Vikings; early Europe’s bloodthirsty warriors. At the surface, they seemed no better than packs of wild dogs, faithless and savage. These “dogs” did have faith. They had faith in the many Gods and Goddesses of the Aesir. Tales of creatures, immortal beings, and everlasting wars would fill the halls of longhouses across the lands for hundreds of years, until they steadily faded away for centuries. Norse-paganism was once a great and prosperous religion that spread throughout most of Europe. It had a rich and diverse culture that was lost to the ages for many centuries. Recently, it has made a comeback. I aim to inform of the rich and diverse lore that encompassed it and how Norse-paganism has changed today.
Before you can truly understand Asatru, …show more content…
Only four of these, however; are important. Yule is the first of the major Norse holidays. It’s considered the most important holiday of the year. Traditionally, it is a festival of feasting and thankfulness that is held for twelve or more days. Yule is also considered the holiday that is dedicated to Thor or Frey. Frey, being the Goddess of fertility, is honored in order to bring good tidings and crop growth. Thor is considered to be the sworn enemy of the frost giants. He is honored as the figure that fights back the giants in order to bring spring to Midgard (“The Holidays). The next holiday is known as Summer Finding, or Ostara. It is most closely related to that of Christianity’s Easter, and celebrates the emergence of Summer and the prosperity of harvest. Midsummer Day is another holiday close to the importance that Yule was. It celebrates the turning point of the year and honors Sunna, the Goddess of the Sun. The last of the major holidays is known as Winter Nights. During Winter Nights, families celebrate the Disir, or their family spirits. It can be considered a form of Halloween, with customs including feasts, dressing in costume, amongst other things. Foremost, it is a time of remembrance for ancestors that have passed (“The Holidays”). Norse- pagan holidays hold a striking resemblance to a lot of modern Christian holidays, along with those of most modern
Before you can truly understand Asatru, …show more content…
Only four of these, however; are important. Yule is the first of the major Norse holidays. It’s considered the most important holiday of the year. Traditionally, it is a festival of feasting and thankfulness that is held for twelve or more days. Yule is also considered the holiday that is dedicated to Thor or Frey. Frey, being the Goddess of fertility, is honored in order to bring good tidings and crop growth. Thor is considered to be the sworn enemy of the frost giants. He is honored as the figure that fights back the giants in order to bring spring to Midgard (“The Holidays). The next holiday is known as Summer Finding, or Ostara. It is most closely related to that of Christianity’s Easter, and celebrates the emergence of Summer and the prosperity of harvest. Midsummer Day is another holiday close to the importance that Yule was. It celebrates the turning point of the year and honors Sunna, the Goddess of the Sun. The last of the major holidays is known as Winter Nights. During Winter Nights, families celebrate the Disir, or their family spirits. It can be considered a form of Halloween, with customs including feasts, dressing in costume, amongst other things. Foremost, it is a time of remembrance for ancestors that have passed (“The Holidays”). Norse- pagan holidays hold a striking resemblance to a lot of modern Christian holidays, along with those of most modern