Radien-attje is often portrayed as the main figure in a
Trinity, which besides him, consists of the
Raedieahkka or Radien-akka (the superior
mother) and their
son Radien-pardne. There are
critics who claim, that this Trinity is a consequence of the meeting with the
Christian religion, and that it is a match to
God the Father,
Jesus the Son and the
Holy Spirit. If this is the case, the Sami have replaced the Holy Spirit with a
wife. In some versions, the
heavenly
family also include the
daughter Rana Niejta. As superior deity, Radien-attje is more of an
intellectual superior, as his son, Radien-pardne, performs the practical things. Radien-attje's role is to give a child its spirit and take the souls of the righteous to him in
Radien-aimo 'home of the ruler'. According to Holmberg, the worship of
Maximen radien clearly had its origins in pre-Christian times. A male reindeer or other animal was sacrificed to him so he wouldn't "let the world collapse". On the sacrifical altar was a forking tree symbolizing the world pillar
Veralden tsould which Radien-attje used to hold up the world. Johan Randulf compared Veralden olmai to
Saturn and said the Sámi prayed him for good harvest so they could buy grain and products made of it, for fertile seas in order to get plenty of fish, for fertile reindeer, and for plenty of
lichen for the reindeer to eat so they could be milked for butter and cheese. ==Sources==