! Assembly of The Elder Troth - Day of Rememberance for Ragnar Lodbrok !

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The Assembly of The Elder Troth would like to welcome you to our website. Please click on the links to the left to enter the relevant area of our site.

Just as with many organisations and faiths, the Assembly of The Elder Troth too has special days and events which are celebrated by many Asatruar. The links below provide a list of months and the events that you will find occur during those months. We hope you find the information both informative and useful.

From Living Asatru: A handbook of Simple Celebrations by Stephen A. McNallen, 1993.
Edited and adapted by Rurik Grimnisson, Shope and Steersman of the A.E.T. Inc.1996.

Day of Remembrance for Ragnar Lodbrok

March 28th (Suggested)

We chose to honour the ultimate viking, Ragnar Hairy-Britches (which is what his name means in English, for his lifelong habit of wearing Goatskin trews), because on this date in 845 C.E., Ragnar attacked Paris, ruined the place, and burned three churches. It happened to be Easter Sunday, which forever dispels the notion that vikings had no sense of humour. We chose this event not because it was the most important thing Ragnar ever did - it wasn't - but because it is the sole deed we can reasonably be credited to the Ragnar of whom the legends so lustily sing.

Ragnar, according to his saga, was a Danish viking. He won his first youthful fame killing a dragon which, naturally, guarded a beautiful maiden. He married her in best storybook fashion and went on to accomplish a multitude of other great feats. As an older man he worried that his sons' glory would outshine his own, so he set out to invade England. In the process he was captured by King Aella of Wales and thrown into a snake pit where he perished while calmly composing his death song. His offspring avenged him by conquering part of Britain.

It is Ragnar's all-around fame as a viking, and not just his sacking of Paris, we praise on his day. Of course, that doesn't detract from either the audacity or the justice of his blow against a bastion of Christian imperialism.

Burning churches is a tough act to follow. How do we honour Ragnar without violating air pollution statutes, not to mention aggravating our Christian friends?

Here's how:

Find the epic film, The Vikings, with Ernest Borgnine, Kirk Douglas, and the rest, spend the evening watching it. Whatever its flaws, Ragnar plays a prominent part and some of the saga storyline is even recognisable. It's good propaganda for our side, and more than a few Asafolk found their natural religion through the influence of this movie. You can find The Vikings at some video stores.
Viking heroes like Ragnar composed their death song as they fought their last fight, telling of their victories and great accomplishments. If you were reciting your death song, what would be in it? of what would you boast? Put your thoughts on paper. Are you satisfied with your life? (Lose ten points for higher evolution if you answered "Yes".)
Ragnar was no young wolf-pup when he died; like Ulysses before him, he refused to "grow old gracefully". Think, then jot down your reflections, on just how a person can avoid the stereotypical traps of aging. What can a person do to keep from losing vitality, capability and ambition? "Fly your personal flag" in all activities you engage in - give it your best!
Cook a Danish meal, or go to a Scandinavian restaurant and feast on some speciality from the land of the Danes. Wash it down with something old Ragnar would approve of!

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