Polabian Slavic god, linked to Svarozhits
Radegast
Radegast, also written Radogost, is, according to medieval chroniclers, the god of the Polabian Slavs, whose temple stood in Rethra. Modern scholarship often regards him as a local nickname or alternative name of the solar god Svarozhits, which makes him a key figure for understanding western Slavic religion.
The myth
Medieval chroniclers present Radegast as the chief god of the Polabian Slavs, a people who lived along the River Elbe. According to these writers, his temple was located in Rethra, a town that was the religious centre of the area.
In academic research, however, another view dominates: Radegast would be a local epithet or an alternative name for Svarozhits, the solar god who, according to earlier sources, was the main deity of Rethra. Some scholars add that the name of the town, where Svarozhits was the central god, may have been mistakenly taken for the name of a different deity.
Worship and religion
His temple at Rethra was the place of worship associated with his name in medieval chronicles. Radegast was linked with fertility, the sun and hospitality, traits that place him among deities tied to the harvest and the solar cycle. The sources do not describe his rites or celebrations in detail.
Legacy
In the Czech Republic a popular local legend is related to Radegast. Beyond scholarly texts and that tradition, his figure has little presence in later culture.
Ancient sources: Medieval chronicles describing the Slavs of the western Baltic region and mentioning his temple at Rethra.
In art
