Blōtą
The blōtą is a Germanic pagan sacrifice to the gods and the spirits of the land. The sacrifice often took the form of a sacramental meal or feast. The blót element of horse sacrifice is found throughout Indo-European traditions, including the Celtic and Latin traditions.
Etymology
Proto-Germanic noun *blōtą "sacrifice, worship" or "to strengthen". Connected to this is the Proto-Germanic strong verb **blōtaną with descendants in Gothic blōtan, Old English blōtan and Old High German bluozan, all of which mean "to sacrifice, offer, worship". The word also appears in the compound *ƀlōta-hūsan (Old High German bluoz-hūz "temple").
Rites and beliefs
The sacrifice usually consist of animals, in particular pigs and horses. The meat is boiled in large cooking pits with heated stones, either indoors or outdoors. The blood is considered to contain special powers and it is sprinkled on the statues of the gods, on the walls and on the participants themselves.
It is a sacred moment when the people gathered around the steaming cauldrons to have a meal together with the gods or the Elves. The drink that is passed around is blessed and sacred as well and it is passed from participant to participant. The drink is usually beer or mead but among the nobility it could be imported wine.
The old prayer is "for a good year and peace" They ask for fertility, good health, a good life and peace and harmony between the people and the powers.
Dates
The autumn blōtą is performed in the middle of October (about four weeks after the autumn equinox), the Winter Nights, indicating the beginning of winter. The great midwinter blōtą, or Yule, take place in the middle of January. Nerþuz is the most important god at the Midwinter and autumn blōtą. The Summer blōtą is undertaken in the middle of April (about four weeks after the spring equinox) and it is given to Wodan. Then, they drank for victory in war and this blōtą is the starting date for Viking expeditions and wars.
Álfablóta (Autumn)
The Álfablóta or the Elven sacrifice is a pagan sacrifice to the elves towards the end of autumn, when the crops had been harvested and the animals are most fat. Is a local celebration at the homesteads and they are mainly administered by the lady of the household. They are surrounded by secrecy and strangers are not welcome to the homesteads during the celebrations. The elves are collective powers with a close connection to ancestors and fertility, so the álfablót concerned ancestor worship and the life force of the family. Worship to Wodan and beer is an important element in Germanic pagan sacrifices generally.
The blōtą is a Germanic pagan sacrifice to the gods and the spirits of the land. The sacrifice often took the form of a sacramental meal or feast. The blót element of horse sacrifice is found throughout Indo-European traditions, including the Celtic and Latin traditions.
Etymology
Proto-Germanic noun *blōtą "sacrifice, worship" or "to strengthen". Connected to this is the Proto-Germanic strong verb **blōtaną with descendants in Gothic blōtan, Old English blōtan and Old High German bluozan, all of which mean "to sacrifice, offer, worship". The word also appears in the compound *ƀlōta-hūsan (Old High German bluoz-hūz "temple").
Rites and beliefs
The sacrifice usually consist of animals, in particular pigs and horses. The meat is boiled in large cooking pits with heated stones, either indoors or outdoors. The blood is considered to contain special powers and it is sprinkled on the statues of the gods, on the walls and on the participants themselves.
It is a sacred moment when the people gathered around the steaming cauldrons to have a meal together with the gods or the Elves. The drink that is passed around is blessed and sacred as well and it is passed from participant to participant. The drink is usually beer or mead but among the nobility it could be imported wine.
The old prayer is "for a good year and peace" They ask for fertility, good health, a good life and peace and harmony between the people and the powers.
Dates
The autumn blōtą is performed in the middle of October (about four weeks after the autumn equinox), the Winter Nights, indicating the beginning of winter. The great midwinter blōtą, or Yule, take place in the middle of January. Nerþuz is the most important god at the Midwinter and autumn blōtą. The Summer blōtą is undertaken in the middle of April (about four weeks after the spring equinox) and it is given to Wodan. Then, they drank for victory in war and this blōtą is the starting date for Viking expeditions and wars.
Álfablóta (Autumn)
The Álfablóta or the Elven sacrifice is a pagan sacrifice to the elves towards the end of autumn, when the crops had been harvested and the animals are most fat. Is a local celebration at the homesteads and they are mainly administered by the lady of the household. They are surrounded by secrecy and strangers are not welcome to the homesteads during the celebrations. The elves are collective powers with a close connection to ancestors and fertility, so the álfablót concerned ancestor worship and the life force of the family. Worship to Wodan and beer is an important element in Germanic pagan sacrifices generally.
