Ásatrú holidays
Encyclopedia
Within Heathenry many holiday
s or tides are observed. Lesser holidays may vary considerably in name and date according to the calendars adopted by the specific Heathen denominations, local traditions, and organisations. However there is a group of holidays which are acknowledged and celebrated by virtually all Germanic Heathens. Various publications have studied and sought to codify traditional Germanic holidays; these are mostly based on medieval references to sacrifices observed in historical Norse paganism
.
and local indigenous terms.
and the Saga
s, figures of Germanic history, and the Viking
Leif Ericson
, who explored and settled Vinland
(North America).
Author Mark Puryear constructed an "eight-spoked Yule, also called achtwung", paralleling the eight holidays in the Wheel of the Year
in Wicca
: Disting
, Ostara, Beltaine, Midsummer
, Hleifblot
, Haustblot, Vetrablot
, Yule
.
Of these eight names, Ostara, Beltaine, Midsummer and Yule coincide with the Wiccan "Wheel". The remaining four, Disting, Hleifblot, Haustblot and Vetrablot, correspond to Wiccan Imbolc
, Lughnasadh
, Mabon and Samhain
, respectively.
The handbook Our Troth in its second edition, published by The Troth
in 2006, likewise lists eight festivals: Yule
, Thurseblot, Idis-Thing
, Ostara (Sigerblot), Walpurgisnacht, Midsummer
, Loaf-Fest
(Freyfaxi) and Winternights (Alf-Blessing
, Idis-Blessing
, Frey-Blessing). In the American Asatruar calendar these eight festivals are not, however, evenly distributed throughout the year as the Wiccan "Wheel of the Year" or the calendar of other Heathen denominations. The handbook takes as its starting point the statement in the Heimskringla
on the three major holidays, Winternights, Yule, and Sigerblot (identified with Ostara), set in October, December and April, respectively.
Midsummer is added as a fourth festival in the absence of Eddaic evidence because its popularity in modern Scandinavian folklore. The remaining four holidays are listead as the "lesser blessings".
celebrates five holidays in addition to the common ones. Some of them are related to the history of the Lombards
.
is the historical Norse term for sacrifice
or ritual slaughter. The word blot actually translates to "blood", although it is also related to "blessing". Historically, the ritual slaughter of a farm animal was central to the rite. Heathens today does not usually include this practice.
In Heathenism, blots may be celebrated outdoors in nature or at an altar. A blot may be highly formalized, but the underlying intent resembles inviting the gods to take part in it. The purpose of the blot is strengthening the gods showing them gratitude and giving something back, connecting men and gods, but also "folk-binding" or strengthening the bonds of a community.
Versions of rites for some of these holidays are presented in Edred Thorsson's A Book of Troth (1989) and Kveldulf Gundarsson's Teutonic Religion (1993). James Chisholm in 1989 published an article on the possibilities of celebrating Ostara in a Neopagan setting. Chisholm argued for the reconstruction of the "sacred dramas" which he saw reflected in some Eddaic poems, although shorn of their sexual content by the Christian redactors. The revived Neopagan ritual was again to be modified to suit "contemporary American sensibilities"
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
s or tides are observed. Lesser holidays may vary considerably in name and date according to the calendars adopted by the specific Heathen denominations, local traditions, and organisations. However there is a group of holidays which are acknowledged and celebrated by virtually all Germanic Heathens. Various publications have studied and sought to codify traditional Germanic holidays; these are mostly based on medieval references to sacrifices observed in historical Norse paganism
Norse paganism
Norse paganism is the religious traditions of the Norsemen, a Germanic people living in the Nordic countries. Norse paganism is therefore a subset of Germanic paganism, which was practiced in the lands inhabited by the Germanic tribes across most of Northern and Central Europe in the Viking Age...
.
Common holidays
The Heathen common holidays are those eight important ones which are celebrated by all Germanic Heathens. They may vary in name according to the possible adaptations to local languagesLanguage
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
and local indigenous terms.
