Gabija (also known as Gabieta, Gabeta) is the spirit of the

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition ...

Lithuanian mythology Lithuanian mythology ( lt, Lietuvių mitologija) is the mythology of Lithuanian polytheism, the religion of pre-Christian Lithuanians. Like other Indo-Europeans, ancient Lithuanians maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure. I ...

. She is the protector of home and family. Her name is derived from ''gaubti'' (to cover, to protect) or from St. Agatha (russian: Гафия, Gafiya). Gabija is only mentioned in a list of Lithuanian gods by the Christian theologian Jan Łasicki in his treatise on idolatry (published in 1615). She is found in Lithuanian

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging fro ...

. Gabija could take

zoomorphic The word ''zoomorphism'' derives from the Greek ζωον (''zōon''), meaning "animal", and μορφη (''morphē''), meaning "shape" or "form". In the context of art, zoomorphism could describe art that imagines humans as non-human animals. It c ...

forms of a cat, stork or rooster, or she could appear as a woman clothed in red. Gabija was greatly respected and cared for like a living creature. People would feed Gabija by offering

bread and salt Bread and salt is a welcome greeting ceremony in some Slavic, Nordic, Baltic, Balkan and other European cultures as well as in Middle Eastern cultures. It is also shared with some non-Slavic nations—Lithuanians, Latvians (both Baltic), Rom ...

. Fire had to be laid to bed – women would cover the charcoal with ashes every evening so that fire would not wander around. Just as Gabija was the protector of the house, mother of the household was the protector of fire. Sometimes a bowl of clean water would be left near the hearth so that Gabija could wash herself. If angered, Gabija would "go for a walk" burning the house. Much folklore describes the ill fate of those who offended Gabija by stomping, spitting, or urinating on her. Matka Gabia is the Lithuanian goddess of the home, hearth, and patron of their care. She most likely originates from Gabija. In microbiology the name Gabija, shortened to Gaj, has been attributed to a genome.

References

Lithuanian goddesses Domestic and hearth deities Fire goddesses {{Europe-myth-stub