Géola (Winter)
Ġéola is a religious festival observed by the Germanic peoples. The celebration is connected to the Wild Hunt.
Etymology
Among many others, the long-bearded god Wodan bears the names Geólfaðr ('Ġéola father') and Geólnir ('the Ġéola one'). In plural (Geólnar; 'the Ġéola ones') refer to the Germanic gods in general.
Ġéola is an indigenous midwinter festival celebrated by the Germanic peoples. Ġéola is celebrated for three nights from midwinter night.
The Géola is immensely important because the people are economically dependent on monitoring the progress of the seasons. Starvation is common during the first months of the winter, also known as "the famine months". In temperate climates, the midwinter festival is the last feast celebration, before deep winter began. Most cattle are slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter, so it is almost the only time of year when a plentiful supply of fresh meat is available. The majority of wine and beer made during the year is finally fermented and ready for drinking at this time.
It is ancient custom that when sacrifice is to be made, all farmers are to come to the temple and bring along with them the food they needed while the feast lasted. At this feast all are to take part of the drinking of ale. Also all kinds of livestock are killed in connection with it, horses also; and all the blood from them is called hlaut [ sacrificial blood ], and hlautbolli, the vessel holding the blood; and hlautteinar, the sacrificial twigs [ aspergills ]. These are fashioned like sprinklers, and with them are to be smeared all over with blood the pedestals of the idols and also the walls of the temple within and without; and likewise the men present are to be sprinkled with blood. But the meat of the animals is to be boiled and served as food at the banquet. Fires are to be lighted in the middle of the temple floor, and kettles hung over them. The sacrificial beaker is to be borne around the fire, and he who made the feast and is chieftain, is to bless the beaker as well as all the sacrificial meat. Toasts are to be drunk. The first toast is to be drunk to Wodan "for victory and power to the king", the second to the gods Nerthus, "for good harvests and for peace", and thirdly a beaker is to be drunk to the king himself. In addition, toasts are drunk to the memory of departed kinsfolk. These are called "minni [memorial toast]".
Men put off duels until three days after Ġéola to honour the sanctity of the holiday. No man could eat meat on Ġéola-Eve.
The month event and Ġéola time period are connected to the Wild Hunt (a ghostly procession in the winter sky), the god Wodan (as leading the Wild Hunt), and increased supernatural activity, such the increased activities of draugar—undead beings who walk the earth.
Ġéola is a religious festival observed by the Germanic peoples. The celebration is connected to the Wild Hunt.
Etymology
Among many others, the long-bearded god Wodan bears the names Geólfaðr ('Ġéola father') and Geólnir ('the Ġéola one'). In plural (Geólnar; 'the Ġéola ones') refer to the Germanic gods in general.
Ġéola is an indigenous midwinter festival celebrated by the Germanic peoples. Ġéola is celebrated for three nights from midwinter night.
The Géola is immensely important because the people are economically dependent on monitoring the progress of the seasons. Starvation is common during the first months of the winter, also known as "the famine months". In temperate climates, the midwinter festival is the last feast celebration, before deep winter began. Most cattle are slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter, so it is almost the only time of year when a plentiful supply of fresh meat is available. The majority of wine and beer made during the year is finally fermented and ready for drinking at this time.
It is ancient custom that when sacrifice is to be made, all farmers are to come to the temple and bring along with them the food they needed while the feast lasted. At this feast all are to take part of the drinking of ale. Also all kinds of livestock are killed in connection with it, horses also; and all the blood from them is called hlaut [ sacrificial blood ], and hlautbolli, the vessel holding the blood; and hlautteinar, the sacrificial twigs [ aspergills ]. These are fashioned like sprinklers, and with them are to be smeared all over with blood the pedestals of the idols and also the walls of the temple within and without; and likewise the men present are to be sprinkled with blood. But the meat of the animals is to be boiled and served as food at the banquet. Fires are to be lighted in the middle of the temple floor, and kettles hung over them. The sacrificial beaker is to be borne around the fire, and he who made the feast and is chieftain, is to bless the beaker as well as all the sacrificial meat. Toasts are to be drunk. The first toast is to be drunk to Wodan "for victory and power to the king", the second to the gods Nerthus, "for good harvests and for peace", and thirdly a beaker is to be drunk to the king himself. In addition, toasts are drunk to the memory of departed kinsfolk. These are called "minni [memorial toast]".
Men put off duels until three days after Ġéola to honour the sanctity of the holiday. No man could eat meat on Ġéola-Eve.
