Slavic Native Faith in Poland

In 1818, the Polish folklorist and Slavophile Zorian Dołęga-Chodakowski (pseudonym of Adam Czarnocki; 1784–1825) stated that Poland "must return to [the] native faith". According to that, he's recognised as precursor of the Slavic Native Faith in Poland.[3] Another precursor in Poland was Jan Sas Zubrzycki (1860–1935), who elaborated the doctrine of "God-Knowing" (Bogoznawstwo).[4]

In the interwar period, a few movements emerged in Poland, recognized as early Polish Slavic Native Faith followers: the Święte Koło Czcicieli Światowida ("Holy Circle of Worshippers of Svetovid"; 1921) of Władysław Kołodziej (1897–1978), Demiurg (1934), and Zadrugism (1937) of Jan Stachniuk (1905–1963).[5] Another example is the pilot and army officer Zdzisław Harlender (1898–1939), who advocated Polish Native Faith in his book Czciciele Dadźbóg Swarożyca ("Worshipers of Dadźbóg Swarożyc", 1937).[6]

The rapper and music producer Donatan is a self-declared adherent of Slavic Native Faith.[7] He released his debut album Równonoc (English: Equinox) in 2012 and is a prolific music producer in Poland; he produced the song "My Słowianie (We Are Slavic)" which represented Poland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014.[8]

In 2013, Simpson noted that Slavic Native Faith remains a "very small religion" in Poland, which is otherwise dominated by Roman Catholicism.[9] He suggested that there were under 900 regularly active members of the main four registered Polish Native Faith organisations,[10] and around as many adherents belonging to smaller, unregistered groups.[11]

In 2017, he stated that between 2000 and 2500 "actively engaged and regular participants" were likely active in the country.[1] In 2020, Konrad Kośnik and Elżbieta Hornowska estimated between 7000 and 10,000 Rodnovers in Poland.[2]

Simpson observed that in the country, Slavic Native Faith's adherents were "still relatively young",[12] and saw an overlap with the community of historical re-enactors.[11] Kosnik and Hornowska observed that despite being young, Polish Rodnovers were spiritually mature and had joined the religion as it satisfied deep personal needs.[13] They also observed that males constituted the majority of the community.[13]

V Poland-wide Slavic Native Faith Congress

The major organisation of Rodnovery in Poland is the Rodnover Confederation.

There are five formally registered religious organisations:

• Native Polish Church;
• Polish Slavic Church;
• Religious Organisation of Polish Rodnovers "Rod";[14]
• Rodzima Wiara ("Native Faith");
• West-Slavic Religious Organization "Slavic Faith".

• Slavic Native Faith in Russia
• Slavic Native Faith in Ukraine

• Schaab, Philipp (2019). Götter, Ahnen, Blut und Boden? Die Konstruktion ethnischer Identität im gegenwärtigen slawischen Neuheidentum in Polen. Religionen in der pluralen Welt (in German). 18. Berlin: Lit Verlag. ISBN 9783643145123.