Perunica July 20

The existence of the cult in the pre-Christian period is a hypothesis put forward in the framework of Boris Rybakov's interpretation of the ornamentation of archaeological artifacts. The cult of Perun was probably replaced by the cult of the prophet Elijah among the Kyiv boyars in the process of Christianization of Rus.

Elijah Day, celebrated in Christian times on July 20, bore distinct characteristics from ancient pagan cults, and is believed to have replaced the original festival in honor of the thunder god Perun. In popular belief, Elijah wields storm clouds to influence the fertility of fields and uses lightning against demons and blasphemers.

The festival is celebrated on July 20 or 21 by neopagans in Poland within registered religious organizations, as well as informal communities, as well as in other Slavic countries, including Ukraine, Slovakia and Russia, where in some groups of Rodnovers this holiday is considered the most important of the year.

During the festival, there are games (sports competitions) in honor of Perun, in which participants compete in disciplines such as combat sports and tug-of-war.