians, Georgians and others. Moreover, each nation, as a rule, remade his name in its own way. Among the Russians he received the name Yegory or Yuri. It is also important to emphasize that, starting from the 11th century. Among the Russians and other Slavic peoples, the cult of St. George, being associated with tsarist (royal) power, is directly related to the problems of establishing statehood, the need to combat clanism, civil strife (in modern political language - separatism), the protection of Slavic lands, etc. Holidays associated with the name of St. George in Russia (April 23, November 26, etc.) have always been popular and beloved. They are highly respected by Russians and other Slavic peoples and are accompanied by various rituals. An analysis of these rituals allows us to assert that Saint George is the patron of agriculture (it is no coincidence, apparently, that his name is translated from Greek as “farmer”) and cattle breeding. This is also evidenced by various legends, riddles and signs, in which Yegoriy-Yuriy certainly participates. Thus, at the heart of the Russian spiritual verse about Yegor the Brave, Saint George appears as the organizer of the Russian Land 8. For many centuries, for Russians and other Slavic peoples, holidays associated with the name of St. George (Yegory-Yuri) are considered honorable and the most popular. In addition to the spring St. George's Day (April 23, old style - the death of St. George) in Rus' great importance had an autumn one religious holiday- November 26, old style, to which “The Miracle of St. George about the Serpent and the Maiden” is dedicated - a well-known and popular iconographic, folklore and literary plot. It should be remembered that St. George’s Day entered the history of Russia as the main milestone of the national agricultural calendar. These two St. George's Days for a long time served as the limits of agricultural (agricultural) work in Russia. Under Boris Godunov (the de facto ruler of the Russian state in 1584-1598; Russian Tsar in 1598-1605), the peasants were finally attached to the land 9 . Around 1592-1593 A decree was issued prohibiting the peasants from leaving. In 1597, a decree “establishing a 5-year limitation period for claims against runaway peasants and a decree on slaves” 10 were issued. According to the latter, enslaved people were deprived of the right to buy their freedom 11. At the same time, the authorities turned an entire category of free people, the so-called “free slaves” 12, into enslaved slaves. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that “a fortress in ancient Russian law was an act, symbolic or written, that asserted a person’s authority over a certain thing. The power strengthened by such an act gave the owner serfdom to this thing. People were also the subject of serfdom in Ancient Rus'” 13. In ancient Russian legal language, a serf was called a serf, and a serf woman was called a robe. According to the authoritative opinion of the classic of Russian history V.O. Klyuchevsky “servitude was the oldest serfdom in Rus', established many centuries before the advent of peasant serfdom” 14. Thus, St. George’s Days in Rus' also had an important legal significance, since only after the autumn St. George’s Day it was possible to move from one landowner to another. It should be emphasized that the memory of St. George is celebrated by the church several more times a year. When analyzing the text of the apocryphal “Martyrdom,” it is important, in my opinion, to keep in mind that the cutting off of the head of St. George by order of the Persian king Dadian (or the Roman emperor Diocletian), as well as the “Miracle of St. George about the serpent and the maiden” formed the basis of some literary works, including the basis of a folk poem about Yegor the Brave, the organizer of the Russian Land 15. Moreover, they first received literary treatment in the Greek East 16. Later, this tradition passed on and strengthened in the West (until the 12th century) 17. The content of “The Miracle of St. George about the Serpent and the Maiden” boils down to the fact that St. George kills a huge serpent (or a terrible dragon), which terrorized and kept the land (kingdom) of one king in constant fear. In the kingdom of this pagan king, people were forced to take turns giving their children to be eaten by the snake (dragon). When it was the turn of the royal daughter, who was to be eaten by the serpent (dragon), Saint George appears and kills him. According to one version, this happened before the martyrdom of St. George, and according to another, after his death. At the same time, it is important to emphasize that Saint George managed to defeat the terrible monster not only thanks to physical strength , courage and bravery, but also faith in Christ. The essence of the content of “The Miracle of St. George about the Serpent and the Maiden,” as well as his life, boils down to the fact that a young and strong warrior defeated a terrible monster not without the help of faith in Christ. After this victory, the daughter of the pagan king brings her savior to her father. Thus, the pagan king and his subjects received baptism, i.e. became Christians 18. Many scientists who study the history of Christianity believe that in this plot the serpent (dragon) is the personification of paganism, and the girl (the daughter of a pagan king) personifies the Christian church. In Christian countries, the victory of St. George over the serpent (dragon) was very popular. This gave “additional arguments” in favor of the legendary ancient Roman warrior and the need to honor his holy name. In this regard, it is necessary to recall once again that one of