Koliada (deity)

Koliada or Koleda (Bulgarian: Коледа, romanized: Koleda) is a Slavic mythological deity personalizing the newborn winter infant Sun and symbolizing the New Year's cycle. The figure of Koliada is connected with the solar cycle, (the Slavic root *kol- suggests a wheel or circularity) passing through the four seasons and from one substantial condition into another.

In the different Slavic countries at the koliada winter festival people performed rituals with games and songs in honour of the deity - like koleduvane. In some regions of Russia the ritual gifts (usually buns) for the koledari are also called kolyada. In the lands of the Croats a doll, called Koled, symbolized Koliada. In the ancient times Slavs used to sacrifice horses, goats, cows, bears or other animals that personify fertility. Koliada is mentioned either as a male or (more commonly) as a female deity in the songs.