List of Germanic-Neo-Pagan Holidays
In Ásatrú ( Germanic Neo-Paganism ) there are a number of holidays. Most come from ancient Germanic paganism , but there are also special Ásatrú memorial days, on which important people from Nordic and Germanic mythology are celebrated. Holidays from the Celtic annual cycle or Wicca annual cycle were also adopted. Some festivals were also adapted to similar ones from Christianity .
Calendar systems
The existence of various pre-Christian calendars and today's diversity of traditions of Germanic pagans make it difficult to draw up a complete or general list. The regulations regarding the celebrated festivals, which are also referred to as Hátíðir (an. Lit. high times; cf. ahd. Diu hôha gezît and mhd. Hochgezîten), are quite different within the various Germanic-neo-pagan communities.
The more syncretic-eclectic Ásatrú communities have taken over the ahistorical Wicca annual cycle , the so-called "eight-spoke annual wheel", from the Wicca movement and adapted or modified it according to their beliefs. There are four major festivals and four smaller ones in this annual cycle, although the smaller ones are occasionally not celebrated. This division of the year into major festivals is a modern construction.
In contrast, the more historical-reconstructive Firne-Sitte-followers ( Forn Siðr ) follow the historical lunisolar calendar of the Germanic peoples . In this calendar system, a leap month is inserted in the summer between the seventh and eighth month when a new moon can be observed in the twelve rough nights after the winter solstice. The most important holidays here are usually full moon festivals.
The original festivals were calculated using a bound lunar calendar, which was later replaced by the Julian calendar . These months are documented for the Franks with Einhard and were later renamed by Philipp Otto Runge . With regard to the lunisolar calendar, the months of the ancient Teutons were calculated from new moon to new moon. The Anglo-Saxon calendar handed down from Beda Venerabilis still adopted this system, while the Icelandic months handed down by Are Thorgilsson (here exemplarily for the Nordic months) counted from full moon to full moon.
The Rhine Weser Germanic Franks and Elbe Germanic tribes, on the other hand, took over the Roman months (due to their close proximity, probably even before Christianization ). Probably the new moon festivals were fixed at the beginning of the month, the full moon festivals in the middle of the month. In the Nordic calendar this was the other way around, as the month (see above) began with the full moon.
| month | Nordic | Anglo-Saxon | Old Franconian → German | Roman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Þorri | Giuli II | Wintarmânôth → Hartung | January |
| 2 | Gói | Solmonath | Hornung | February |
| 3 | Einmánaðr | Hredhmonath | Lenzinmânôth → Lenzing | March |
| 4th | Gaukmanaðr | Eosturmonath | Ostarmânôth → Easter moon | April |
| 5 | Eggtið | Thrimilchi | Winnemânôth → Merry moon | May |
| 6th | Sólmanaðr | Litha I | Brâchmânôth → Brachet | June |
| 7th | Miðsumar | Litha II | Hewimânôth → Hires | July |
| 7/8 | Miðsumar II | Litha III | Hewimânôth II → Zwiemond | July August |
| 8th | Heyannir | Veodmonath | Aranmânôth → harvesting | August |
| 9 | Kornskurðarmanaðr | Halegmonth | Wîtumânôth → Scheiding | September |
| 10 | Górmánaðr | Vintirfyllith | Wîndumemânôth → Gilbhart | October |
| 11 | Frermánaðr | Blosmonath | Herbistmânôth → Nebelung | November |
| 12 | Jólmánaðr | Giuli I | Heilagmânôth → Wendeling | December |
public holidays
Classic weddings
The following table provides information about the high times in the Forn Siðr annual cycle. These times affect all festival calendars that go back to the Germanic lunisolar calendar. They are mostly of particular importance as cornerstones of the seasons and as meeting dates.