- YuleYuleYule or Yuletide is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic people as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January...
blot ("Yule-Blessing"), also called Yuletide ("Yule-Time") and commonly simply Yule — falls on 19th to 26th December (Winter solsticeWinter solsticeWinter solstice may refer to:* Winter solstice, astronomical event* Winter Solstice , former band* Winter Solstice: North , seasonal songs* Winter Solstice , 2005 American film...
)- It is sometimes overlapped with Mutternacht or Mothernight — falls on 19th to 20th December, or on 23rd December
- DisablotDísablótThe Dísablót was the blót which was held in honour of the female spirits or deities called dísir , from pre-historic times until Christianization in Scandinavia. Its purpose was to enhance the coming harvest. It is mentioned in Hervarar saga, Víga-Glúms saga, Egils saga and the Heimskringla...
("DisDísirIn Norse mythology, a dís is a ghost, spirit or deity associated with fate who can be both benevolent and antagonistic towards mortal people. Dísir may act as protective spirits of Norse clans...
-Blessing"), also called DistingDistingThe Disting is an annual market which is held in Uppsala, Sweden, since pre-historic times. The name originally referred to the great assembly called the Thing of all Swedes, and it is derived from the fact that both the market and the thing were held in conjunction with the Dísablót, the great...
("Dis-ThingThing (assembly)A thing was the governing assembly in Germanic and introduced into some Celtic societies, made up of the free people of the community and presided by lawspeakers, meeting in a place called a thingstead...
") — falls on 31st January to 1st February- It is often merged with Thurseblot or Thorrablot — falls on 19th to 20th January, or on 1st February
- Ostarablot or Sigerblot ("Victory-Blessing"), commonly called simply Ostara — falls on 19th to 26th March (Spring equinox)
- Walpurgisnacht or Walpurgisnight, fest of Freya WalpurgisFreyaIn Norse mythology, Freyja is a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, gold, seiðr, war, and death. Freyja is the owner of the necklace Brísingamen, rides a chariot driven by two cats, owns the boar Hildisvíni, possesses a cloak of falcon feathers, and, by her husband Óðr, is the mother...
and female goddesses — falls on 30th April to 1 May- It overlaps with May DayMay DayMay Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
— falls on 1st May
- It overlaps with May Day
- MidsummerMidsummerMidsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
blot or simply Midsummer — falls on 21st to 26th June (Summer solsticeSummer solsticeThe summer solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also...
) - Freyfaxi, also called Hleifblot ("LoafLoafA loaf is a shape, usually rounded or oblong, mass of food. It may refer to a bread, or meatloaf.The term "loaf" sometimes refers to "head" from the rhyming slang "loaf of bread" ....
-Blessing") or LoaffestLammasIn some English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere, August 1 is Lammas Day , the festival of the wheat harvest, and is the first harvest festival of the year. On this day it was customary to bring to church a loaf made from the new crop...
— falls on 1st August - Haustblot ("Autumn-Blessing"), also called Fallfest — falls on 19th to 26th September (Autumn equinox)
- Winternights or Winternacht, also called Vetrablot ("Winter-Blessing") — falls on 31st October to 1st November (Heathen New YearNew YearThe New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....
)
Minor common holidays
- Charming of the Plow — falls on 2nd February
- Vali's Blot, celebration dedicated to the god VáliValiVali or Wali can refer to:* Váli * Váli* Vali * The Vali tribe, a Sarmatian tribe of Ptolemy* Ferenc A. Váli, Hungarian-born lawyer, author and political analyst* Al-Walee, one of the Names of God in the Qur'an...
and to love — falls on 14th February - Ancestors' Blot, celebration of one's own ancestry or the common ancestors of a GermanicGermanic peoplesThe Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...
ethnicity — falls on 11st November - Yggdrasil Day, celebration of the world treeWorld treeThe world tree is a motif present in several religions and mythologies, particularly Indo-European religions, Siberian religions, and Native American religions. The world tree is represented as a colossal tree which supports the heavens, thereby connecting the heavens, the earth, and, through its...
