![Romuva sanctuary](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/Romuva_sanctuary.jpg)
Romuva or Romowe (also known as Rickoyoto in the writings of
Simon Grunau Simon Grunau (c. 1470 – c. 1530) was the author of ''Preussische Chronik'',Full title: ''Cronika und beschreibung allerlüstlichenn, nützlichsten und waaren historien des namkundigenn landes zu Prewssen'' or ''Chronicle and description of the mos ...
)
[ was an alleged ]pagan
Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...
worship place (a temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
or a sacred area) in the western part of Sambia
Sambia (russian: Самбийский полуостров, lit=Sambian Peninsula, translit=Sambiysky poluostrov) or Samland (russian: Земландский полуостров, lit=Zemlandic Peninsula, translit=Zemlandsky poluostrov) or Kalini ...
, one of the regions of pagan Prussia. In contemporary sources the temple is mentioned only once, by Peter von Dusburg Peter of Dusburg (german: Peter von Dusburg; la, Petrus de Dusburg; died after 1326), also known as Peter of Duisburg, was a Priest-Brother and chronicler of the Teutonic Knights. He is known for writing the ''Chronicon terrae Prussiae'', which des ...
in 1326. According to his account, Kriwe-Kriwajto
''Kriwe Kriwaito'' ( lv, krīvu krīvs, lt, krivių krivaitis) or simply ''Kriwe'' ( lv, krīvs, lt, krivis) was the chief priest in the Baltic mythology. Known primarily from the dubious 16th-century writings of Simon Grunau, the concept of '' ...
, the chief priest or "pagan pope", lived at Romuva and ruled over the religion of all the Balts
The Balts or Baltic peoples ( lt, baltai, lv, balti) are an ethno-linguistic group of peoples who speak the Baltic languages of the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European languages.
One of the features of Baltic languages is the number ...
. According to Simon Grunau, the temple was central to Prussian mythology
The Prussian mythology was a polytheistic religion of the Old Prussians, indigenous peoples of Prussia before the Prussian Crusade waged by the Teutonic Knights. It was closely related to other Baltic faiths, the Lithuanian and Latvian mytholo ...
. Even though there are considerable doubts whether such a place actually existed, the Lithuania
Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
n neo-pagan
Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, is a term for a religion or family of religions influenced by the various historical pre-Christian beliefs of pre-modern peoples in Europe and adjacent areas of North Afric ...
movement '' Romuva'' borrowed its name from the temple.
Historical accounts
According to Peter von Dusburg, writing in 1326, the name ''Romuva'' is derived from the word Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
. He describes the Kriwe as a powerful priest who was held in high regard by the Prussians, Lithuanians
Lithuanians ( lt, lietuviai) are a Baltic ethnic group. They are native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,378,118 people. Another million or two make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the United States, Uni ...
, and Balts of Livonia
Livonia ( liv, Līvõmō, et, Liivimaa, fi, Liivinmaa, German and Scandinavian languages: ', archaic German: ''Liefland'', nl, Lijfland, Latvian and lt, Livonija, pl, Inflanty, archaic English: ''Livland'', ''Liwlandia''; russian: Ли ...
. His messengers were recognized by a certain rod or other insignia. He guarded the sacred flame and could look into the destiny of deceased followers. He received one third of any booty taken by pagan warriors.
This early account was further enhanced by Simon Grunau Simon Grunau (c. 1470 – c. 1530) was the author of ''Preussische Chronik'',Full title: ''Cronika und beschreibung allerlüstlichenn, nützlichsten und waaren historien des namkundigenn landes zu Prewssen'' or ''Chronicle and description of the mos ...
in the 16th century. He described an eternal sacred fire, an eternally green oak with idols representing a pagan "trinity": Patrimpas
Potrimpo (also ''Potrimpus'', ''Autrimpo'', ''Natrimpe'') was a god of seas, earth, grain, and crops in the pagan Baltic, and Prussian mythology. He was one of the three main gods worshiped by the Old Prussians. Most of what is known about this go ...
(god of spring), Perkūnas
Perkūnas ( lt, Perkūnas, lv, Pērkons, Old Prussian: ''Perkūns'', ''Perkunos'', Yotvingian: ''Parkuns'', Latgalian: ''Pārkiuņs'') was the common Baltic god of thunder, and the second most important deity in the Baltic pantheon after Di ...