| Festival names | date | Content of the festival |
|---|---|---|
| Midwinter , höku-Nótt , Þorrablót , Jólablót | 1. Full moon after the winter solstice | Middle of the lunar winter period. It is associated with Thor in modern Icelandic folklore . |
| Disting , old carnival | 1. Full Moon, whose new moon after the last Rauhnacht appear | Time of the famous ting in Uppsala. The Heimskringla mentions this as a Swedish tradition. |
| Easter , Várblót , Sigrblót , Sumarmál | 4th month full moon | Beginning of summer; The Várblót (Spring Festival), mentioned for the first time in the " Ynglingasaga ", is also known as Sigrblót (Victory Festival), as the victory over the winter frost giants is celebrated here. It is observed on the first day of summer (full moon of the 4th lunar month). In ancient times one differentiated only the two seasons summer and winter. It is a classic spring festival that most closely resembles Easter , which is known in Germany and England . |
| old midsummer Sumarblót Miðsumarsblót | Full moon of the 7th month | The Sumarblót or Miðsumarsblót (Midsummer) represents the summer high point of the year, the middle of the lunar summer period. |
| Winter night Vetrnóttablót Winterfylleth | Full moon of the 10th month | The Vetrnóttablót (Winter Night Festival) is the festival on the first day of winter (full moon in October). According to the information in the Hallfreðar Saga , sporting competitions (ball games) similar to those of the Greek Olympics were held at this festival . |
| Eight mothers ( Modranecht ) | Winter solstice | the longest night of the year and anchor date for the bound lunar calendar |
| Rough nights | the 12 nights after the mother's night | Loose nights: observation of the crescent moon, decision period for inserting a leap month |
In more recent calendars, many dates differ due to different seasonal and monthly calculations. For example, in the Franconian-Elbe-Germanic area, Mother's Night is on 24/25. instead of 21/22 December is celebrated, the winter night, however, on October 16 instead of the associated full moon.
Reconstructionist festivals
In its centuries-long development and widespread geographical distribution across England (Anglo-Saxon calendar), Germany (Franconian-Elbe-Germanic calendar) and Scandinavia (Nordic calendar), the Germanic calendar underwent some changes and new creations, which not infrequently led to completely new calendar systems. Holidays on these calendars, as used by neo-pagan and reconstructionist groups today, are described in this section. The special festivals of the Anglo-Saxon and Nordic calendars are only listed here as examples, not in full, and the high times shown above are only mentioned if they are dated differently.
Nordic festivals
Since the Icelandic calendar began with the full moon, these festivals almost always fall on the 1st of the month.
| date | public holidays | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Gói (February) | Góiblót | Spring break |
| 1.Sólmanaðr (June) | Gróðurblót | Court consecration |
| 1. Górmánaðr (October) | Alfablót | Sacrifice to the elves , usually at the beginning of winter |
Anglo-Saxon festivals
The Anglo-Saxon festivals have their roots on the continent and the Celtic pre-population of Great Britain . Despite the good documentation of the pre-Christian calendar at Beda, we know very little about the individual festivals themselves. The few that have survived also mostly fall at the beginning of the month. It is also unclear to what extent the festivities around October and November are related, especially with the above-mentioned Winter Fylleth Festival.
| date | public holidays | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Veodmonath (August) | Hlāfmæsse / Hærfest ( Freyfaxi ) | One of the "smaller festivals". The name Hlāfmæsse or Lammas ("loaf festival") refers to an Anglo-Saxon festival of the wheat harvest. The name Freyfaxi is associated with Yngvi-Frey . |
| 1. Vintirfyllith (October) | Meinwêken | This feast of the dead near Michaelmas Day and the Common Week has been handed down for the continental Saxons. |
| 1st or 14th blooming month (November) | Blótmónaþ Fægenung | Slaughter and sacrifice festival |
Franconian-Elbe-Germanic festivals
This calendar or related systems are used in southern Germany and show a correspondingly strong (Gallo) Roman and Celtic influence. The festivals of the Alemannic annual circle are shown here . In contrast to the Nordic and Anglo-Saxon festivals, these appear here mainly in the middle of the month, with a close connection to Roman dates. By adopting the Roman-Julian calendar, the weddings shifted to other days of the month: Midwinter to Perchtennacht (or after Glöcklertag ) on 6th June, midsummer on 15th June . and winter night on October 16 Only Easter remained on the full moon due to the influence of the church.