the central concepts of the Christian religion is holiness 19. In many religions, holiness is an essential characteristic of God and - indirectly - of outstanding people, institutions and objects in which the presence of the Divine is imprinted to one degree or another. Saints, including St. George the Victorious and the Great Martyr, are especially revered by the church for their noble deeds, righteous lives, and the gift of miracles. They are intermediaries between God and people 20. The cult of saints is common in Christianity and Islam, but it is not found in Protestantism. The opposite of holiness is sin. This historical excursion was needed only to better understand the origins of the popularity of St. George. His glorious name gave rise to many literary works and folk songs in Greece, Russia and other countries. To this it should be added that St. George is considered the patron of England, Portugal and some other countries of Western Europe. It has already been emphasized above that the veneration of St. George spread early in Christian countries, including Russia. In Rus', his name was given to members of the grand ducal family. Thus, in 986, the Grand Duke of Kiev, the son of Vladimir Svyatoslavovich, Yaroslav (the Wise) received the name George at holy baptism. In 1036, the troops of Yaroslav (the Wise) defeated the Pechenegs (an association of numerous Turkic and other tribes in the southern Russian steppes), who carried out regular raids on Rus' 21. After the victory over the Pechenegs, Grand Duke Yaroslav-George founded the monastery of St. George in Kyiv and ordered throughout Rus' to “create a holiday” of St. George on November 26, which was timed to coincide with “the miracle of St. George about the snake and the maiden.” In 1030, Grand Duke Yaroslav-George built a Yuryev temple near Novgorod, on the site of which the Yuryev Monastery exists. It is important to emphasize that the glorious name of St. George is enjoyed not only in Christian countries, but also in some Muslim countries - with great respect and even sincere love. And in such cases, as often happens, various versions, legends, “additions” of historical facts, etc. are inevitable. Because of the special respect and love for Saint George, his name was remade in a special way in many countries 22. So, among the Russians he is associated with the names Yegor or Yuri, among the Czechs - with the name Izhik, among the French - with the name Georges, among the Bulgarians - with the name Gergi, and among the Arabs he is Djerjis. Saint George is depicted as a young warrior on a white horse, slaying a serpent (dragon) with a spear. There is such a sculpture near the federal highway not far from the village. Elkhotovo in North Ossetia (many Ossetians mistakenly associate it with Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi). It also became the emblem of Moscow, whose patron Saint George has been considered since the time of Dmitry Donskoy. IN Russian Empire in 1807, an award was established for soldiers and non-commissioned officers - the St. George Cross. Since 1856 he had 4 degrees. Abolished by authorities Soviet power in November 1917. The facts presented here are enough to convince us, firstly, of the exceptional popularity of the Christian saint, Great Martyr and Victorious George in Russia and in some other countries, and secondly, Saint George and the Ossetian Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi have different histories and for various reasons they are revered. At the same time, if you really want to, by distorting facts and even sophistry, you can find something in common between them, which is what many modern “experts” in the history, ethnography and mythology of the Ossetian people are doing. The high veneration of Saint George and Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi in Ossetia is explained, in my opinion, by many reasons. Among them: 1. exceptional popularity, belief in the miraculous power of their names; 2. Agricultural holidays are associated with their names - one of St. George’s Days, as emphasized above, was celebrated in Rus' annually on November 26th. And in Ossetia, as has already been said, every year in November, after the completion of agricultural (agricultural) work, the holiday Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi is solemnly celebrated - “lie down yohsevyo” - “evening (holiday) of men.” In addition, every January in the Digori Gorge near the village of Zadalesk, week-long celebrations are held in honor of “Digori Ized” - the Holy Digori Gorge, which is also called “Digori Wasgergi”. The essence of the holiday is to ask the patron of the Digor Gorge, with prayers and the necessary ritual, for a good harvest year, the safety of livestock, the well-being and health of people who believe in the patronage of Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi; 3. iconographic depiction of St. George in the form young guy in full armor, usually on horseback in a fight with a serpent (dragon), as well as an image of Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi (the work of Ossetian artists) in the form of a gray-bearded elderly but powerful man on a large white horse, the patron saint of men, travelers and warriors; 4. the content of the “life” of St. George, the transference to him of many features from various pagan deities, for example, the Egyptian Horus, the Persian Mithras, etc., which was due to legend, as well as the conviction of the absolute majority of Ossetians that the patronage of Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi would certainly bring good luck to Ossetia. At the same time, here, too, myths cannot be avoided, as