Sylenkoism

The Native Ukrainian National Faith ( uk, Рі́дна Украї́нська Націона́льна Ві́ра, ; widely known by the acronym , RUNVira), also called Sylenkoism () or Sylenkianism (), and institutionally also known as the Church of Ukrainian Native Faith or Church of the Faithful of the Native Ukrainian National Faith, is a branch of Rodnovery (Slavic Native Faith) specifically linked to the Ukrainians that was founded in the mid 1960s by Lev Sylenko (1921–2008) among the Ukrainian diaspora in North America, and first introduced in Ukraine in 1991. Sylenkoite communities are also present in Russia and Belarus, as well as in Western Europe and Oceania. The doctrine of this tradition is codified into a sacred book composed by Sylenko himself, the ''Maha Vira'' ("Great Faith"). Sylenkoite theology is characterised by a solar monotheism.

Overview

Lev Sylenko (1921–2008) was a disciple of the earliest ideologue of Ukrainian Rodnovery, Volodymyr Shaian (1908–1974), and was a member of the religio-political anti-Soviet "Order of the Knights of the Sun God" (''Orden Lytsariv Boha Sontsia'') founded by the same Shaian in the 1940s. Sylenko was initiated into the group with the name ''Orlyhora'' ("Eagle Mountain"). In the 1940s, Sylenko emigrated to Canada, and then to the United States, where in the 1960s he founded the Native Ukrainian National Faith. By the 1970s, Shaian and Sylenko had parted and taken two different paths, as Sylenko had begun to elaborate a systematised doctrine of Rodnovery which was rejected by Shaian. After travels in Europe and Asia, Sylenko compiled the ''Maha Vira'', the holy book of his doctrine, and published it in 1979. The ''Maha Vira'' was preceded in 1969 by the poem ''The Mage's Gate'', in which Sylenko outlined in a nutshell the foundations of the doctrine.

The scholar Adrian Ivakhiv defined Sylenkoism as a "reformed" Rodnovery, a "comprehensive and systematic attempt to create an intellectually coherent synthetic new religion" based on Slavic heritage with elements of Theosophy, deism and messianism. The scholar Victor Shnirelman defined Sylenkoism as a monotheism based on Slavic heritage, and as such he compared it to the later " Russian Religion" developed in Russia by Viktor M. Kandyba. Due to its monotheism and its early emphasis on the charismatic figure of the founder, Sylenkoism has been deemed by other Ukrainian Rodnover movements as a not authentically "native" religion. Members of Sylenkoite churches, however, consider themselves Rodnovers in all respects. Halyna Lozko, the leader of the Federation of Ukrainian Rodnovers, which continues Volodymyr Shaian's orthodoxy, advanced vehement critiques of Sylenkoism, calling Lev Sylenko a "false prophet" and accusing him of having tried to lead the Ukrainians into the Abrahamic religions' "quagmire of cosmopolitan monotheism". Lozko criticised Sylenko for "cancelling the ancestral gods, proclaiming absolute monotheism, and ..attaching his own characteristics to ..God". Despite this, Lev Sylenko himself rejected the Abrahamisms, and Christianity in particular, deeming the latter a "nomadic Judaism".

Beliefs

Historiosophy of the ''Maha Vira''

The ''Maha Vira'' (literally "Great Faith") is the holy writing used within the organisations of the Sylenkoite movement, published in 1979 and consisting in 1,427 pages. Its title blends the Sanskrit term ''maha'', "great", and the Ukrainian term ''vira'', "faith". It was composed by Lev Sylenko himself as a synthesis of philosophical ideas relying upon historical and archaeological sources, presenting a historiosophical account of eleven thousand years, intertwined with theological and cosmological doctrines, and a prophetic message for the future. The book includes a comparative lexicon of Sanskrit, Ukrainian and English language.

The book tells the history of "Oryana" or "Orania", identified as the Cucuteni–Trypillia culture (3000–5000 BCE), assumed to have been the epicentre of the Indo-Europeans or Aryans, whom the book calls "Oryans", evoking a connection with the Ukrainian word for "plowing", ''oraty''. According to the book, the Oryans are the original progenitors of the white race, and the earliest European civilisation—corresponding to, or preceding, the Cucuteni-Trypillia complex—developed along the banks of the Dnieper. From the Oryans descended the Scythians, the Russians and the Ukrainians. The Ukrainians are regarded as the directest descendants of the Oryans, and therefore as superior to all Europeans. Kyiv is described as the "most ancient city" of the white race. The Oryans are described in the book as the carriers of the philosophy later written down in the Vedas, developed as the Oryans migrated in different directions including the north of the Indian subcontinent.

