К вопросу о древнерусском <<двоеверии>>

"Dvoeverije" (the mixing of elements of different confessions) is inherent to all world religions. In literature, "dvoeverije" has been understood as the <<paganization>> of Christianity or as the <<Christianization>> of paganism. This process in Russia was based on the <<contamination>> and <<duplication>> of orthodox and folk beliefs. Consequently, through this <<contamination>> there were such charms as "zmeeviki" (<<serpent>>), the Old Russian cults of Rod and Rozhanitsy, and the mixing of images of heathen gods with images of saints. The features of folk representations are seen in the prophetic images of Saint Mikhail Klopsky (1470-e), and Saint Fevronija (1540-e). The <<duplication>> of Christian and heathen rites can be traced in the "rites of passage" held in steam bath-houses. Magic actions, accomplished in the bath-house, duplicate proper church ceremonies (christenings, weddings, and services for the dead). Consequently, in the Russian tradition, a bath-house can be examined as a home temple. A bath-house ceremony called <<mov'>> was known from the earliest times. The <<Tale of Temporal Years>> (XI-XII century) says that Prince Oleg obtained for Russians the right to hold a <<mov'>> in Constantinople, and the duchess Olga deceived her opponents by substituting a wedding bath-house ceremony for funeral one. The Old Russian <<mov'>> is a heathen ceremony, widespread in northern European, and held in steam bath-houses with the use of plants, and enables its participants to contact the world of the dead and spirits. Ceremonies, determined by "steaming", "sweating", and smoke inhalation from the burning plants, are known in many archaic traditions, and Old Russia is no exception. A church and bath-house in Old Russia were co mplementary centers of human sacral activity.