was the case, for example, in the early 90s of the 20th century, when “eyewitnesses” in Digora saw Uasgergi-Uastirdzhi on the roof of one of the houses, which was reported not only by republicans, but also all-Russian media; 5. Due to the above and other reasons, today it is no longer possible to imagine the history of both the Russian and Ossetian people without St. George and Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi, whom millions of people sincerely worship. The exceptional popularity of Wasgergi-Uastyrdzhi in Ossetia, the possibility and necessity of his patronage are recorded even in the text of the national anthem of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, where the phrase is repeated twice: “Oh, Wastyrdzhi, give us your grace.” Please note that in the text of the hymn there is no mention of St. George. And this is not an accident. This is certainly not a mistake. This is further evidence that Saint George and Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi are not the same thing. I will add that the author of the anthem of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania is the people's poet of Ossetia K.Kh. Khodov and his reviewers of the text of the anthem turned out to be quite competent in matters of history, ethnography and mythology of the Ossetian people. The same can be said about the anthem of the Republic of South Ossetia (here, however, the anthem is called “Kady zareg” - “Song of Honor”), where there is also a mention of Uastyrdzhi (“Uyo, Uastyrdzhi! De khorzekh, De arf?! - Iry dzylloyen fendagamond ratt!"). Approximate interlinear translation from Ossetian into Russian: “Oh Uastirdzhi! Patronize Ossetia and give it the right direction!” As we can see, here too the author of the text of the anthem of the Republic of South Ossetia is the famous Ossetian poet and translator T.K. It is no coincidence that Kokaev mentions the name of Uastirdzhi, “forgetting” to say anything about Saint George. The author and his reviewers did not confuse the name Uastyrdzhi with the name of St. George here either. I repeat once again that both of them deserve deep respect and veneration. But this does not mean at all that they should be combined into one whole and the same deity should be called by two names. Brief conclusions. Saint George was a real historical figure, a Roman warrior who endured particularly difficult suffering for Christ, and Wasgergi-Uastyrdzhi was and remains the most revered (after God) deity in Ossetian mythology. These facts of history should force all “experts” of Ossetian history and ethnography to honor both, to give them their due, without “proving” that they are one and the same. What is extremely interesting is that popular and revered among the Greeks, French, Russians, Ukrainians, Czechs, Slovaks, Bulgarians and many other peoples, St. George was often glorified and is still revered under other names belonging to various pagan deities. This was noticed at the end of the 19th century. F. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron when compiling his fundamental encyclopedic dictionary. They wrote that Saint George “is sometimes glorified under native names, for example, Uastirdzhi among the Ossetians or Khizr, Keder in the Muslim East” 23 . From this we can conclude that Saint George under the name Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi has been glorified in Ossetia for centuries. Is it any wonder that very often at an Ossetian festive feast, a local “expert” in history and ethnography considers it his honorable duty to explain to someone who has come from afar (after the obligatory toast to Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi, as a rule, he is second only to God) that “special honors are given to the saint George." Some local “experts in everything” even begin to tell guests of Ossetia “details” of the biography of St. George, without even having a basic idea about him. Such an “explanation” most often ends with the conclusion that the image of the popular and highly revered Ossetian deity Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi “is even on the coat of arms of Moscow.” Those who are most unenlightened in matters of history and ethnography, as a rule, believe in these legends and then themselves tell them to others. There is no doubt that the Ossetian deity Wasgergi-Uastirdzhi and the Roman warrior of the late III - early. IV century George, who became the holy Great Martyr, and the Victorious are different characters. In Ossetia they are both very popular. The high veneration of St. George in Ossetia is even evidenced by the fact that in many Ossetian families the tradition of naming newborn boys the name George has long continued. There are Ossetian surnames, where boys, young men and men with the name Georgiy number in the dozens. And in some families even father and son were or are called Georgiy. To this it should be added that among Russians, Georgians, Bulgarians, Greeks and many other peoples who venerate St. George, his name also occupies a leading position in popularity. Many Russian princes, for example, were named George and are also known by the name Yuri (Russian pronunciation of George). Thus, the Grand Duke of Tver Georgy Alexandrovich reigned in 1426, although not for long. And the third son of Grand Duke Mikhail Nikolaevich, Grand Duke Georgy Mikhailovich, played a prominent role in the history of the Russian Empire in the second half of the 19th century. I would also like to point out that twelve Georgian kings bore the name George. There are many such examples in history. And they testify to the deep veneration of the name of St. George among different nations.