The month event and Ġéola time period are connected to the Wild Hunt (a ghostly procession in the winter sky), the god Wodan (as leading the Wild Hunt), and increased supernatural activity, such the increased activities of draugar—undead beings who walk the earth.
Dísablóta (Spring)
The Dísablóta is the blóta (sacrificial holiday) which is held in honour of the female spirits or deities called dísir. Its purpose is to enhance the coming harvest.
The Dísablóta appears to have been held during Winter Nights, or at the vernal equinox.
The rite is performed by women, their nearly exclusive role as priestesses of the pagan Germanic religion.
The shrine where the Dísir are worshiped is called dísarsalr.
The Dísablóta is the blóta (sacrificial holiday) which is held in honour of the female spirits or deities called dísir. Its purpose is to enhance the coming harvest.
The Dísablóta appears to have been held during Winter Nights, or at the vernal equinox.
The rite is performed by women, their nearly exclusive role as priestesses of the pagan Germanic religion.
The shrine where the Dísir are worshiped is called dísarsalr.
Litha
It is celebrated in June 24, the day of the solstice in Roman times.
Bonfires are lit to protect against evil spirits which are believed to roam freely when the sun is turning southward again. Witches are also thought to be on their way to meetings with other powerful beings. Men stay up at night and make three kinds of fires: one is of clean bones and no wood, another is of clean wood and no bones, and the third is made of both bones and wood. The fires are to drive away dragons, which are abroad on Litha, poisoning springs and wells. Lads and girls would jump over the flames of bonfires.
A wheel is rolled to signify that the sun then rises to the highest point of its circle and at once turns back. Midsummer pole is a phallic fertility symbol, meant to impregnate the earth. A custom is arranging mock weddings, both between adults and between children. The wedding is meant to symbolize the blossoming of new life.
Litha is a very potent night and the time for many small rituals, mostly for young maidens seeking suitors and fertility. Will-o'-the-wisps are believed to appear at midsummer night, particularly to finders of the mythical "fern in bloom" and possessors of the "fern seed" (according to the myth, this flower blooms for a very short time on the eve of the Summer solstice. The flower brings fortune, luck, wealth, or the ability to understand animal speech to the person who finds it. However, the flower is closely guarded by evil spirits and anyone who finds the flower will have access to earthly riches, which have never benefited anyone, so the decision to pick the flower or leave it alone is left up to the individual), marking a treasure. In the old days, maidens would use special charms and bend over a well, naked, in order to see their future husband’s reflection.An unmarried woman collects seven different flowers and places them under her pillow to dream of her future husband. They also make brands and go about the fields with the brands.
Women rinse their hands and arms in the river so that the threatening calamities of the coming year might be ished away by bathing in the river. Nude bathing is likewise practiced.
It is celebrated in June 24, the day of the solstice in Roman times.
Bonfires are lit to protect against evil spirits which are believed to roam freely when the sun is turning southward again. Witches are also thought to be on their way to meetings with other powerful beings. Men stay up at night and make three kinds of fires: one is of clean bones and no wood, another is of clean wood and no bones, and the third is made of both bones and wood. The fires are to drive away dragons, which are abroad on Litha, poisoning springs and wells. Lads and girls would jump over the flames of bonfires.
A wheel is rolled to signify that the sun then rises to the highest point of its circle and at once turns back. Midsummer pole is a phallic fertility symbol, meant to impregnate the earth. A custom is arranging mock weddings, both between adults and between children. The wedding is meant to symbolize the blossoming of new life.
Litha is a very potent night and the time for many small rituals, mostly for young maidens seeking suitors and fertility. Will-o'-the-wisps are believed to appear at midsummer night, particularly to finders of the mythical "fern in bloom" and possessors of the "fern seed" (according to the myth, this flower blooms for a very short time on the eve of the Summer solstice. The flower brings fortune, luck, wealth, or the ability to understand animal speech to the person who finds it. However, the flower is closely guarded by evil spirits and anyone who finds the flower will have access to earthly riches, which have never benefited anyone, so the decision to pick the flower or leave it alone is left up to the individual), marking a treasure. In the old days, maidens would use special charms and bend over a well, naked, in order to see their future husband’s reflection.An unmarried woman collects seven different flowers and places them under her pillow to dream of her future husband. They also make brands and go about the fields with the brands.
Women rinse their hands and arms in the river so that the threatening calamities of the coming year might be ished away by bathing in the river. Nude bathing is likewise practiced.