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The Home Sanctuary -- Alka

A home is not just a place to live, it is also the ancestral land, the homestead, and the heart of the Earth.

An Alka is erected in the sacred corner of the home, wherethe home and family Gods, including the Earth herself and Earth Goddess Zemyna, are worshipped with the appropriate rites.

Fire and the Fire Goddess Gabija would be painstakingly protected and worshipped in the home hearth. These ancient beliefs with their sacred rites and beliefs survived in tact until our century.

The Household Gods are the Numejai, whose job and duty it is "to live in the protect every house, every orchard" (Greimas). Texts from 1725 call the Numejai "Gods of the Pagirniai, under-the-millstone." According to Pagan tradition, they are worshipped in the corners (Lebedys). "The Lithuanians did not worship snakes, but Gods who sometimes took the guise of a snake" (Greimas). Every homestead had it own Pagirnis, who received sacrifices three times a year.
Underneath the millstone, the household erected a small wooden house-shrine with its own fence. (Greimas). The Pagirniai come out of the corners in the guise of snakes. However, they often spend their time invisible, as if in the depths of the Earth. The fields where theses Earth Gods are worshipped are called "the worshipped Earth" (Lebedys). The Earth is beneficent as long as people worship the Numejai with prayer in the home sanctuaries.

"Lithuanians are very attached to the nurturing Earth. They call her holy, they pray to her, they kiss her and they fight for her. she is the most precious treasure for Lithuanians. They have many times offered their blood and sacrificed their lives to protect her. Separated from the Earth, they feel like an uprooted tree which quickly withers" (Balys).

Every household sets up its own sanctuary Alka in the home. Two Gods are worshipped there: The Earth Goddess Zemyna and the Pagirniai. At each holiday these Gods are the first to be worshipped. Libations and food offerings are placed underneath the table or on the table. The pouring of libations on the ground in worshipping Zemyna is called 'Zemynavimas', while 'Palabinimas' is the blessing of a drink. One holds the stein, raises ones eyes and thanks the heavenly God Dievas for health and his many blessings.

The Household and Earth Gods also have other names. Zemepatis' feast day corresponds with Kucios because of it s date -- the shortest day of the year and because of its private, family nature. At the end of October honor is given Zemininkas. That is the day of Ilges which the entire village or at least several farmsteads celebrate.

References:
J. Lebedy, Lietuviu kalba XVII-XVIII a. viesame gyvenime, Vilnius 1976;
A.J. Griemas, Tautos isminties beieskant, Vilnius 1990;
J. Balys, Lietuviu liaudies pasaulejauta, Chicago 1966.

by Jonas Trinkunas--trans. Vilija Witte
First published in "Romuva/USA", Issue #7, 1992.

Romuva USA/Canada * alka@netnitco.net