YggdrasilYggdrasilIn Norse mythology, Yggdrasil is an immense tree that is central in Norse cosmology. It was said to be the world tree around which the nine worlds existed...
, of the reality world it represents, of treeTreeA tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s and nature — 22nd April - Winterfinding, celebration which marks the beginning of winter, held on a date between Haustblot and Winternights (mid-October)
- Summerfinding, celebration which marks the beginning of summer, held on a date between Ostara and Walpurgisnight (mid-April)
American Ásatrú calendar
The American Ásatrú movement has adopted over time a specific calendar in which the Heathen major holidays figure alongside many "Days of Remembrance" which celebrate heroes of the EddaEdda
The term Edda applies to the Old Norse Poetic Edda and Prose Edda, both of which were written down in Iceland during the 13th century in Icelandic, although they contain material from earlier traditional sources, reaching into the Viking Age...
and the Saga
Saga
Sagas, are stories in Old Norse about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, etc.Saga may also refer to:Business*Saga DAB radio, a British radio station*Saga Airlines, a Turkish airline*Saga Falabella, a department store chain in Peru...
s, figures of Germanic history, and the Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
Leif Ericson
Leif Ericson
Leif Ericson was a Norse explorer who is regarded as the first European to land in North America , nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus...
, who explored and settled Vinland
Vinland
Vinland was the name given to an area of North America by the Norsemen, about the year 1000 CE.There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings reached North America approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus...
(North America).
Author Mark Puryear constructed an "eight-spoked Yule, also called achtwung", paralleling the eight holidays in the Wheel of the Year
Wheel of the Year
The Wheel of the Year is a Neopagan term for the annual cycle of the Earth's seasons. It consists of eight festivals, spaced at approximately even intervals throughout the year. These festivals are referred to as Sabbats...
in Wicca
Wicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
: Disting
Disting
The Disting is an annual market which is held in Uppsala, Sweden, since pre-historic times. The name originally referred to the great assembly called the Thing of all Swedes, and it is derived from the fact that both the market and the thing were held in conjunction with the Dísablót, the great...
, Ostara, Beltaine, Midsummer
Midsummer
Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
, Hleifblot
Lammas
In some English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere, August 1 is Lammas Day , the festival of the wheat harvest, and is the first harvest festival of the year. On this day it was customary to bring to church a loaf made from the new crop...
, Haustblot, Vetrablot
Winter Nights
Winter Nights or Old Norse Vetrnætr was a Norse winter festival that was initially celebrated in pre-Christian Scandinavia. It was said by Snorri Sturluson that Winter Nights is one of the three most important festivals. This festival also marks the end of the summer and start of the winter meaning...
, Yule
Yule
Yule or Yuletide is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic people as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January...
.
Of these eight names, Ostara, Beltaine, Midsummer and Yule coincide with the Wiccan "Wheel". The remaining four, Disting, Hleifblot, Haustblot and Vetrablot, correspond to Wiccan Imbolc
Imbolc
Imbolc , or St Brigid’s Day , is an Irish festival marking the beginning of spring. Most commonly it is celebrated on 1 or 2 February in the northern hemisphere and 1 August in the southern hemisphere...
, Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh is a traditional Gaelic holiday celebrated on 1 August. It is in origin a harvest festival, corresponding to the Welsh Calan Awst and the English Lammas.-Name:...
, Mabon and Samhain
Samhain
Samhain is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1. It was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and was popularised as the "Celtic New Year" from the late 19th century, following Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer...
, respectively.
The handbook Our Troth in its second edition, published by The Troth
The Troth
The Ring of Troth, now called simply The Troth, is an American-based international Germanic neopagan organization. The Troth was founded on December 20 , 1987 by former Asatru Free Assembly members Edred Thorsson and James Chisholm. However, neither is any longer involved with the organization...
in 2006, likewise lists eight festivals: Yule
Yule
Yule or Yuletide is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic people as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January...