Valery DZIDZOEV

NOTES 1 Ethnography and mythologists of Ossetians. Brief dictionary (Authors - compilers Dzadziev A.B., Dzutsev H.V., Karaev S.M.). Vladikavkaz, 1994. 2 Ibid., p.51. 3 Encyclopedic Dictionary. T.13.M., 1913, p.334. 4 Ibid. 5 Ethnography and mythology of Ossetians. Brief dictionary.., p.51 6 Head of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania Taimuraz Mamsurov. Dear fellow countrymen! // North Ossetia, 2011, November 11, p.1. 7 Ethnography and mythology of Ossetians. Brief dictionary.., p.150. 8 Encyclopedic Dictionary (publishers: Brockhaus F.A., Efron I.A.). T.8. St. Petersburg, 1892, p. 420. 9 Soviet historical encyclopedia. T.2 M., 1962, p.619. 10 Ibid. 11 Ibid. 12 Ibid. 13 Klyuchevsky V.O. Essay in nine volumes (course of Russian history). T.III. M., 1988, p. 154. 14 Ibid. 15 Encyclopedic Dictionary. T.13, p.335. 16 Encyclopedic Dictionary (publishers: Brockhaus F.A., Efron I.A.). T.8. St. Petersburg, 1892, p. 420. 17 Ibid. 18 Ibid. 19 Big Encyclopedic Dictionary.., p.1071. 20 Ibid. 21 Great Soviet Encyclopedia (Third Edition). T.30.M., 1978, p.554. 22 Encyclopedic Dictionary (publishers: Brockhaus F.A., Efron I.A.), p.419. 23 Encyclopedic Dictionary (publishers: Brockhaus F.A., Efronov I.A.), p.419.

Monument to Uastirdzhi, Russia, Ossetia, Alagir Gorge.

The Trans-Caucasus Highway is one of the main roads connecting Russia with the Transcaucasus. It runs along the picturesque Alagir Gorge in Ossetia. The highway either presses against steep cliffs, or dives into a tunnel cut through the thickness of the stone. Not far from the city of Alagir, around the next turn, one of the most grandiose monuments of Ossetia hangs over the road - a multi-ton statue of Uastirdzhi, the most revered saint of Ossetians. This monument amazes with its power, strength and energy. Uastirdzhi, riding a horse, seemed to freeze, jumping straight out of the rock.

The monument to Uastirdzhi was created in 1995 according to the design of N.V. Khodov. as a gift to the people of Ossetia. One of the largest equestrian monuments in the world. Its weight is 28 tons. A person can easily fit in the palm of Saint Uastirdzhi. The sculpture was transported to the installation site by helicopter. A few years after installation, the entire sculptural composition leaned heavily to the side and threatened to collapse. A team of climbers was hired to carry out restoration work.

Uastirdzhi is the most revered deity in Ossetian mythology, patron of men, travelers, but most of all warriors. In the Nart epic, Uastirdzhi is depicted as a mature bearded man, a formidable warrior in battle garb, riding a white horse.

With the advent of Christianity in Ossetia, the image of Saint Uastirdzhi began to be associated with Saint George, who was also revered by Christians as the patron saint of warriors and travelers. But, apart from similar functions, these two saints have nothing else in common.

According to legend, many peoples of the Caucasus, including Ossetians, descended from the mythical heroes of the Narts. Starting from the distant 8-7 centuries BC, legends about the Narts, their origins and their adventures gradually formed into the Nart epic. Uastirdzhi is one of the main characters of the Nart epic, a celestial inhabitant who often visits the Narts, helping those who deserve it. In the legends, Uastirdzhi has magical power, can even resurrect the long dead. In addition, he is a very strong and agile warrior. Nartam often appears incognito, sometimes in the form of a simple old man. Uastirdzhi helps not only travelers and warriors, but also farmers, sailors, and even lovers. When the Narts rebelled against God, Uastirdzhi openly came to their defense. Until now, every festive feast, and often an ordinary meal among Ossetians, begins with the glorification of Uastirdzhi. The first toast is raised to the Almighty, the second to Uastirdzhi.

Women do not have the right to pronounce the name Uastirdzhi; they can only call him “Patron of Men.” Uastirdzhi himself, according to legend, had two wives.

On the territory of Ossetia, numerous sanctuaries are dedicated to Uastirdzhi. Every year, in the last ten days of November during the week in Ossetia, they celebrate the ancient National holiday, dedicated to Uastirdzhi.
The great respect and veneration of Saint Uastyrdzhi is also evidenced by his numerous images located along the roads of Ossetia, with the inscription “Uastyrdzhi uye’mbal!”, which means “May Uastyrdzhi protect you.”

“May Uastirdzhi protect you”	Uastirdzhi monument