(god of thunder) and Patulas (god of the underworld). The place was guarded by priests and vestales. Images appeared based on this description and became very popular with romantic historians. Grunau changed the name for the place to Rickoyoto (from Prussian ''rikijs'' - ruler and ''-ote'' - a place name ending)[ and invented the term "Kriwe of Kriwes" (Lithuanian: ''krivių krivaitis'', Latvian: ''krīvu krīvs'').][
However, no other sources support such statements. The descriptions suggest that the pagan cult had hierarchy and internal organization, which is known not to be true. If the Kriwe were such an influential person, he would have been mentioned in some political accounts of the region. The supposed location has never been found either by the ]Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...
, who controlled the whole of Nadruvia
The Nadruvians were a now-extinct Prussian tribe. They lived in Nadruvia (alternative spellings include: ''Nadruva'', ''Nadrowite'', ''Nadrovia'', ''Nadrauen'', ''Nadravia'', ''Nadrow'' and ''Nadra''), a large territory in northernmost Prussia. Th ...
, or by modern archaeologists.[ Some details in the descriptions have similarities with other sources. For example, the ]Treaty of Christburg
The Treaty of Christburg (modern Dzierzgoń in Poland) was a peace treaty signed on 2 February 1249 between the pagan Prussian clans, represented by a papal legate, and the Teutonic Knights. It is often cited as the end of the First Prussian Upri ...
prohibits converted Prussians from having ''Tulissones vel Ligaschones'' at funerals to see into the journey of the deceased's soul. Another document by the Teutonic Knights speaks of the ''blûtekirl'' who collected a third of the booty from Samogitia
Samogitia or Žemaitija ( Samogitian: ''Žemaitėjė''; see below for alternative and historical names) is one of the five cultural regions of Lithuania and formerly one of the two core administrative divisions of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...
n warriors as an offering to the gods.[
]
Interpretations
Since the concept of a "pagan pope" became very popular during the times of romantic nationalism
Romantic nationalism (also national romanticism, organic nationalism, identity nationalism) is the form of nationalism in which the state claims its political legitimacy as an organic consequence of the unity of those it governs. This includes ...
and very little is actually known about the temple, interpretations abound. S. C. Rowell suggests that Peter von Dusburg invented the place to make the Baltic religion appear like a "counter-church". There are many similarities between Romuva and the Christian church: in a place called after Rome lived a man treated like a pope with his own messengers and insignia.[ Such an account could have served several purposes: to demonstrate that pagans are so well organized that they have their own pope and pose a serious threat,] to shame Christians into respecting their own pope, or to make pagan society easier to understand to a Christian reader.[
Romuva might have been a sacred place, known as an alkas, which were common among Balts. Peter von Dusburg might have exaggerated its importance.][ There have been attempts to link the Kriwe with Lizdeika, a semi-legendary pagan priest and advisor to Grand Duke ]Gediminas
Gediminas ( la, Gedeminne, ; – December 1341) was the king or Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1315 or 1316 until his death. He is credited with founding this political entity and expanding its territory which later spanned the area ranging from t ...
. Marceli Kosman
Marceli Kosman (born 8 May 1940 in Izbica Kujawska) is a Polish historian. Professor of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań.
He finished secondary school in 1957. Then he studied at the university in Poznań. He gained MA in history in 196 ...
, a modern Polish historian, called Lizdeika the last Kriwe.[ ]Vladimir Toporov
Vladimir Nikolayevich Toporov (russian: Влади́мир Никола́евич Топоро́в; 5 July 1928 in Moscow5 December 2005 in Moscow) was a leading Russian philologist associated with the Tartu-Moscow semiotic school. His wife was ...
argued that the Crooked Castle (''castrum curvum'') in Vilnius was really Kriwe Castle.[
The word may be derived from the ]Baltic
Baltic may refer to:
Peoples and languages
* Baltic languages, a subfamily of Indo-European languages, including Lithuanian, Latvian and extinct Old Prussian
*Balts (or Baltic peoples), ethnic groups speaking the Baltic languages and/or originati ...
root ''ram-/rām-'', meaning 'calm, serene, quiet', stemming from the Proto-Indo-European ''*(e)remǝ-''.Indo-European roots
/ref> The word ''Kriwe'' is derived from ''kreivas'' (''crooked''). It is believed that the term derives from a crooked stick (''krivulė'' in Lithuanian) that according to Peter von Dusburg was the most important symbol of his power.
See also
*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. ...
*Romuva (religion)
Romuva is a neo-pagan movement derived from the traditional mythology of the Lithuanians, attempting to reconstruct the religious rituals of the Lithuanians before their forced Christianization in 1387. Practitioners of Romuva claim to cont ...
References
{{reflist
Lithuanian mythology
Prussian mythology