, Thurseblot, Idis-Thing
Disting
The Disting is an annual market which is held in Uppsala, Sweden, since pre-historic times. The name originally referred to the great assembly called the Thing of all Swedes, and it is derived from the fact that both the market and the thing were held in conjunction with the Dísablót, the great...
, Ostara (Sigerblot), Walpurgisnacht, Midsummer
Midsummer
Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
, Loaf-Fest
Lammas
In some English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere, August 1 is Lammas Day , the festival of the wheat harvest, and is the first harvest festival of the year. On this day it was customary to bring to church a loaf made from the new crop...
(Freyfaxi) and Winternights (Alf-Blessing
Álfablót
The Álfablót or the Elven sacrifice was a pagan Scandinavian sacrifice to the elves towards the end of autumn, when the crops had been harvested and the animals were most fat. Unlike the great blóts at Uppsala and Mære, the álfablót was a local celebration at the homesteads and they were mainly...
, Idis-Blessing
Dísablót
The Dísablót was the blót which was held in honour of the female spirits or deities called dísir , from pre-historic times until Christianization in Scandinavia. Its purpose was to enhance the coming harvest. It is mentioned in Hervarar saga, Víga-Glúms saga, Egils saga and the Heimskringla...
, Frey-Blessing). In the American Asatruar calendar these eight festivals are not, however, evenly distributed throughout the year as the Wiccan "Wheel of the Year" or the calendar of other Heathen denominations. The handbook takes as its starting point the statement in the Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
on the three major holidays, Winternights, Yule, and Sigerblot (identified with Ostara), set in October, December and April, respectively.
Midsummer is added as a fourth festival in the absence of Eddaic evidence because its popularity in modern Scandinavian folklore. The remaining four holidays are listead as the "lesser blessings".
| date | holiday | significance |
|---|---|---|
| late December (winter solstice Winter solstice Winter solstice may refer to:* Winter solstice, astronomical event* Winter Solstice , former band* Winter Solstice: North , seasonal songs* Winter Solstice , 2005 American film... ) |
Yule Yule Yule or Yuletide is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic people as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas. The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January... (Midwinter) |
one of the "three greatest blessings of the year" mentioned in the Ynglinga saga Ynglinga saga Ynglinga saga is a legendary saga, originally written in Old Norse by the Icelandic poet Snorri Sturluson about 1225. It was first translated into English and published in 1844.... |
| late January / early February | Thurseblot | one of the "lesser blessings"; mentioned in Hversu Noregr byggðist, in modern Icelandic folklore associated with Thor Thor In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility... |
| late February / early March | Disting Disting The Disting is an annual market which is held in Uppsala, Sweden, since pre-historic times. The name originally referred to the great assembly called the Thing of all Swedes, and it is derived from the fact that both the market and the thing were held in conjunction with the Dísablót, the great... |
one of the "lesser blessings"; the Heimskringla mentions this as a Swedish tradition originally lasting for a week during the month of Góa Goa Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its... , but later moved to Candlemas and reduced to three days' duration. |
| 9 February | Remembrance for Eyvindr kinnrifi | one of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance", dedicated to a "martyr" of the Christianization of Scandinavia Christianization of Scandinavia The Christianization of Scandinavia took place between the 8th and the 12th century. The realms of Scandinavia proper, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, established their own Archdioceses, responsible directly to the Pope, in 1104, 1154 and 1164, respectively... |
| 14 February | Vali Vali Vali or Wali can refer to:* Váli * Váli* Vali * The Vali tribe, a Sarmatian tribe of Ptolemy* Ferenc A. Váli, Hungarian-born lawyer, author and political analyst* Al-Walee, one of the Names of God in the Qur'an... 's Blot |
