Members of the pagan Ásatrú Association gathered this morning at the site where their temple is to be constructed in Öskjuhlíð in Reykjavík and celebrated the solar eclipse. They also used the occasion to lay the cornerstone for the new temple, which will be the first head temple built in Scandinavia for over a millennium.
Read more: The pagan temple will neither be contemporary nor reminiscent of the Viking age
The ceremony began at 08.38 this morning, at the same moment as the Moon touched the Sun’s edge. Then when the eclipse reached its maximum an hour later, Jóhanna Harðardóttir, a ‘goði’ or priestess, addressed all supernatural beings of the area, called ‘vættir’ in Icelandic, warning them of the planned construction and asking that they show tolerance.The sound of drums and trumpeting of ram’s horns helped create a rather mystical and magical ambiance, adding to the unique experience of watching the Moon slowly make its way across the Sun.
Read more: 10 interesting facts about the old pagan Ásatrú
Members of the Ásatrúarfélag are extremely environmentally aware and believe nature and all its beings must be cared for and nurtured. Ásatrú became an officially recognized religion in Iceland in 1973 and has around 3,000 members today.
Read more: Ásatrú: The old Norse religion practised by Iceland´s early Viking settlers
Head priest of the ásatrúarfélag celebrate the eclipse
A video posted by Iceland Mag (@icelandmag) on
Mar 20, 2015 at 3:06am PDT
Members of the pagan Ásatrú Association gathered this morning at the site where their temple is to be constructed in Öskjuhlíð in Reykjavík and celebrated the solar eclipse. They also used the occasion to lay the cornerstone for the new temple, which will be the first head temple built in Scandinavia for over a millennium.
Read more: The pagan temple will neither be contemporary nor reminiscent of the Viking age
The ceremony began at 08.38 this morning, at the same moment as the Moon touched the Sun’s edge. Then when the eclipse reached its maximum an hour later, Jóhanna Harðardóttir, a ‘goði’ or priestess, addressed all supernatural beings of the area, called ‘vættir’ in Icelandic, warning them of the planned construction and asking that they show tolerance.The sound of drums and trumpeting of ram’s horns helped create a rather mystical and magical ambiance, adding to the unique experience of watching the Moon slowly make its way across the Sun.
Read more: 10 interesting facts about the old pagan Ásatrú
Members of the Ásatrúarfélag are extremely environmentally aware and believe nature and all its beings must be cared for and nurtured. Ásatrú became an officially recognized religion in Iceland in 1973 and has around 3,000 members today.
Read more: Ásatrú: The old Norse religion practised by Iceland´s early Viking settlers
Head priest of the ásatrúarfélag celebrate the eclipse
A video posted by Iceland Mag (@icelandmag) on
Mar 20, 2015 at 3:06am PDT
