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Asatru facts for kids

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Sigurblót 2009
Ásatrú followers in Iceland.

Asatru (Icelandic: Ásatrú) is a religion which involves the worship of ancient Germanic spirits and Gods. It got its official legal establishment in the 1970s in Iceland by the efforts of Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson and other Icelanders who had rejected Christianity and had been performing "Launblót" (secret offering) to the old pre-Christian Nordic Gods and Goddesses, a practice that has been known in Iceland since "Kristnitaka" (Christianization of Iceland). The name comes from two words in a language called Old Norse. It means "faith in the Æsir." The Æsir are the Germanic gods.

A person who practices Asatru is called an Asatrui (pl. Asatruar), and is sometimes referred to as a heathen. Sometimes Asatru is also called Wodanism, Wotanism or Germanic paganism.

Common books that describe the knowledge in depth include the Sagas and the Eddas.

Gods and Goddesses

Asatru is a polytheistic religion in which various goddesses and gods are worshipped. The most prominent are Thor, Odin, Freyja, Frigg, Freyr, Tyr, Loki, and Heimdall.

Festivals

Major holidays revolve around the changing seasons with Yule being the most important. It is celebrated in late December and continues for twelve days.

Festival Date
Disting First new moon in February
Ostara 21st of March
Walpurgis Night 30th of April to 1st of May
Midsummer 21st of June
Freyfest 21st of August
Fallfeast 21st of September
Harvestfeast 31st of October
Yule 19th of December to 1st of January


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