The US Valentine's Day Valentine's Day Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496... celebrated as an Ásatrú-specific "Day of Remembrance"; by folk etymological connection of Váli with Saint Valentine Saint Valentine Saint Valentine is the name of several martyred saints of ancient Rome. The name "Valentine", derived from valens , was popular in Late Antiquity... |
| 28 March | Ragnar Lodbrok Ragnar Lodbrok Ragnar Lodbrok was a Norse legendary hero from the Viking Age who was thoroughly reshaped in Old Norse poetry and legendary sagas.-Life as recorded in the sagas:... 's Day |
one of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance" |
| 9 April | Remembrance for Haakon Sigurdsson Haakon Sigurdsson Haakon Sigurdarsson was the de facto ruler of Norway from about 975 to 995.-Background:Haakon was the son of Sigurd Haakonsson, Jarl of Lade and ruler of Trøndelag and Hålogaland. His mother was Bergljot Toresdatter, daughter of Tore Ragnvaldsson, Earl of Møre... |
one of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance" |
| April | Ostara (Sigerblot) | Sigerblot (Old Norse Old Norse Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300.... : Sigrblót) is one of the "three greatest blessings of the year" mentioned in the Ynglinga saga Ynglinga saga Ynglinga saga is a legendary saga, originally written in Old Norse by the Icelandic poet Snorri Sturluson about 1225. It was first translated into English and published in 1844.... , celebrated "for victory". Ostara in Wiccan tradition is set at vernal equinox; the historical Sigrblót marks the beginning of summer and the campaign season. The historical lunar month of Eostre may coincide with the Paschal Full Moon Paschal Full Moon Notionally, the paschal full moon refers to the ecclesiastical full moon of the northern spring used in the determination of the date of Easter. The name "paschal" is derived from "Pascha", a transliteration of the Greek word, which is itself a transliteration of the Hebrew pesach, both words... . |
| 9 May | Remembrance for Guðröðr of Guðbrandsdál | one of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance", dedicated to a "martyr" of the Christianization of Scandinavia Christianization of Scandinavia The Christianization of Scandinavia took place between the 8th and the 12th century. The realms of Scandinavia proper, Denmark, Norway and Sweden, established their own Archdioceses, responsible directly to the Pope, in 1104, 1154 and 1164, respectively... |
| late May | Einherjar Day | the US Memorial Day Memorial Day Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War... celebrated as an Ásatrú "Day of Remembrance" |
| 9 June | Remembrance for Sigurd Sigurd Sigurd is a legendary hero of Norse mythology, as well as the central character in the Völsunga saga. The earliest extant representations for his legend come in pictorial form from seven runestones in Sweden and most notably the Ramsund carving Sigurd (Old Norse: Sigurðr) is a legendary hero of... |
one of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance" |
| late June (summer solstice Summer solstice The summer solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also... ) |
Midsummer Midsummer Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different... |
included as part of Scandinavian folklore |
| 9 July | Remembrance for Unner the Deep-Minded Aud the Deep-Minded Aud the Deep-Minded was an earlier settler in Iceland.-Biography:... |
one of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance" |
| 1 August | Lammas Lammas In some English-speaking countries in the Northern Hemisphere, August 1 is Lammas Day , the festival of the wheat harvest, and is the first harvest festival of the year. On this day it was customary to bring to church a loaf made from the new crop... (Freyfaxi) |
one of the "lesser blessings"; The name Lammas or "Loaf-fest" refers to an Anglo-Saxon festival of the wheat harvest; the name Freyfaxi refers to a tradition of horse sacrifice Horse sacrifice Many Indo-European religious branches show evidence for horse sacrifice, and comparative mythology suggests that they derive from a Proto-Indo-European ritual.-Context:... to Freyr Freyr Freyr is one of the most important gods of Norse paganism. Freyr was highly associated with farming, weather and, as a phallic fertility god, Freyr "bestows peace and pleasure on mortals"... . |
