2581 Radegast & Radegast - Radhošt Mt. (Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mts., North-East Moravia)
N 49° 28.952 E 018° 15.181
34U E 301038 N 5484726
Main-belt asteroid 2581 Radegast (1980 VX) bears name of an old god of Slavic mythology. The given coordinates mark his statue located close to the summit of the Radhost Mt. in Moravian-Silesian Beskids mountain range.
Waymark Code: WMVCX0
Location: Zlínský kraj, Czechia
Date Posted: 04/02/2017
Views: 19
Main-belt asteroid 2581 Radegast (1980 VX) bears name of an old god of Slavic mythology. The given coordinates mark his stone statue located close to the summit of the Radhost Mt. (Radegast...) in Moravian-Silesian Beskids mountain range (Moravskoslezské Beskydy).
Asteroid asteroid 2581 Radegast (1980 VX) was discovered by Czech astronomer Zdenka Vávrová at Klet Observatory (CZ) on November 11, 1980.
The artificial-stone 3.2 m high statue of god Radegast, work of Czech-American sculptor Albín Polášek, was unveiled on Radhost Mt. on July 5, 1931. When the statue was moved to the mountain, the truck became stuck in a steep turn, and heavy rain accompanied by storm and lightning killed one of the soldiers. During years statue was heavily damaged by harsh mountain weather, so after several reconstructions it was eventually replaced by an exact granite replica, funded by the Radegast Beer Company, on July 4, 1998. The original, completely restored, was installed in lobby of Frenstat pod Radhostem Town Hall in November 1998.
Radegast, also Radigost, Redigast, Riedegost or Radhost is an old, well-documented, god of Slavic mythology. Since the name can easily be etymologised as meaning something like “Dear guest” or “Gladly guest”, Radegast was proclaimed as the Slavic god of hospitality and as such entered the hypothetical, reconstructed Slavic pantheon of modern days. Even myths concerning him were constructed based on various folk customs of sacred hospitality. Similar customs, however, are known in many Indo-European mythologies without a distinct deity associated explicitly with them. Another possible etymology may be from Slavic "rada" - council, and "goscic", "hostit", "goszczacy" - to host, Radogost being the name of the council or assembly host, leader, or speaker, and one of the attributes of the god. This view could be supported by the political role Radegast temple played in the life of West Slavic tribes. According to some literary sources he is also the god of war, night, fire and the evening sky. He likes to invite to the banquets, is completely black and is armed with a spear and helmet.
Mt. Radhošt, in the Moravian-Silesian Beskids mountain range, is traditionally associated with the worship of this god; according to legend, missionaries Cyril and Methodius when they reportedly visited the mountain on their trip to Great Moravia, had his idol demolished.
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