| date | public holidays | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Hartung (January) | High new year | End of the rough nights |
| Spark Sunday / full moon of Hornung | Old Shrovetide | Alemannic beginning of spring |
| 17. Lenzing (March) | Summer day | Franconian start of summer |
| Maundy Thursday / full moon of the Easter moon (April) | Easter | Alemannic mid-spring |
| 1st - 14th Merry Moon (May) | High May | Days between Walpurgis and the "Old May Day " |
| 4th Thursday after Easter | Hall festival on Ascension Day | |
| 15.-29. Brachet (June) | Hail celebrations | Franconian midsummer |
| 13. Hires (July) | Kornfest | |
| 15th harvest (August) | Herbal consecration | Alemannic midsummer |
| 24.-29. Harvest (August) | Sickle handle | and completion of the field harvest |
| 22-29 Scheiding (September) | Autumn festival | Franconian start of winter |
| 16. Gilbhart (October) | Wintersday / Gallus | Alemannic start of winter |
| 11. Nebelung (November) | Blozfest | Slaughter and consecration festivals |
| 13th Wendeling (December) | Lucia | Midwinter |
| 24.-26. Wendeling (December) | Christmas |
GGG festivals and "ancient pagan" festivals
Due to its syncretic character, the festival calendar of the Germanic Faith Community did not build on the Germanic lunisolar calendar, but took over the holidays of other religions, but provided them with new "Germanic" content. The historic GGG celebrated from 1913 to 1964 in principle the holidays of the Christian church year (including Adolf Kroll called that). Due to the cult of light, the high festivals mentioned by Ludwig Fahrenkrog are all within the "bright" half of the year from winter to summer.
| Church festival (Germanic) | Volkish meaning |
|---|---|
| New year celebration | Honor the Allfather |
| Good Friday | Commemoration of the mass execution of Alemannic and Saxon nobles in Cannstatt and Verden |
| Easter Festival | "Victory of light over darkness and resurrection of nature" |
| Ascension Day (Hamarsheimt) | Return of the hammer "in memory of the re-establishment of the Germanic faith" |
| Pentecost (Hohe Mayen) | God's presence in nature and "awakening of the German spirit" |
| Johannis ( summer solstice ) | Festival of abundance |
| Michaelis (sun rise) | Harvest Festival |
| Sunday of the Dead (Feast of the Dead) | Remembering the dead |
| Christmas | Rebirth of light |
At the end of the 20th century, Géza von Neményi introduced an annual cycle for the re-establishment of the GGG, which, in contrast to the older calendar based on the church year, is similar to the neo-pagan Celtic festival calendar and the Wicca annual cycle . This calendar is still very popular today, as it enables a bridge to other European neopaganisms, combines various Germanic holidays and, despite all of this, has a simple structure. It is precisely this mixing and simplification that is criticized by many traditionalists. The combination of the weddings with the solar calendar means that Easter, midsummer and midwinter are each placed on the solstice or equinox preceding the festival . Only the winter night remains on the full moon. These four solar festivals in particular also found their way into other Germanic calendars.
| Firmly | Dating |
|---|---|
| Frøblót-Dísablót (Carnival) | 2nd month full moon |
| Várblót-Várþing (Easter) | Spring equinox |
| Sigrblót (May Festival) | 5th month full moon |
| Miðsumarblót-Alþing (midsummer) | Summer solstice |
| Hörmeitiðblót (linen harvest) | Full moon of the 8th month |
| Haustblót (Autumn Festival) | Autumn equinox |
| Vetrnóttablót-Dísablót (winter night) | Full moon of the 10th month |
| Miðvetrblót-Sonarblót-Jólablót (Christmas) | Winter solstice |
Memorial days and name days
In ancient times, the Germanic peoples also took over the seven-day week from their Roman neighbors. As a result, each day of the week was assigned a deity. In modern times, many commemorative and name days have also been created (e.g. for deities, poets, legendary heroes and philosophers), some of which stand for themselves, but also merge with existing weddings and other annual festivals. This applies above all to the holidays, which are taken from the Roman Catholic calendar of saints due to the popular mix of Christian veneration of saints with Germanic cults . Whether these festivals replaced Germanic festivals of similar content in early Christian times (such as Michaelmas Day, a Germanic Wodans festival ) or whether these connections were only constructed afterwards, is, depending on the case, questionable and controversial. For the sake of simplicity, the table here is with Roman month names.
