Farewells from the earth’s fertility, ever shorter days, the calming of nature, the ever louder murmur of water, the ever more water from the heavenly spheres, which lets us know that the time of spiritual purification is coming. This is the time when Veles, the god of the underworld, wisdom, magic, is slowly taking over the reign of the year, which will take us into the world of self-knowledge and deepening. Morana, on the other hand, will provide peace and purification and the strength to leave behind everything we no longer need.
This is a great time to look back and examine our work, our lives, and figure out how to make things even better. It is then that the gods are especially kind to us in such a beginning. At the same time, it is a time to express gratitude. For a good harvest, whatever. In the garden, in the field and in the field of work that offers us survival. We express our gratitude to friends, family and everything that makes our lives more beautiful, more meaningful.
It is a time of transformation when, according to ancient views of the world, the goddess Mara becomes Morana. She withdraws from the earth and passes into heaven. She is no more the protector of the earth’s waters, which ensure fertility, but sends us purifying water from heaven. She is making sure the earth can get rest and gathers strength for the next fertile year. This is where we cn draw parallels with St. Mary and her ascension, which came later on.
The old religion, in addition to all the other complex contents, is also a universal phenomenon of duality – the father the sun, the mother earth. It is the most authentic aspect of the world: the sun brings light, heat, sends rain and thus fertilizes the earth, which gives birth to everything we see in nature and also feeds the man. 
photo: Agatha Kopač; Irena Petrič at Triglavca cave
In our context, Deva and Devač are present in our Karst region in the vicinity of Divača, which stands out as a great local specialty of our antiquities. Some believe that the place Divača was named after the local mythological tradition. According to the testimony of the old people, the old rites were preserved there in the 19th century, but they were done in secret.
In September month on the full moon, the of the village, who also performed priestly work, went with the girl priestesses to the Triglavca cave (diminutive and female from of Three-headed). There is a natural sanctuary in this cave. On the ceiling we are greeted by three heads, after whom the cave is named. In the foreground is a rock from the ceiling, which illustrates a man – Devač, and from the ground rises another rock towards him, which has a naturally formed hollow, where water accumulates. This illustrates the womb of the goddess Deva. And this is where life is born. Triglavca is a source of life energy.
Before going to the cave, the girls soaked the fern in the sacred spring “Uročka”. They had a fern behind their waist, but when they came to the cave with the priest, they spread the fern over the lower stone.
The ceremony also included a prayer: “Oh, may Deva birth well, that Mora would do no harm to her” (so that the winter would be mild). Different grains were placed in the water. Then, at the next moon, the elder came to the cave, the sprouts already grew in the Deva’s womb. He took them and scattered them across the fields to protect the land and make it fertile again the following year.
In addition to rituals for the fertility of the land, Triglavca also served as a place of prayers, where women who had problems conceiving found their consolation. The church made great efforts to abolish the ancient cults, so in addition to the Christian church, they placed the sign of St. Francis Paul, who was later asigned solve the same problems. Boris Čok is a researcher of the old tradition in the Karst (and the founder of religious group OTROCI TRIGLAVA). In 2012, he published the book “V siju mesečine” – In the glow of Moonlight”, where all information related to the ancient religion and practices in the Karst, which has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries, is also written for memory and instruction to future generations.
During this time, let us consider what we are grateful for. More gratitude brings more inner satisfaction as we begin to appreciate many things differently and all of a sudden we realize how much we actually have. Above all, let us always be grateful to ourselves and find time to know how to reward ourselves.
written by: Irena Petrič (maiden name Urankar)
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Slovenian version: www.veles.si
the artwork: © Irena Petrič
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