Description of Iceland. Iceland is recognized as the most non-religious European country politicalism of ancient Iceland

In Iceland, the number of followers of the Asadera cult, a neo-language religion, appropriate for the title of "traditional" for Iceland, grew sharply, reports BBC. Since 2014, the number of admirers of Odin, Torah, Nyord and other inhabitants and the inhabitants of Asgard increased by calculations of the statistical service of the island state, one and a half times.

Now to the followers of the cult of Asatru, which means "faithful asam" - the Vidnavandannavian gods, ranks 3,583 Icelanders. Men among them are twice as more than women, says the newspaper Morgunblaði.

The post of higher priests of the cult of Asatru in Iceland is occupied by the composer and musician Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson (Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson) also known as Höh. In addition to religious activities, he writes music for movies and cooperates with many musicians.

He, in particular, worked with Psychic TV, Current 93, Sigur Rós and vocalist The Sugarcubes Einar Örn Benedictson.

According to Hillamar, Airn Hillamarsson, the constant influx of neophytes of his denominations provide reports of the press about the colorful ceremonies asatru. "More people see what we do, they like it. We do not recruit new members. We only encourage people to join if they have interest. Our ceremonies are open to everyone, "said Hillamar Eyr Hillmarsson in an interview with Morgunblaði.

The cult of Assatra practically does not apply to national issues, stands for universal equality, environmental awareness, supports homosexuals, cooperates with various religious and public organizations.

Followers of other pre-Christian cults from outside the island do not like the tolerance of Icelanders. In 2015, Hillamar Airn Hillamarsson complained that his community had a flow of "hatred letters" from other countries.

Protecting the position of Icelandic pagans, their supreme priest said that his units did not consider their religion as the method of "romanticizing smeachism" and do not consider conservative cultivatives to "enrich" conservative.

Icelandic adherents of Asatra will build the temple of their religion on the forest hill of Escyukhlid (Öskjuhlíð) in the capital of Reykjavik. After the construction is completed, weddings will be held in the sanctuary, the assignment ceremony of the names and funeral. It will be able to simultaneously accommodate 250 people.

Construction goes on Earth presented by the Icelandic capital city council, and funded by donations. No matter how lush was the opening ceremony of the first more than 1000 years of the new pagan temple in Scandinavia, and how many presses would not be invited to it, the domination of Christians on the island in the foreseeable future is hardly threatened.

According to statistical data, 70% of Iceland residents range themselves to Lutherans. They are 237,938 people - 66 times more than followers of Asatru.

At the beginning of the year it became known that in Iceland finally built the pagan temple for more than a thousand years. By and large, there is nothing to surprise here: Northern paganism Asatru, in this country it is recognized as the same state religion as Christianity. Let's try to figure out how it happened that the country of the winning Lutheranism, which even the icons and statues of the Saints did not recognize, suddenly turned out to be a cradle of the bonfire of the inquisition of the old faith.

Christianity captured Iceland almost bloodlessly, at least, if compared with Continental Europe and Scandinavia. At the end of the first Millennium, the island began to arrive Christians to turn pagans into a true faith. One of them was Icelandets Torvald Kodransson, who returned to his homeland in the company of the German Bishop Fredrek. As we know from "Saga about Christianity", that bishop demonstrated a miracle - with the help of the prayer, the stone, in which the spirit-patron of the Torvald family lived (in fact, the stone was preserved to this day intact), helped defeat the two broken berserkov and drew several Icelandic families in their faith. True, in the end, the mission was still failing: about Torvald and Fridrek composed NID - a vulnerable song that was transparently hinting on their more than close friendship. Torvald did not bother and killed two people for it. Of course, after that, he, and the priest declared out of law and expelled from the country.

For the Iceland, Christian missionaries took up after the proclamation of Olav Triuggwason by the Konung of Norway. Olav sent several of his people to Iceland several times, which destroyed the Kapieche and Shrine and, of course, did not delay in the country for a long time. But such methods on Icelanders clearly did not act. However, the number of Christians, including among the representatives of the local elite, gradually grew, their relationships with pagans were aggravated, and the country almost found itself on the threshold of a civil war. It was resolved all civilized - in the ting. Stroller Iceland Torgiere, former at the same time and pagan priest, heard both parties and retired to consult with the gods. Returning, he announced that the gods told all Icelanders to contact the Christian faith, and reinforced their words by the fact that he dropped all the idols of his capital in the waterfall. So in 1000 Iceland became Christian.