| weekday | Germanic deity | Roman deity |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Sol / Sunna | Sol |
| Monday | Mani | Luna |
| Tuesday | Tyr / Ziu and u. U. Freyr | Mars |
| Wednesday | Odin / Wodan | Mercury |
| Thursday | Thor / Donar as well as u. U. Tyr / Ziu | Jupiter |
| Friday | Frigg - Freya / Frija | Venus |
| Saturday | Krodo / Sater * | Saturn |
- (modern consecration; formerly "washing day")
| date | public holidays | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd / 3rd or 5./6. January | Perchten Night | Festival of Frija-Perchta for the Alemannic high New Year |
| February 9 | Commemorating kinnrifi Eyvindr | Commemoration of the Christianization of Scandinavia |
| 14th of February | Festival of the Vali | Date according to the (folk) etymological connection between Váli and Saint Valentine |
| 17. March | Festival of Nerthus | Day of the earth goddess according to Saint Gertraud |
| 21./22. March | Festival of the Ostara | Appearance of the Easter goddess at the spring equinox |
| Friday before Easter | Blood dish | Commemoration of the mass execution of Alemannic and Saxon nobles in Cannstatt and Verden on Good Friday |
| 28th March | The day of Ragnar Lodbrok | Remembrance day by the Troth |
| April 1st | Bismarck's birthday | Memorial day by Wilhelm Schwaner and the GGG |
| 9th April | Håkon Jarl remembrance day | Remembrance day by the Troth |
| May 9 | In memory of Guðröðr von Guðbrandsdál | Commemoration of the Christianization of Scandinavia |
| Thursday mid May | Feast of Donar | Date corresponding to the holiday of Ascension Day and Peter , as the Catholic equivalent of Donar |
| end of May | Einherjar day | Ásatrú Memorial Day in the USA. |
| June 9th | Memory of Siegfried the Dragon Slayer | Remembrance day by the Troth |
| 15th June | Víðarr feast on St. | Date according to the (folk) etymological connection between Víðarr and Saint Vitus |
| July 9 | Memory of Unnur Ketilsdottir | Remembrance day by the Troth |
| July 13th | Festival of Grannus | Originally Gallo-Roman festival of the god of grain |
| August 9 | Memory of Radbod the Friesian King | Remembrance day by the Troth |
| 15th of August | Corn Mother's Day | Festival in honor of the grain spirits and grain demons at the end of the grain harvest; Date corresponding to the Assumption of Mary |
| 29th August | Goethe's birthday | Memorial day by Wilhelm Schwaner and the GGG |
| the 9th of September | Memory of Herman the Cheruscan | Remembrance day by the Troth |
| September 29th | Festival of Wodan | Date corresponding to the holiday of Michaelmas , as the Catholic equivalent of Wodan |
| October, 16th | Baltag's journey to hell on winter day | Date according to the (folk) etymological connection between Baltag / Baldur and Saint Balderich |
| October, 16th | Gallus Day | The day of the missionary Gallus and the Gallus markets are a reminder of the Gallo-Roman roots of southern Germany |
| Mid-October | In memory of Leif Eriksson | Remembrance day by the Troth |
| October 21 | Festival of Artio | Gallo-Roman bear goddess from the Alps. Date corresponding to the day of Saint Ursula |
| 28th of October | Memory of Erik the Red | Remembrance day by the Troth |
| November 9th | In memory of Sigrid the proud | Remembrance day by the Troth |
| November 10th | Schiller's birthday | Memorial day by Wilhelm Schwaner and the GGG |
| November 11th | Festival of the Ziu | Date corresponding to the holiday of Martini , as the Catholic equivalent of Zius |
| end of November | Memory of the dead and of Herman the Cheruscan | |
| 9th of December | In memory of Egill Skallagrímsson | Remembrance day by the Troth |
| December 18th | Feast of the Epona | Festival of the horse goddess, originally from the Gallo-Roman calendar |
| December 26th | Birthday of Ernst Moritz Arndt | Memorial day by Wilhelm Schwaner and the GGG |
See also
- Celtic annual cycle
- Germanic neo-paganism
- Germanic peoples
- Germanic myth
- Germanic religion
- Forn Siðr - Asa- og Vanetrosamfundet i Danmark
literature
- James Chisholm: The Rites of Ostara: Possibilities for Today . 1989
- Mark Puryear: The Nature of Asatru: An Overview of the Ideals and Philosophy of the Indigenous Religion of Northern Europe . 2006, p. 214.
- Andreas Zautner: The bound lunar calendar of the Germanic peoples . 2012
Web links
- Ásatrú calendar ( Memento from May 4, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
- Further information
Individual evidence
- ↑ The bound lunar calendar for Teutons and Celts, on firne-sitte.net ( memento of the original from November 2, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
