By Greg Pasciuto
August 13, 2022
Source: The Collector
Photo Source: Unsplash,
Across time humans have worshipped many gods of health to protect their lives in this world. Here are eight of these divine beings from around the world.
We humans have proven ourselves to be extraordinarily creative when it comes to the gods and spirits we worship. The God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is an omnipotent being, responsible for both creation and care of the entire universe. Yet in the grand scheme of things, Abrahamic-style monotheism is a fairly recent historical development. During ancient times, people around the world more often worshipped a plethora of sacred beings, every one of them linked to a different attribute from our world.
Gods of health, healing, and disease can be observed across cultures. These divine personalities often had to be appeased in order to allow humans to live healthy, safe lives. Even today, many societies continue to revere gods and goddesses for protection in this life, rather than solely in the next. Here are eight gods and goddesses of health and disease from cultures around the world.
1. Asclepius: The Greek God of Health
Asclepius, Greek God of Medicine.
Starting off our list of gods of health is Asclepius, from ancient Greece. Many Greek mythology aficionados might not know his name, but they may recognize his symbol: a standing staff with a snake coiled around it. This symbol, known as the Rod of Asclepius, has become the modern symbol of medical care. Although it is often confused with a similar emblem linked to the god Hermes, called the caduceus, a true medical professional would undoubtedly recognize the differences.
Asclepius was actually only half-god at birth. In all mythic accounts, his father was Apollo, the Greek god of the sun. Some stories name his mother as Koronis, a human princess. After he discovered that Koronis had been having an affair with a mortal man, Apollo killed his former lover. However, he spared the infant Asclepius, who would go on to receive training in medicine from the centaur Chiron. Between Chiron and Apollo, Asclepius became Greece’s most renowned physician, capable of even resurrecting the dead. Zeus, the king of the gods, feared his abilities, opting to murder Asclepius. Yet Asclepius’ children would continue their father’s medicinal work, becoming lesser gods of health in their own right.
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