Despite the fact that Christianity has become the only religion of Iceland, the paganism has not gone anywhere. So it was everywhere - so far in Europe raise a May tree, and in Russia there are pancakes on Carnival. But if in the rest of the world the old faith was forgotten, although the external attributes are still alive, then in Iceland, paganism not only continued to live on an equal footing with a new religion, but also became the subject of closer to learn local nobility. It is enough to remember the snorors of Sturlson, the Stroller of Christian already Iceland, which was "younger Eddu", and Bishop of Brignolfur Swansson, thanks to which the world received the "senior EDU" - the main sources of knowledge about the faith of ancient Scandinavians. Some researchers argue that both EDDDs were complemented by Christian motives and many stories and even gods in the original looked completely different. For example, Baldr, meek and wonderful God, in fact, was a very militant character of German mythology.

For Icelanders, the advantage of Christianity over the old faith was not based on deep mystical and religious experiences. The superiority of the White Christ was quite pragmatic: the bishops with the help of the cross and prayers successfully fought with malicious magic and a sorcerence. It is even more important that Christians were easier to enter into political, diplomatic and trading relations with other states. From here it appeared widespread on early stage Christianization of Iceland and Scandinavia Custom, when the pagan passed the rite of baptism and was perceived by Christians as a fellow in faith, but actually still remained a commitment to the old gods. It is likely that the suspension of the Wolf Cross is connected with this, simultaneously similar to the hammer of the Torah and the main symbol of Christianity.

A visual example can be "Saga about Hallfred's difficult scalder", in which Hallfred was forced to take Christianity to get to the service to Konung, but he refused to displacing the old gods in his songs, for which caused the anger of his owner. In the "book on the land of the Earth", an example of Helga Torch, who, being a Christian, at the most important moments of his life still applied to Tora for help and support.

Even after the victory of Christianity, most of the population continued to perceive new dogmas in the pagan categories: Divine Providence was interpreted as Urd - fate, playing a key role in the world of the ancient Scandinavians. Of course, the main Christian values \u200b\u200bare the love of neighbor, uncompaning and self-denial - simply ignored. Even the attitude towards Christ (ODIEN): "For Christ made Christians with his sons, not slaves," says "Saga about these brothers." And about the custom of blood revenge, which flourished in Icelandic society, can not even mention - a revenge of the offender was considered to be granted. Is it worth reminding that one in the "speeches high" calls for any insult or resentment to be resented.

It is significant that for a long time for pagans in Icelandic laws have been envisaged significant relief: it was allowed to eat to the ritual goals of the coninet (in Norway, it was relying for it the death penalty) And secretly worship the old gods.

Bloodless victory of christianity

However, the number of Christians, including among the representatives of the local elite, gradually grew, their relationships with pagans were aggravated, and the country almost found itself on the threshold of a civil war. It was resolved all civilized - in the ting. Stroller Iceland Torgiere, former at the same time and pagan priest, heard both parties and retired to consult with the gods. Returning, he announced that the gods told all Icelanders to contact the Christian faith, and reinforced their words by the fact that he dropped all the idols of his capital in the waterfall. So in 1000 Iceland became Christian.

Pagan Jesus

Despite the fact that Christianity has become the only religion of Iceland, the paganism has not gone anywhere. So it was everywhere - so far in Europe raise a May tree, and in Russia there are pancakes on Carnival. But if in the rest of the world the old faith was forgotten, although the external attributes are still alive, then in Iceland, paganism not only continued to live on an equal footing with a new religion, but also became the subject of closer to learn local nobility. It is enough to remember the snorors of Sturlson, the Stroller of Christian already Iceland, which was "younger Eddu", and Bishop of Brinolph Swansson, thanks to which the world received the "senior EDU" - the main sources of knowledge about the faith of ancient Scandinavians. Some researchers argue that both EDDDs were complemented by Christian motives and many stories and even gods in the original looked completely different. For example, Baldr, meek and wonderful God, in fact, was a very militant character of German mythology.

From here there was a widespread confession at the early stage of the Christianization of Iceland and Scandinavia Custom, when the pagan passed the rite of baptism and was perceived by Christians as a fellow in faith, but in fact still remained a supporter of old gods. It is likely that the suspension of the Wolf Cross is connected with this, simultaneously similar to the hammer of the Torah and the main symbol of Christianity.

