Deuteronomy 7:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He instructs that the altars of false deities be dismantled, the idols be shattered, and their groves be hewn down, so that the people, dedicated to idol worship, do not become enamored with the allure of the trees and statues and mistakenly believe they possess any real power.

When he arrived, Vladimir commanded that the idols be destroyed—some were to be chopped up while others were to be burned. He also instructed that Perun be tied to the tail of a horse and dragged down from the mountain along Borichev's slope to the Ruch River, where twelve men would strike him with sticks. This act was not meant to inflict pain upon the tree but rather to shame the demon who had misled the people through this representation, ensuring he would face the consequences of his deception. "Great art thou, O Lord, and marvellous are thy works!" Yesterday, he was revered by many, yet today he faced scorn. As Perun was dragged down the stream to the Dnieper, the non-believers lamented for him, for they had not yet embraced the sacred baptism.

In a figurative sense, idols represent those things that stir our desires and attachments; they must be consumed by the flames of fervent prayer and a genuine love for God. The Trebizhas symbolize our personal will, shaped by earthly desires; the pillars reflect our justifications; and the shady oak trees signify the carnal mind, which clouds our perception of the Divine Light. The true followers of God have adhered to this divine directive.