| 9 August | Remembrance for Radbod, King of the Frisians Radbod, King of the Frisians Radbod was the king of Frisia from c. 680 until his death. He is often considered the last independent ruler of Frisia before Frankish domination. He defeated Charles Martel at Cologne. Eventually, however, Charles prevailed and compelled the Frisians to submit... |
one of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance" |
| 9 September | Remembrance for Herman the Cheruscan Arminius Arminius , also known as Armin or Hermann was a chieftain of the Germanic Cherusci who defeated a Roman army in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest... |
one of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance" |
| mid October | Remembrance for Leif Ericson Leif Ericson Leif Ericson was a Norse explorer who is regarded as the first European to land in North America , nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus... and his daughter Freydís Eiríksdóttir Freydís Eiríksdóttir was a daughter of Erik the Red who was associated with the Norse exploration of North America. The only medieval sources which mention Freydís are the two Vinland sagas, believed to be composed in the 13th century but purporting to describe events around 1000... |
The US Columbus Day Columbus Day Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492, as an official holiday... celebrated as an Ásatrú "Day of Remembrance" |
| mid October | Winternights | one of the "three greatest blessings of the year" mentioned in the Ynglinga saga Ynglinga saga Ynglinga saga is a legendary saga, originally written in Old Norse by the Icelandic poet Snorri Sturluson about 1225. It was first translated into English and published in 1844.... . The historical festival marked the beginning of winter, and involved sacrifices to the elves and the dís Dis - Academic institutions :* DIS – Danish Institute for Study Abroad, an English language study abroad program located in Copenhagen, Denmark* Dili International School, DIS an International School in Dili, Timor Leste - Companies :... ir. In Neopaganism also observed as a Festival of the Dead Festival of the Dead Festival of the Dead is held by many cultures throughout the world in honor or recognition of deceased members of the community, generally occurring after the harvest in August, September, October, or November. In Japanese Buddhist custom the festival honoring the departed spirits of one's... and as such associated with Wiccan Samhain Samhain Samhain is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1. It was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and was popularised as the "Celtic New Year" from the late 19th century, following Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer... on 31 October. |
| 28 October | Remembrance for Erik the Red Erik the Red Erik Thorvaldsson , known as Erik the Red , is remembered in medieval and Icelandic saga sources as having founded the first Nordic settlement in Greenland. The Icelandic tradition indicates that he was born in the Jæren district of Rogaland, Norway, as the son of Thorvald Asvaldsson, he therefore... |
one of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance" |
| 9 November | Remembrance for Sigrid the Haughty Sigrid the Haughty Sigrid the Haughty, also known as Sigríð Storråda, is a queen appearing in Norse sagas as wife, first of Eric the Victorious of Sweden, then Sweyn Forkbeard of Denmark. While given the Nordic ancestry in sagas, she has been hypothesized to be identical to historically attested Polish or Pomeranian... |
one of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance" |
| late November | Wayland the Smith's Day | The US Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the... celebrated as an Ásatrú "Day of Remembrance" |
| 9 December | Remembrance for Egill Skallagrímsson Egill Skallagrímsson Egill Skallagrímsson was a Viking Age warrior and skald. Egill is one of the great anti-heroes of the Icelandic sagas.-Life:... |
one of the Ásatrú-specific "Days of Remembrance" |
Italian Lombard-Odinist calendar
The Lombard Odinist Community of ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
celebrates five holidays in addition to the common ones. Some of them are related to the history of the Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
.
- IngeldIngeldIngeld or Ingjald was a legendary warrior who appears in early English and Norse legends. Ingeld was so well-known that, in 797, Alcuin wrote a letter to Bishop Higbald of Lindisfarne questioning the monks' interest in heroic legends with: 'Quid enim Hinieldus cum Christo?' - What has Ingeld to...