It is significant that for a long time for pagans in Icelandic laws has been provided for significant reliefs: it was allowed to eat connual goals (in Norway for it, the death penalty was relying) and secretly worship the old gods.

In the XVII century, Iceland adopted the Lutheran faith, as a result of which the church requirements were tightened, including in matters of paganism. If initially pagan beliefs coexisted quite peacefully with the Catholic tradition, the bonfires stood with the arrival of luterancy in Iceland. People were burned for magic classes, deputy and abuse of runes. The names of the pagan deities survived mainly in magic allitational conspiractions and were equated to demons. But it is curious that many Icelandic pastors have kept magical collections and even composed sermons about the after example of Valgaly.

If the names of the gods were caught even from the names of the days of the week, then from the elves to which in Iceland a special attitude, it was not so easy to get rid of it. They were divided into good (baptized) and evil (pagans), and legends appeared that certain rocks and stones are the elven churches (see "Book of stories about elfs", "Joun's Chubnik-Wizard").

Despite the fact that people in Iceland were still pursued for the witchcraft and the departure of pagan rites, only 21 people hit the fire. Although on the scale of more than the modest population of the Iceland of Iceland, maybe large. And maybe not only the scarcity of the population of the island affected, but also, apparently, the congenital faith of Icelanders in magic, conspiracies and the magical power of Rune. There were cases when a particularly zealous hunters behind the sorcerents were filmed from church posts.

Return to traditional values

Icelandic paganism with varying success, but she lived before the onset of the new time: in the 19th century there were people who could use conspiracies and runes to achieve magical purposes, and residents of the countryside go to respect the elves and spirits living in stones and waterfalls. In fact, it was in Iceland that the most ancient tradition was preserved longer, which was successfully closed on the continent.

Nevertheless, until the middle of the 20th century, the paganism in Iceland continued to remain on a semi-legal position: he was mainly confessed by the shepherd farmers, and it was from their environment that the idea was crystalling to try to give their beliefs official status. In 1973, the Icelandic poet Sunbjörn Bainteinson was able to recognize the faith in the old gods of an equal Icelandic religion along with Lutheranism and became the Supreme Goot, that is, the head of the Assatra (literally "faithful asam").

Interest in the revived Icelandic paganism began to grow, similar communities began to appear hardly in all the Scandinavian countries, and tourists flew to Iceland, who wanted to touch something unusual, exotic and sort of as an ancient. Tourist interest is attracted to the community asatru and people far from spirituality, but close to commercial earnings: today in Iceland you can "be baptized" or married for the pagan rite. For a fee, of course. In fact, the modern Asadera is reconstruction, with all the resulting problems and difficulties.

My attitude to the modern attempt to recreate the Icelandic paganism is negative. Too much was lost irretrievably, and we are forced to try to be limited to what remained in the "senior edde", "younger Edde", the "circle of earth" and other few sources. But there we will not find detailed descriptions of pagan rituals and even hard knowledge of details relative to the gods. That's the case of the "younger EDDA" contradicts the "senior edde", and much remains underwent. Here again the question arises about this inexpensive and generated modern fantasies.

Very often modern gods do not own an academic level of knowledge, and therefore recreation a lot on their own. Even the melodies, with the help of which they perform the "Promotion of Völva", "speeches of high", "Sigdriva speeches" and others, are newly values \u200b\u200bthat do not have anything common with lost melodies of the anthem of the pagans. Plus, in the XVIII century, many ancient manuscripts were lost (as a result of the death of a ship with manuscripts and a fire in the handwritten library of the Aurhnus Magnusson in 1728). Even in the "younger Edde", we have an alloy of Christianity and paganism like the fact that Christ is sitting at the source of the pagan destiny of Urd and solves the fate of the world; Also, often Christ is "tir" and "konung angels" in the preserved scaldic poetry. I am inclined to assume that the modern Icelandic Asadera is New Age in Icelandic.

In favor of the New Agers of the modern Icelandic paternal, the abundance of innovations, ranging from the synthesis with almost Buddhism and ending with women-Goi. Many of them, according to Leonid Shruble, even create "the Old Tartavane Tarot" and their own runic rows. And almost all Icelandic Godi travels around the world with lectures on the Scandinavian paganism, like this with numerous Tibetan teachers, successfully leading their business in the West.