The ''Maha Vira'' is described by Ivakhiv as a "systematic intellectual construct" grounded on the premise of Ukrainian ethnocultural primordialism or essentialism. The book explains that during its evolution, the human species has divided itself into many distinct ethnocultural groups, ''ethne'' or ''ethnoi'' (singular ''ethnos'', the Greek word for "ethnicity"), each of which undergoes its life cycle, flourishing and perishing according to its own development. Sylenko argues that without such division, the human species would be too fragile, as the division allows for a diversity of experiments, some successful and some others not, allowing for a continuation of evolution. The formation of an ''ethnos'' is always accompanied by the systematisation of originally unorganised beliefs into a coherent religious doctrine, representing a shared system of ideas unifying the ''ethnos''; the ''Maha Vira'' intends to represent such systematisation for the Ukrainians.

Theology and cosmology

According to the definition given by Sylenko himself, his doctrine is that of a solar "absolute monotheism". Sylenko proclaimed himself a prophet, bringing to the Slavs a new understanding of God that, according to him, corresponds to their own and original understanding of God. The Sylenkoites believe that he acquired this knowledge through the "breath of his ancestors" in his soul, being united with them "by divine holiness". According to Sylenko's own words:

Sylenkoite theology may be further defined as pantheistic or panentheistic. In the ''Maha Vira'', the supreme God, identifying himself as ''Dazhbog'' (Дажбог)—meaning "Giving God" or "Sun God" in the ancient Slavic tradition—proclaims through his prophet Lev Sylenko:

Dazhbog is described as the life-giving energy of the cosmos; in Sylenko's own words it is "light, endlessness, gravitation, eternity, movement, action, the energy of unconscious and conscious being". Sylenkoite cosmology conceives Dazhbog as containing the three worlds, ''Prav'', ''Yav'' and ''Nav''. As in broader Rodnovery, ''Prav'' is considered the right law of nature, ''Yav'' is the visible, manifested world, while ''Nav'' is the invisible, spiritual world.

Sylenko is seen by his followers as making the same operation that Axial Age thinkers made, in other parts of the world and among other peoples, by moving away from polytheism and affirming the concept of single God. Sylenkoite doctrine emphasises, in evolutionary terms, that monotheism is a higher level of spiritual development than polytheism, and the latter should be rejected, since, by the words of Sylenko's writings: "Dazhbog ..has no need of any ambassadors in the form of higher or lower deities". Sylenko was profoundly influenced by the discourse about a European superiority communicated through the concept of monotheism, and he envisioned the Ukrainians as the superior people who will extend to all Europeans his operation of spiritual progress, spreading the "European understanding of God", implying a reformulation of local European ethnic polytheistic religions into Sylenkoite monotheism. In Sylenko's own words:

Sylenkoite cosmology also contains the discourse about a duality proceeding from the supreme God, represented by father ''Or'' (Орь) and mother ''Lel'' (Лель). ''Or'' is also called ''Oryi'' (Орій) or ''Aryi'' (Арій), ''Orya'' (Оря), and ''Yari'' or ''Yuri'', and identified as the solar deity '' Yarilo'', while ''Lel'' is also known as ''Lelyi'' (Лелій) and ''Lelya'' (Леля). ''Or'' and ''Lel'' are considered the progenitors of all the Oryans, and therefore of the Ukrainians. Despite their monotheism, some Sylenkoites take part in initiatives of non-Sylenkoite Rodnovers involving polytheistic worship, or listen to the music of Zhyvosyl Liutyi dedicated to multiple deities.

Practices

Priesthood

Sylenkoite communities are led by male and female priests, respectively called ''RUNtato''s ("Native Ukrainian National fathers") and ''RUNmama''s ("Native Ukrainian National mothers"). Not all the branches of Sylenkoism use the terms ''tato'' and ''mama'' to refer to the clergy; notably, OSID RUNVira, a branch of the original RUNVira church that further reworked Sylenko's original teachings, uses simply the term "priests". Male priests significantly outnumber their female counterparts. When Lev Sylenko was alive, until 2008, ordinations were conferred by him himself, as a candidate had to make an application to him supported by letters of recommendation from the same candidate's religious community.

