List of health deities

A health deity is a god or goddess in mythology or religion associated with health, healing and wellbeing. They may also be related to childbirth or Mother Goddesses. They are a common feature of polytheistic religions.

List of health deities

African

Jengu, water spirits that bring good fortune and cure disease
Waaq/Waaqa, sky god that was worshipped by the Somali and Oromo people before Islam and Christianity
!Xu, sky god of the Bushmen of southern Africa who is invoked in illness
Sonzwaphi, deity of healing, Zulu mythology

Yoruba and Afro-American

Aja, spirit of the forest, the animals within it and herbal healers
Babalú-Ayé, spirit of illness and disease
Erinlẹ, spirit of abundance, the healer, and Physician to the Orisha
Loco, patron of healers and plants
Mami Wata, a pantheon of water deities associated with healing and fertility
Ọsanyìn, spirit of herbalism
Sopona, god of smallpox

Albanian

Dielli, the Sun: giver of life, health and energy
Zjarri, the Fire: purifier, healer, protector, and energizer
Prende: dawn goddess, goddess of love, beauty, fertility, health and protector of women

Armenian

Anahit, goddess of fertility and healing, wisdom and water in Armenian mythology.

Aztec

Ixtlilton, god of medicine.
Patecatl, god of Pulque and healing.

Baltic

Aušrinė, Baltic pagan deity of medicine, health and beauty.
Ragana, witch deity protecting healers and wisdom holders.

Celtic

Airmed, Irish goddess associated with healing and resurrection. Daughter of Dian Cecht and sister of Miach.
Alaunus, Gaulish god of the sun, healing and prophecy associated with Greek god Helios-Apollo
Atepomarus, Gaulish healing god associated with the Greek god Apollo
Borvo, Celto-Lusitanian healing god associated with bubbling spring water
Brigid, Irish goddess associated with healing
Belenus, Celtic god of fire and healing
Dian Cecht, Irish god of healing
Endovelicus, god of public health and safety
Glanis, Gaulish god associated with a healing spring at the town of Glanum
Grannus, Gaulish god associated with spas, thermal springs and the sun, regularly identified with Apollo
Hooded Spirits, hooded deities associated with health and fertility
Ianuaria, goddess associated with healing
Iovantucarus, Gaulish healer-god and protector of youth associated with Lenus Mars
Lenus, Gaulish healing god associated with the Greek god Ares
Lugh, god of arts, crafts, healing and the Sun. He is associated with Greek gods Hermes and Apollo.
Maponos, god of youth, associated with the Greek god Apollo
Miach, Irish god associated with healing, herbs, and medicine. Killed by Dian Cecht over jealousy of his superior healing skills.
Mullo, Gaulish deity associated with the Greek god Ares and said to heal afflictions of the eye
Nodens, a Roman British god associated with healing, the sea, hunting and dogs
Sirona, Gallo-Roman and Celto-Germanic goddess associated with healing

Chinese

Bao Sheng Da Di, the God of Medicine in Chinese folk religion and Taoism
Shennong Da Di, one of the Three Sovereigns, also known as the Divine Farmer who acquired and spread knowledge of herbs and medicine
Hua Tuo (華佗), regarded as "divine physician" in Chinese history and worshipped as a Medicinal Deity
Taiyi Zhushen, God of Qi
Taokang Geyan, God of Essence
Zhang Guolao, one of the Eight Immortals, whose wine was considered to have healing properties
He Xiangu, one of the Eight Immortals, whose lotus flower improves one's mental and physical health
Li Tieguai, one of the Eight Immortals, who alleviates the suffering of the poor, sick and needy with special medicine from his gourd
Wong Tai Sin, a deified Taoist hermit during the Eastern Jin dynasty, known to have the power of healing
Jiutian Xuannü, goddess of war, sex, and longevity (long life), who is connected to calisthenics, diet, alchemy, neidan (inner alchemy), and physiology^[1]

Egyptian

Sekhmet, goddess of healing and medicine of Upper Egypt
Heka, deification of magic, through which Egyptians believed they could gain protection, healing and support
Serket, goddess of healing stings and bites
Ta-Bitjet, a scorpion goddess whose blood is a panacea for all poisons
Isis, goddess of healing, magic, marriage and protection
Bes, Apotropaic god, represented as a dwarf, particularly important in protecting children and women in childbirth.
Taweret (Thoeris), Hippopotamus goddess who is often depicted as a protective deity, particularly associated with childbirth, fertility, and motherhood.