The current Asatron is close to New Ayju also because it forgets about traditions in favor of the trends of time: for example, there are no one-sex marriages that for Icelander the Viking era would be simply unthinkable, as mentioned above. And already about human sacrifices, and any sacrifices of animals and speeches can not be, although for the ancient Scandinavians such a practice was not just in the order of things - without the sprinkling of the sacrificial blood of idols of gods and no ritual did not affect the sacrifices.

From the side of the current Icelandic rituals by Asatru really look at least unusual: open-air rituals against the background of Icelandic landscapes, fires, giant horn with honey (for non-drinking - juice) and chants - everything is aimed at impressing. On tourists, not on their own. Icelanders, even young and radical, to the faith of ancestors to join not very rush. The author of these lines was challenged to talk on this topic with Icelander, encountered on one of the metal festures in Bergen. "We have little pagans, and we almost don't hear about them," he said with the expression of the extreme skepticism on his face. An alternative music scene of Iceland also practically does not seek inspiration to the old gods: Black Metalists prefer to sing about Satan, and not about other, but quite successfully cooperate with the current Supreme Goi Hillamar Hillmars and use in the design of the scene Herlandish witchcraft signs of Galdrustava.

Of course, in Iceland there are people who truly burn the idea to revive the old faith and devote all their lives to attempts to restore the interrupted thread of tradition. But, like everywhere, Deltsi and frank baryrs always find themselves in focus, pushing ideologies on the periphery and forming people from the general idea of \u200b\u200bthe phenomenon. The loot, as always, wins not only evil, but also good.

Even the temple dedicated to the pagan gods, which will be built in Reykjavik, most likely will turn into another landmark, where there will be many tourists, but there will be no God.

Geography of Iceland.

Iceland is the Northern European state. It is located on the mid-defense ridge in the Atlantic Ocean. The population of the country is 320,000 people, and the total area of \u200b\u200bits territories is 103,000 square meters. km. Capital of Iceland, as well as her the largest city - Reykjavik.

The country is located on the geologically active section of the earth's crust with existing volcanoes. Most of Iceland occupies a plateau, the relief of which is very diverse: there are sandy empties, mountains and glaciers, glacial rivers flowing to the sea through lowlands. In Iceland, there are several national parks: Vatnayyukyudl, Snipheedlsyukyudle and Tingvell.

State Device Iceland.

Iceland is the presidential republic. The head of state is the president. The executive authority is the government, legislative - parliament.

Weather in Iceland.

Despite its name - the country of iceland, Iceland due to the warm waters of Golfustrum

it can boast of rather soft winters. For the country is characterized by a frequent change of weather, which local residents say: "Tired by the weather? Wait 5 minutes". Summer here is usually cool and more moderate than anywhere else in these latitudes, the air warms up to 20-25 ° C.

Iceland language

The official language of the country is Icelandic. In schools, English and Danish language are impaired. Many inhabitants of Iceland speak on Faroe, German, Norwegian and Swedish.

Religion Iceland.

80.7% Members of the National Icelandic Church 6.2% Followers of Unregistered Religious Organizations 4.9% Members of the Free Luteran Church Reykjavik 2.8% do not belong to any religious group of 2.5% of the Roman Catholic Church

the remaining 2.9% are adherents of other Christian currents, 370 - 600 people - Muslims.

Currency of Iceland

The country's monetary unit is the Icelandic Crown (ISK). 1 ISK \u003d 100 Auras.

You can get cash crowns using an ATM. ATMs in the country are widespread, serving international bank cards MasterCard or Visa and offer a fairly low commission. Travelecheki B. foreign currency And cash in foreign currency can be exchanged in banks for a small commission (exchange without commission offers Landsbanki íslands bank). Be careful, changing money in exchange points, the commission there can reach 8, 75%.

Customs restrictions

Allowed duty-free importation:

200 cigarettes or
250 grams of tobacco *
1 liter of alcoholic beverages and 1 liter of wine
3 liters of wine or
1 liter of alcoholic beverages and 6 liters of beer or
1.5 liters of wine and 6 liters of beer **
3 kg of food, the cost of which does not exceed ISK 18 500
amounts exceeding € 10,000 must be declared.

* Travelers must be over 18 years old to import tobacco products.
** Travelers must be older than 20 years to import alcohol.