Sylenkoite priests are expected to teach the congregation how to apply the religion's tenets in everyday life, and to give advice to the congregation's members on various matters regarding personal and social life. A good priest is required to show loyalty towards the religious doctrines, and to have some specific personality traits: he should be self-controlled, he should speak softly, and behave in a noble way; he should never judge, accuse or intimidate anybody, and he should never show anger. Priests are distinguished by wearing a ''sviadana'', that is to say a long narrow ribbon made of blue and yellow fabric, with black and red horizontal bands, draped around the neck. Male priests wear embroidered shirts, usually combined with European suits.

Rites and holidays

The ''Maha Vira'' contains descriptions of rituals and holidays, and a calendar which begins its chronology eleven thousand years ago, when the Paleolithic culture of Mezine reached its apogee. Many of the rituals and holidays described in the book are derived from Ukrainian village folklore, interpreted and adjusted by Sylenko himself, while others are newly created. A detailed description of Sylenkoite practices is also given in Sylenko's ''Sacred Book of Rituals'', which was first published in the United States.

The holidays comprise the Great Day of Dazhbog's Light on 14 April, corresponding to the celebration of Easter in Ukrainian villages. Other holidays are dedicated to important figures of Ukrainian history, including Sviatoslav I (935–972), the last traditional religious prince of Kievan Rus' and a great warrior who expanded the borders of his country, and Taras Shevchenko (1814–1861), whom Sylenko regarded as a critic of Christianity and promoter of the ancestral faith. Other Sylenkoite holidays are dedicated to contemporary social and environmental issues, including the Day of Animal Protection on 28 April, and the Day of the People's Anger on 5 November, a day dedicated to indignation towards intruders and oppressors of the Ukrainian nation. 27 September is the Day of the Holy ''Maha Vira'' and the birthday of the "Native Prophet", Lev Sylenko.

Sylenkoite lifecycle rituals include the blessing of a newborn child, marriages, funerals, and the commemoration of the dead. Every new convert to the religion is also required to choose a native Slavic name, and goes through a ritual of name-giving or renaming. The latter is especially needed when the convert has a "foreign" given name, and even more so when such name is associated with Christianity. A weekly worship ceremony held on Sunday, called the Holy Hour of Self-Reflection, constitutes the main setting for most rites. Although Sylenko allows some flexibility in the ritual practice, he insists that the ''Maha Vira'' should be the main source for their preparation. The priest is supposed to choose lectures from the ''Maha Vira'' pertaining to the theme of the weekly Holy Hour; for example, on the Day of Taras Shevchenko the priest reads the passages of the book dedicated to Shevchenko's life and legacy, while on folk holidays the priest reads those passages of the book that describe how a particular holiday was celebrated in the past and how it should be observed today.

Despite Sylenko's efforts to establish a unified liturgy, later leaders and branches of the movement approached his teaching selectively. For instance, OSID RUNVira practises a Service of Honouring God (''Nabozhenstvo''), elaborated by Bohdan Ostrovskyi, that only vaguely resembles the Holy Hour of Self-Reflection, not containing much reading from the ''Maha Vira'' and focusing instead on colourful ritual action and singing. OSID RUNVira also recognises the holiday of Kupala Night as part of the Sylenkoite calendar, and celebrates it through a complex ritual recreated by the same Ostrovskyi. At the 2008 Triennial RUNVira Council held in Bohoyavlensky, Mykolaiv, one of the major issues addressed by the delegates was the growing diversification and inconsistency among the rituals performed by different Sylenkoite congregations across Ukraine, as different leaders were introducing too many innovations in their congregations' liturgy; most of the delegates agreed that standardisation was important and they called for a more strict following of Sylenko's liturgy book.

