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Lada and Lelya (Lel)
Lada is the goddess of love and beauty. Newly
married made sacrifices so that she would protect their
matrimonial happiness.
The name of Indo-European goddesses Lada has been
known since XII century BC when the Dorians conquered Greece: in
their language it meant madam. In noncontemporaneous Greek myths
Lada appears either as Leto (Roman Latona), Zeuss wife or as
Leda, his lover. But in both cases she gives birth to the twins
like Lel and Popel: either Apollo and Artemis, or Castor and
Pollux.
Lel and Popel were Ladas sons. Lel or Lelya as
well as his constant companion Popel the god of desire and
passionate love is known from immemorial times. Both of them are
of Indo-European origin. Greeks called them Cupid and Eros, but
their original names go back to Sumerian lil (spirit, shadow,
breath).eath).eath).
In Slavic mythology Lada and Lelya initially acted
as the goddesses of fertility, vegetative forces. At the later
stage of development of mythological ideas of our ancestors Lada
and Lel, goddesses-patronesses of reproduction, have become the
main characters of amorous wedding ceremonies.
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