Prohibited to import:

prohibited narcotic substances
raw meat and meat products
milk and raw eggs
weapons and ammunition without relevant documents
knives and other cold weapons
home and other animals without relevant documents
snuff
plants and flowers without relevant documents
counterfeit goods and fake money
pornographic content materials

Restrictions

Weapons and ammunition imported into the country for hunting or sports should be accompanied by a special resolution from the police authorities
importation of living plants and colors requires a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin, which then must be confirmed by the Icelandic Research Agricultural Institute
consumption of dogs, cats and other animals must be accompanied by a resolution from the Ministry of Agriculture
Various types of telecommunication devices, electronic toy control panels and radio receivers can be imported only with the resolution of post-telechoma.

National Features of Iceland

Tip

The gods and goddess of the North are not dead forms. As long as their people, their descendants will live in Midgard, they will exist. The gods are not dead, they are only forgotten by the majority of people. They are waiting for the hour when the memories will wake up in the shower and the heart of their people.

At the heart of the religion of the ancestors of Icelanders (Norwegian Vikings), which were the first to set up a non-microgenic island lay paganism. When in the second half of the 9th century, Norwegians began to settle in Iceland, they found on the island only a handful of Christian hermites, sailing here from Ireland. Vikings themselves, like all the scandinavians at the time, were pagans - they worshiped the gods-asams. In the Scandinavian myths, Assa lead a permanent war with giants. In the last decisive battle of Assa will be defeated - and then the end of the world will come. In the meantime, they live in the "city of Ass" - Asgard, where from the earthly world can be moved only on the rainbow. We all heard about Odin, Freya, Torah, Lockers.

In 1000, Iceland under pressure from the Norwegian king recognized Christianity with his religion - this was accepted in the Tingland fields. Most of the inhabitants of the island came there. Supporters of the old and new faith could not agree with each other. Then they decided what would be the case, how the most wise member of the Alting will tell Torgiere Strong. To do in the bear skins, he retired to a secluded place, where he fastened and asked the Council from the gods. Returning to the alttention, he announced that the Icelandians were extended to adopt Christianity. So they did. Since the XVII century, the official religion of Iceland was Lutheranism, but at the end of the last century, the same status received a new paganism - Asatru. And this is despite the fact that, according to the statements of the pagans themselves, their municipalities in the country are only about nine hundred. What, however, for Iceland, with her two-thousandthly population is not so little.

Most of the believing population of Iceland - lutherans (95%), 4% refers to other Protestant confessions, about 1% to the Roman Catholic Church. The history of the Lutheran Church is divided into three periods: the penetration of Christianity (1000), the Reformation (1540-1550) and the appearance of the Icelandic Church separate from the Danish metropolis. Earlier was called the Icelandic People's Church. In 1540, Lutheranism was announced by the state religion in Iceland (Denmark then), which caused a protest from part of the population. It resulted in civil War On the island, which has been launched more than a decade. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, several free Lutheran parishes were created (now their parishioners are almost 10 thousand people - 3.5% of the population). The church remained state and after the proclamation in 1944 of the Independent Icelandic Republic.

Since 1974, women are dedicated to the San of the Priest. Only in 1998 the law was adopted, according to which church laws began to be adopted on the country's parliament, but the annual church assembly (elects the Church Council). 76% of the population of the country (245 thousand people) - Lutherans (at least once a month, 12% of the population is visited). The church has 295 parishes and 112 pastors.

One of the most significant churches - Khatlgrimskiga - Lutheran Church in Reykjavik. The building is fourth in height in Iceland, after the long-wave radomacit of Hellisandur, the Eylara long-wave radio transmitter and the Smrattorg Tower. The church is named after the poet and the spiritual leader of Hadlgrimura Petursson, the author of the book by the hymns of passion. It took the construction of the church 38 years. Construction work began in 1945, and ended in 1986. She is in the center of Rekekavik, and is visible from any part of the city. The church houses a large body created by the German master Johanse Klais from Bonna. The organ is mechanical, has 5275 tubes, its height is equal to 15 meters, and its weight is 25 tons.

The cathedral is also used as a sightseeing tower, which offers a wonderful view of Reykjavik and the surrounding mountains. The cathedral has a 75-meter bell tower, which can be seen from the neighborhood of the city. At the entrance to the Cathedral there is a monument to the planer of America with the famous Viking Leifura Errickson.