Etruscan

Fufluns, god of plant life, happiness and health and growth in all things
Menrva, goddess of war, art, wisdom and healthcare

Filipino

Kadaklan: the Itneg deity who is second in rank; taught the people how to pray, harvest their crops, ward off evil spirits, and overcome bad omens and cure sicknesses^[2]
Talanganay: a male Gaddang god-spirit; enters the body of a healer and gives instructions on how to heal the sick while in a trance^[3]
Menalam: a female Gaddang goddess-spirit; enters the body of a healer and gives instructions on how to heal the sick while in a trance^[3]
Cabuyaran: the Ilocano goddess of healing; daughter of Abra and Makiling, the elder; she eloped with Anianihan^[4]
Akasi: the Sambal god of health and sickness; sometimes seen at the same level of power as Malayari^[5]
Lakambini: the Tagalog deity who protects throats and who is invoked to cure throat aches; also called Lakandaytan, as the god of attachment^[6]
Daniw: the Hanunoo Mangyan spirit residing in the stone cared for by the healers^[7]
Hamorawan Lady: the deity of the Hamorawan spring in Borongan, who blesses the waters with healing properties^[8]
Beljan: the Pala'wan spirits of all beljan (shamans); able to travel to the vertical universe, divided into fourteen different layers, in order to heal the world and to re-establish cosmic balance;^[9] also referred to as Balyan^[10]
Maguimba: the Batak god in the remotest times, lived among the people, having been summoned by a powerful babaylan (shaman); provided all the necessities of life, as well as all cures for illnesses; has the power to bring the dead back to life^[11]
Ibabasag: the Bukidnon goddess of pregnant women^[5]
Mandarangan: the Bagobo god of warriors married to Darago; resides at Mount Apo's summit; human sacrifices to him are rewarded with health, valor in war, and success in the pursuit of wealth^[12]
Cotabato Healer Monkey: a Maguindanao monkey who lived near a pond outside Cotabato city; it heals those who touch it and those who give it enough offerings^[13]
Pagari: also called Inikadowa, the Maguindanao twin-spirit who is sometimes in the form of a crocodile; if a person is possessed by them, the person will attain the gift of healing^[13]

Greek

Apollo, god of medicine, healing and plagues, and prosperity healing
Asclepius, god of the medicinal arts
Artemis, goddess of young women and childbirth
Chiron, a centaur known for his knowledge and skill in medicinal arts
Darrhon, a health god worshipped in Macedon
Eileithyia, goddess of childbirth
Epione, goddess of the soothing of pain
Aceso, goddess of curing sickness and healing wounds
Aegle, goddess of radiant good health
Hera, goddess of childbirth; she was called upon for women's safety during childbirth and for good health of the infants
Heracles Apotropaios, god of strength and athletes; he was trained in medicine and called on to avert plagues.
Hygieia, goddess of cleanliness and sanitation
Iaso, goddess of cures and remedies
Paean, physician of the gods, who was later syncretized with Apollo
Panacea, goddess of the cure by medicines and salves
Telesphorus, demi-god of convalescence

Hindu

Dhanvantari, the Hindu physician of the gods and god of Ayurveda

Ashvins, the twin gods of medicine
Dhanvantari, physician of the gods and god of Ayurvedic medicine
Bhumi, the goddess of the earth
Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity
Mariamman, folk goddess of rain, medicine, and plagues
Shitala, folk goddess of smallpox and disease
Jvarasura, the embodiment of fever
Paranashavari, goddess of diseases

Hittite

Kamrusepa, goddess of healing, medicine, and magic

Hurrian

Shaushka, goddess of love, war, and healing

Inuit

Eeyeekalduk, god of medicine and good health
Pinga, goddess of the hunt, fertility and medicine

Japanese

Ashitekōjin, god of hands and feet
Sukunahikona, god of medicine, as well as nation building, incantation, agriculture and hot springs

Maya

Ixchel, jaguar goddess of midwifery and medicine
Maximón, hero god of health

Mesopotamian

Namtar, god of death and disease
Ninazu, god of the underworld and healing
Ningishzida, god of the underworld and patron of medicine
Ninti, Sumerian goddess of healing
Ninisina, divine physician, worshiped in Isin
Ninkarrak, divine physician, worshiped in Sippar and Terqa
Nintinugga, divine physician, worshiped in Nippur
Damu, son and assistant of Ninisina

Native American

Kumugwe, Nuxalk underwater god with the power to see into the future, heal the sick and injured, and bestow powers on those whom he favors
Angak, a Hopi kachina spirit, represents a healing and protective male figure.

