Prende

Prende was a goddess of love in the Albanian folklore. She is the wife of Perendi and referred to in Albanian legends as zonja e bukuris ("the queen of beauty"), while her sacred day was Friday.[1]

When Albania became Christianized in the early Middle Ages, Prende was identified by the Catholic Church as Saint Anne, mother of Virgin Mary Albanian: Shënepremte or Prende, known in Gheg dialect as Prenne or Petka.[2]

As is usual in many cultures, here too Friday is the day sacred to the goddess of love.[3] The name is used today for Friday (e premte).

See also

Albanian folklore

References

  1. ↑ Dunwich, Gerina (June 2000). Wicca Love Spells. Kensington Publishing Corporation. p. 151. ISBN 0-8065-1782-4.
  2. ↑ Elsie, Robert. "The Christian Saints of Albania". Balkanistica13 (American Association for South Slavic Studies): 43. The third saint to be mentioned in connection with the Albanians is rather special because, strictly speaking, she does not really exist. Saint Veneranda, Albanian Shënepremte or Prende, known in Geg dialect as Prenne or Petka -- Greek Paraskevi, Ag. Paraskeuhv, Romanian Sfânta Paraschiva, was originally a pre-Christian deity and came to be identified by the Catholic Church with Saint Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary. In Albania, she is known at any rate as Saint Veneranda.
  3. ↑ Lurker, Manfred (1984). The Routledge Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Devils and Demons, Taylor & Francis e-Library. p.155