Like other Rodnovers, especially Cossack sorcerers, many Sylenkoites practise martial arts. The most widely known figure of Ukrainian martial arts in the 2010s is the Sylenkoite follower Volodymyr Pylat, the founder and teacher of ''Boiovyi Hopak'', a martial form of the traditional Cossack dance of ''hopak'' combined with a philosophical worldview. Before turning to Slavic martial arts, Pylat was a ''sensei'' in Kyokushin Karate and he studied other Eastern martial arts styles. His school is located in Lviv, and his work is appreciated both by Sylenkoites and by other Rodnovers. The basic philosophical tenets of the practice are expressed by Pylat himself in the following terms:

Temples and altars

Sylenkoite ceremonies are usually held inside temples and in front of altars. Two important temples include the Temple of the Nativity of Lev Sylenko, located in Bohoyavlensky, Mykolaiv, the village in southern Ukraine where Lev Sylenko was born, and the Temple of Oryana in Spring Glen, New York, in the United States. Stationary altars are located in temples or in people's homes, as domestic altars. They are set up on a table covered with four different embroidered cloths, of which the top and bottom pieces are decorated with meandering designs associated with the culture of Mezine. In the middle of the altar is located a portable symbol of Dazhbog, a mandatory attribute for all Sylenkoite services. There are also two figurines representing ''Or'' and ''Lel'', two candles in candlesticks, a ''sviadana'', flowers, a container for holy soil, and another one for holy water. According to the instructions of Sylenko, ears of wheat should be placed on the altar to symbolise the agricultural origins of the Ukrainians, the holy soil should be from the fields of Trypillia, and the holy water should be from the Dnieper.

The altars of OSID RUNVira, the branch of the movement which further elaborated Sylenko's ideas and does not recognise him as the ultimate prophet but as the main ideologist of the religion, do not display many references to Sylenko himself apart from the ''Maha Vira'' and the ''Sacred Book of Rituals''. On the contrary, the altars of OSIDU RUNVira, the branch of the movement which recognises Sylenko as the ultimate prophet, apart from displaying the books, always also display a portrait of Sylenko himself whom is object of worship.

Organisations

The early church of the Native Ukrainian National Faith was founded by Lev Sylenko in 1966, in the United States, among the Ukrainian diaspora. The first congregation was established in Chicago, and later congregations were founded in Canada, England, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. The headquarters of the church were set at the Temple of Oryana, located in Spring Glen, New York, in the region of the Catskill Mountains. The Sylenkoite movement was introduced in Ukraine in the early 1990s. The first congregation was registered by the government in Kyiv in 1991, less than a month after the collapse of the Soviet Union. By the end of the decade the number of registered communities had grown to fifty and other tens were active throughout the country without formal registration. The movement also spread to Russia and Belarus.

During the 1980s, Sylenkoism split into at least four major branches, and many other communities led by several individual ''tato''s, or male spiritual leaders. The contemporary four distinct Sylenkoite churches, which administer more than one hundred congregations spread throughout Ukraine, are: the "Association of Sons and Daughters of the Native Ukrainian National Faith" (OSID RUNVira), the "Association of Sons and Daughters of Ukraine of the Native Ukrainian National Faith" (OSIDU RUNVira), Volodymyr Chornyi's Lviv-based "western branch" of OSIDU RUNVira, and the "Union of Native Ukrainian Faith" (SRUV).

OSIDU RUNVira

Among Sylenkoite organisations, the "Associations of Sons and Daughters of Ukraine of the Native Ukrainian National Faith" (ОСІДУ РУНВіра, ''OSIDU RUNVira'') is that which has maintained direct relationship with Sylenko, fully accepting him as prophet. As of the mid-2000s the leader of the organisation was Bohdan Savchenko. The OSIDU Sylenkoites consider themselves a transformed and completed Rodnovery, focusing on the monotheistic belief in the impersonal Dazhbog, the energy of the cosmos.

Members of OSIDU RUNVira practise a weekly Holy Hour of Self-Reflection, which includes readings from the ''Maha Vira'', sermons, commentaries, ancestor worship, prayers and hymns, and ends with the singing of Ukraine's national anthem. Liturgical elements for the ceremony include the symbol of Dazhbog, a jar with water from a holy river, a box containing soil from a holy ground, two candles, wheat ears, flowers (poppies and cornflowers), a ''sviadana'', copies of the ''Maha Vira'' and the ''Sacred Book of Rituals'', and a portrait of Lev Sylenko. OSIDU Sylenkoites are open to the celebration of holidays together with non-Sylenkoite Rodnovers, with traditional folk singing, bonfire jumping, circle and spiral dancing, burning or drowning the effigies of the deities Kupalo and Marena, and meeting the Sun's first rays the next morning. Some OSIDU Sylenkoite congregations also organise projects for the wider public; a community in Kharkiv

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