Asatru

Ásatrú followers in Iceland.

Asatru (Icelandic: Ásatrú) is a religion which involves the worship of ancient Germanic and Scandinavian Viking spirits and gods. It received official legal establishment in 1970s in Iceland through the efforts of Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson and other Icelanders, who rejected Christianity and performed "Launblót" (secret offering) to pre-"Kristnitaka" (Christianization of Iceland) Nordic gods and goddesses. The current recognized national organization of Asatru in Iceland is Ásatrúarfélagið. The name is derived from two Old Norse words. It means "faith in the Æsir," the Germanic and Viking gods.^[1]

A person who practices Asatru is called an Asatruar, and is sometimes referred to as a Heathen. Asatru is also called Wodanism, Wotanism or Germanic paganism.^[2]

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

In the United States, Asatruar parents often choose not to have their children circumcised, though some subgroups, including the Asatru Teutsch, do not strongly support or oppose the practice.^[3]

Gods and Goddesses

Asatru is a polytheistic religion in which various goddesses and gods are worshiped. 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. Holidays also vary greatly between different groups.

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

Asatru Media

A modern replica of a Viking Age pendant representing Mjölnir, the hammer of the god Thor; such pendants are often worn by Heathens.
Outdoor altar to mark Yule 2010, set up by the Swedish Forn Sed Assembly in Gothenburg, Västergötland
An álfablót ritual held at Getsjön in Västergötland, Sweden in 2009
Heathen ritual space marked out by an engraved wooden pillar, located on The Wrekin in Shropshire, England
A detail from Gotland runestone G 181, in the Swedish Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm. The three figures are interpreted as Odin, Thor, and Freyr, deities which have seen their veneration revived among modern Heathens.
Images of the deities Frey and Freyja constructed by the Rúnatýr Kindred in Canada in 2011
Heathen cemetery in Gufuneskirkjugarður, Reykjavík, which was established in 1999
A 2011 Heathen blót in Humlamaden near Veberöd in Lund, Sweden
A 2010 outdoor altar at the Springblót at Gamla Uppsala, Uppland, Sweden