Norse

Eir, goddess associated with medical skill

Ossetian

Alardy, god who heals skin diseases

Persian

Haoma, god of health

Phoenician

Eshmun, god of healing

Roman

Angitia, snake goddess associated with magic and healing
Apollo, Greco-Roman god of light, music, healing, and the sun
Bona Dea, goddess of fertility, healing, virginity, and women
Cardea, goddess of health, thresholds and door hinges and handles
Carna, goddess who presided over the heart and other organs
Endovelicus, god of public health and safety
Febris, goddess who embodied and protected people from fever and malaria
Feronia, goddess of wildlife, fertility, health, and abundance
Valetudo, Roman name for the Greek goddess Hygieia, goddess of health, cleanliness, and hygiene
Vejovis, god of healing
Verminus, god who protected cattle from disease

Sami

Beiwe, goddess of the sun, spring, fertility and sanity, who restored the mental health of those driven mad by the darkness of the winter

Slavic

Żywie, goddess of health and healing

Thracian

Derzelas, god of abundance and the underworld, health and human spirit's vitality

Turkic

Akbugha, god of medicine. He is the god of health and healing in ancient Turkic tradition. He has a white serpent.

In monotheistic religion

Christianity and Islam

According to the Gospels, Jesus performed miracles during his earthly life as he traveled through Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The miracles performed by Jesus are mentioned in two sections of the Qur'an (Sura 3:49 and 5: 110) in general, with few details or comments.^[14] One of the greatest miracles Jesus performed was healing (Blind, Leprous, Paralytic, Epileptic, Healing a Bleeding Woman, etc.),^[15] the Gospels provide different amounts of detail for each episode, at other times he uses materials such as spit and mud. In general, they are mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels, but not in the Gospel of John.^[16]^[17]^[18] Luke, one of the apostles, was a physician (Greek for "one who heals").^[19]

Jesus endorsed the use of the medical assistance of the time (medicines of oil and wine) when he told the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), who "bound up [an injured man's] wounds, pouring on oil and wine" (verse 34) as a physician would. Jesus then told the doubting teacher of the law (who had elicited this parable by his self-justifying question, "And who is my neighbor?" in verse 29) to "go, and do likewise" in loving others with whom he would never ordinarily associate (verse 37).^[20]

In 1936, Ludwig Bieler argued that Jesus was stylized in the New Testament in the image of the "divine man" (Greek: theios aner), which was widespread in antiquity. It is said that many of the famous rulers and elders of the time had divine healing powers.^[21]

Archangel Raphael, is known to be the primary angel of healing. His name is derived from Hebrew, רָפָאֵל (Rafa'el), which means "God has healed", "God heals" or simply "it is God who has healed". The name is derived from two Hebrew words: רָפָא (rafa'), meaning "to heal," and אֵל ('el), meaning "God". He was first mentioned in the Book of Tobit and in 1 Enoch. He is mentioned throughout various traditions from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. People would pray to Raphael for healing and guidance. He is the patron of travelers, the blind, those who need healing, and many more.

References

^ Cahill, Suzanne E. (18 July 2013). "Sublimation in Medieval China: The Case of the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens". Journal of Chinese Religions. 20 (1): 91–102. doi:10.1179/073776992805307692.
^ Millare, F. D. (1955). Philippine Studies Vol. 3, No. 4: The Tinguians and Their Old Form of Worship. Ateneo de Manila University.
^ ^a ^b Katutubo: Gaddang of Isabela (2009). National Commission on Culture and the Arts.
^ Alacacin, C. (1952). The Gods and Goddesses. Historical and Cultural Data of Provinces.
^ ^a ^b Jocano, F. L. (1969). Philippine Mythology. Quezon City: Capitol Publishing House Inc.
^ Potet, J. P. G. (2017). Ancient Beliefs and Customs of the Tagalogs. Morrisville, North Carolina: Lulu Press.
^ Servano, M. R. Mangyan. DLSU LITERA
^ Piccio, B. (2016). The Legend of the Miraculous Lady in White Lurking in Eastern Samar's Hamorawan Spring. Choose Philippines.
^ The Palawan. Survival International.
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 17, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ Mckenzie, D. A. (2014). Psychic Phenomena: A Clinical Investigation. Lulu Publishing.
^ Demetrio, F. R., Cordero-Fernando, G., & Zialcita, F. N. (1991). The Soul Book. Quezon City: GCF Books.
^ ^a ^b Williams, M. S. (1997). Philippine Sociological Review Vol. 45, No. 1/4: Causality, Power, and Cultural Traits of the Maguindanao. Philippine Sociological Society.
^ Braswell, George W. Jr. (2000). What you need to know about Islam & Muslims. Nashville, Tenn. ISBN 0-8054-1829-6. OCLC 42428848.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ Busse, Heribert (1998). Islam, Judaism and Christianity: the theological and historical affiliations. Princeton, N.J.: Markus Wiener Publishers. ISBN 1-55876-143-8. OCLC 37675805.
^ van der Loos (1965-01-01). Miracles of Jesus. BRILL. doi:10.1163/9789004265868. ISBN 978-90-04-26586-8.
^ Classic sermons on the miracles of Jesus. Warren W. Wiersbe. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications. 1995. ISBN 0-8254-3999-X. OCLC 32467827.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^ Evans, Craig A. (2001). Jesus and his contemporaries: comparative studies. Boston: Brill. ISBN 0-391-04118-5. OCLC 46951642.
^ "The Epistle to the Colossians.", Epistles to the Ephesians and to the Colossians, Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 1974, doi:10.5040/9781472556004.0006, ISBN 978-1-4725-5600-4
^ "God's Intrinsic "Sovereignty"", Human Anguish and God's Power, Cambridge University Press, pp. 71–100, 2020-12-17, doi:10.1017/9781108873246.006, ISBN 978-1-108-87324-6, S2CID 234554723
^ ST. PATRICK, SAINT & SECUNDINUS (1953-01-01). The Works of St. Patrick. St. Secundus: Hymn on St. Patrick. Translated and Annotated by Ludwig Bieler. Newman Press.