's Blot — falls just before Walpurgisnacht — Ingeld was a king related to the Lombard history - Gambara, Ibor and Aio's Blot — falls between Walpurgisnacht and Midsummer — Gambara is the mythical warrior-queen of the Lombards' founding myth, Ibor and Aio are her sons
- SleipnirSleipnirIn Norse mythology, Sleipnir is an eight-legged horse. Sleipnir is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson...
's Blot — falls between Midsummer and Runefinding — celebrates Odin's eight-legged horse and all the Lombardic totemicTotemismTotemism is a system of belief in which humans are said to have kinship or a mystical relationship with a spirit-being, such as an animal or plant...
animals - Runefinding — falls between Sleipnir's Blot and Winterfinding — celebrates the revelation of the runes by OdinOdinOdin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
- A FreyaFreyaIn Norse mythology, Freyja is a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, gold, seiðr, war, and death. Freyja is the owner of the necklace Brísingamen, rides a chariot driven by two cats, owns the boar Hildisvíni, possesses a cloak of falcon feathers, and, by her husband Óðr, is the mother...
's Blot between Winterfinding and Winternights
Spanish Odinist calendar
The Odinist Community of Spain — Ásatrú celebrates three holidays in addition to the common holidays of Heathenry.- Community Founding Day — falls on January the 21th
- Remembrance of Else Ochsner — falls on May the 4th
- Day of Odinism — falls on the 2nd Saturday of September — a national encounter of all Spanish Odinists during which a special blot to the gods is performed
Ritual
BlotBlót
The blót was Norse pagan sacrifice to the Norse gods and the spirits of the land. The sacrifice often took the form of a sacramental meal or feast. Related religious practices were performed by other Germanic peoples, such as the pagan Anglo-Saxons...
is the historical Norse term for sacrifice
Sacrifice
Sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or people to God or the gods as an act of propitiation or worship.While sacrifice often implies ritual killing, the term offering can be used for bloodless sacrifices of cereal food or artifacts...
or ritual slaughter. The word blot actually translates to "blood", although it is also related to "blessing". Historically, the ritual slaughter of a farm animal was central to the rite. Heathens today does not usually include this practice.
In Heathenism, blots may be celebrated outdoors in nature or at an altar. A blot may be highly formalized, but the underlying intent resembles inviting the gods to take part in it. The purpose of the blot is strengthening the gods showing them gratitude and giving something back, connecting men and gods, but also "folk-binding" or strengthening the bonds of a community.
Versions of rites for some of these holidays are presented in Edred Thorsson's A Book of Troth (1989) and Kveldulf Gundarsson's Teutonic Religion (1993). James Chisholm in 1989 published an article on the possibilities of celebrating Ostara in a Neopagan setting. Chisholm argued for the reconstruction of the "sacred dramas" which he saw reflected in some Eddaic poems, although shorn of their sexual content by the Christian redactors. The revived Neopagan ritual was again to be modified to suit "contemporary American sensibilities"
See also
- Heathenism
- BlótBlótThe blót was Norse pagan sacrifice to the Norse gods and the spirits of the land. The sacrifice often took the form of a sacramental meal or feast. Related religious practices were performed by other Germanic peoples, such as the pagan Anglo-Saxons...
- ThingThing (assembly)A thing was the governing assembly in Germanic and introduced into some Celtic societies, made up of the free people of the community and presided by lawspeakers, meeting in a place called a thingstead...
- DísablótDísablótThe Dísablót was the blót which was held in honour of the female spirits or deities called dísir , from pre-historic times until Christianization in Scandinavia. Its purpose was to enhance the coming harvest. It is mentioned in Hervarar saga, Víga-Glúms saga, Egils saga and the Heimskringla...
- ÞorrablótÞorrablótÞorrablót , or Thurseblot, is an Icelandic midwinter festival that takes place in the month of Þorri, according to the Old Icelandic Calendar, which starts in late January and ends in late February. These festivals were started by Icelandic student associations in the latter half of the 19th century...