[1] Cahill, Suzanne E. (18 July 2013). "Sublimation in Medieval China: The Case of the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens". Journal of Chinese Religions. 20 (1): 91–102. doi:10.1179/073776992805307692.

[2] Millare, F. D. (1955). Philippine Studies Vol. 3, No. 4: The Tinguians and Their Old Form of Worship. Ateneo de Manila University.

[:0-3] Katutubo: Gaddang of Isabela (2009). National Commission on Culture and the Arts.

[4] Alacacin, C. (1952). The Gods and Goddesses. Historical and Cultural Data of Provinces.

[:1-5] Jocano, F. L. (1969). Philippine Mythology. Quezon City: Capitol Publishing House Inc.

[6] Potet, J. P. G. (2017). Ancient Beliefs and Customs of the Tagalogs. Morrisville, North Carolina: Lulu Press.

[7] Servano, M. R. Mangyan. DLSU LITERA

[8] Piccio, B. (2016). The Legend of the Miraculous Lady in White Lurking in Eastern Samar's Hamorawan Spring. Choose Philippines.

[9] The Palawan. Survival International.

[NLPDL-10] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 17, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[11] Mckenzie, D. A. (2014). Psychic Phenomena: A Clinical Investigation. Lulu Publishing.

[12] Demetrio, F. R., Cordero-Fernando, G., & Zialcita, F. N. (1991). The Soul Book. Quezon City: GCF Books.

[:2-13] Williams, M. S. (1997). Philippine Sociological Review Vol. 45, No. 1/4: Causality, Power, and Cultural Traits of the Maguindanao. Philippine Sociological Society.

[14] Braswell, George W. Jr. (2000). What you need to know about Islam & Muslims. Nashville, Tenn. ISBN 0-8054-1829-6. OCLC 42428848.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[15] Busse, Heribert (1998). Islam, Judaism and Christianity: the theological and historical affiliations. Princeton, N.J.: Markus Wiener Publishers. ISBN 1-55876-143-8. OCLC 37675805.

[16] van der Loos (1965-01-01). Miracles of Jesus. BRILL. doi:10.1163/9789004265868. ISBN 978-90-04-26586-8.

[17] Classic sermons on the miracles of Jesus. Warren W. Wiersbe. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications. 1995. ISBN 0-8254-3999-X. OCLC 32467827.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

[18] Evans, Craig A. (2001). Jesus and his contemporaries: comparative studies. Boston: Brill. ISBN 0-391-04118-5. OCLC 46951642.

[19] "The Epistle to the Colossians.", Epistles to the Ephesians and to the Colossians, Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 1974, doi:10.5040/9781472556004.0006, ISBN 978-1-4725-5600-4

[20] "God's Intrinsic "Sovereignty"", Human Anguish and God's Power, Cambridge University Press, pp. 71–100, 2020-12-17, doi:10.1017/9781108873246.006, ISBN 978-1-108-87324-6, S2CID 234554723

[21] ST. PATRICK, SAINT & SECUNDINUS (1953-01-01). The Works of St. Patrick. St. Secundus: Hymn on St. Patrick. Translated and Annotated by Ludwig Bieler. Newman Press.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]