From the very beginning of our large scale excavations in Iceland we have used prayer services in order to wish the dead good journeys and safe arrivals along the bridge of sword, which is placed between this world and Asgard, the realm of the gods. For a long time we used prayers copied from different writings, but for some time now we have translated our own.
As a Norse revivalist, I appreciate the use of stylized prayers in modern polytheistic traditions. These kinds of prayers are rooted in Germanic and Scandinavian folk practice and heritage, unlike the ‘ask for whatever you want’ style of prayer that Christians, Muslims and others practiced. Read more on Norse death poem, Viking Funeral Chant.
Norse Prayer For The Dead
During the Viking Age, people were buried with their most especially valued possessions and weapons. The Old Norse prayer used in these ceremonies is called “The Words of Farewell.” This prayer was so important that it was carved into the burial stone itself.
Oh, all-father Odin, king of the gods,
we thank you for the lives of your children.
We pray that you will welcome them into your halls,
and grant them safe passage to Valhalla.
Your son is dead! The world has lost its light!
Grant him peace and comfort in his final days.
I pray for the soul of [name], who has passed away. May his/her spirit be at rest and may he/she find peace in Valhalla, where he/she will join the ranks of Odin and Thor, who have already gone before him/her.
May his/her family find comfort in knowing that they will meet again in the afterlife, where they will spend all their days in happiness and contentment.
Hail to the gods.
- Odin, the father of the gods, known especially as the god of war.
- Thor, the son of Odin, known especially as the god who fights and destroys giants.
- Frigg/Freyja, wife of Odin/wife of Odr and sister of Freyr (who was not a god).
- Heimdallr, guardian to Bifrost bridge that connects Asgard to all other worlds.
Hail to the goddesses.
Hail to the goddesses,
Mighty in strength and power;
Freya, Frigg, Idun, Nanna and Sif.
You are the embodiment of all that is feminine.
Nurturing yet strong.
Fertility and Motherhood.
You are the Yin to the Yang of our Lord Odin.
Viking Funeral Chant
There is no doubt that Vikings were fierce warriors and strong individuals. They were also very superstitious, and this was reflected in their death ceremony.
A Viking funeral consisted of a cremation with all the necessary rituals, including a chant that was read by the ship’s captain. Most of the information we have about Viking funerals comes from writings by Arab merchants and monks who visited Scandinavia during this period.
The body would be cremated on a pyre ship, usually in the sea or on an island. The ship would have been made ready before the death occurred so that it could be burnt on water without any preparation. The bodies would be placed in wooden coffins with animal skins and other precious items such as weapons, gold rings or jewelry and even horses!
The Vikings were a tough people and death was not something they feared. They believed that when you died, you went to Valhalla, which is a place where warriors who died in battle would go. There they would feast and fight until the end of time.
The Vikings believed that this feast would be a great honor and they wanted to be prepared for it. So when someone died, the family would have a large feast in their honor and then the body would be burned on a pyre or ship. The family would chant while the body burned so that he could hear them as he went to Valhalla.
The words of this chant are:
“I know that I hung on a windy tree nine long nights, wounded with a spear, dedicated to Odin, myself to myself; on that tree of which no man knows from where its roots run. No bread did they give me nor drink from a horn, down below in the darkness; I peered downward; with little bit (I say) I peered upward; I peered heavenward; then was I raised up by Heimdall’s horn.”
Hail to the Ancestors.
Ancestor: An ancestor is a person from whom one is descended. In other words, this person shares common genes with you and is part of your gene pool.
Hail to the Ancestors. Hail to the dead! [Your ancestors’ names] hail! Your memory lives on in our hearts, as does yours, and yours, and yours…[repeat until satisfied]. You are not forgotten; nor will you ever be. Hail to the Ancestors.
Why should we remember our ancestors? Like it or not, they are a part of us – their genetics live inside us. We share much of who we are with them; without their blood in our veins, we would not exist. What could be more important than that?
Norse death poem
The Norse funeral ceremony was very elaborate. The body of the dead person was placed on a bed in the house, and mourners would come to pay their respects. Family members would sit by the corpse for three days and nights, eating and drinking together with friends and relatives. The body was then carried out of the house on a funeral ship or to another location for cremation.
Sacrifices were made before the cremation so that the dead person could be transported to Valhalla. According to Norse mythology, Odin had his two ravens Hugin (meaning thought) and Munin (memory) fly around Midgard every day, collecting news from humans who have died that day so he can pass it on to other gods in Valhalla.
Hávamál
The Hávamál is a collection of stanzas of advice, lore and wisdom attributed to Odin, or illustrated with stories that are told at his hall. It is the longest poem in the Poetic Edda, as well as one of the most famous. It is also known by various names: The Sayings of the High One (Hávamál), The Words of Odin (Ódins runor), The Lore of Odin and The High One’s Sayings (Havamal).
Famous lines include:
“Cattle die, kinsmen die, you yourself too must die; I know one thing that never dies – the fair fame that a man wins from deeds done in his life.”
“I advise you my brother to be bold in battle and fight with all your might.”
“If a god tried to take your life, then it would not go well for him.”
“You should never fear the sea’s billows nor shun its dangers.”
I call upon the god of the wind.
I call upon the god of the wind:
- Be thou with us, Wind-Thor!
- The Earth quakes, fire is aflame;
- I call upon the Father of Battle:
- Be thou with us, Odin!
I call upon him whose hands hold good things:
- Be thou with us, Frey!
I call upon he who governs Frigg’s house:
- Be thou with us, Balder!
I call upon the god of rain.
I call upon the god of rain.
He who is called John by the Anglo-Saxons and Janus by the Romans.
I call upon him who has two faces looking in opposite directions, or one face with two heads.
The one who let me go on my mission, even though I was a coward and did not want to go.
He is known by many names: Janus, Heimdallr, Odin, Jupiter.
The Danish people know him as Frodi, while in Ireland they know him as Odin Frithi, which means “peaceful.” The English may know him as Woden or Wotan. The Norsemen knew him as Othin and called him “All-father.”
I call upon the god of thunder.
I call upon the god of thunder.
I give thanks for his presence in my life.
It is he who cleanses the world with storms.
Thor is the bringing of rain and gentle winds, which soothes our crops and fills our fountains.
He delivers unto us lightning and thunder, which chases away the beasts to their burrows and shelters them from harm.
I call upon the goddess of fire.
I call upon the goddess of fire,
A powerful woman,
Who is warm and strong,
Watch over my loved one,
Protect them from cold.
I call upon the goddess of lightning.
I call upon the goddess of lightning!
You who are known by many names:
Bride of Balder, Sif’s sister, Eir, Frigga –
I ask that you receive this prayer.
Aid me in my hour of need!
I call upon my ancestors who have gone before me.
“I call upon my ancestors who have gone before me.
I call upon the spirits of the land and waters that surround me.
I call upon the gods, goddesses, and wights for whom this rite is sacred.
Hail to you all! I ask your blessings on this rite.”
Prayer to the Ancestors in Norse religion is important because it strengthens bonds with one’s past relatives, which strengthens familial connection and also strengthens bonds with one’s present-day family members. Also, in Norse mythology, Odin sacrificed his eye for wisdom from Mimir; Mimir was decapitated by Vanir gods but his head told Odin many things about runes and magic. Odin kept Mimir’s head alive by chanting a charm over it every day (Simek p.95). Because of this relationship between Odin and Mimir, modern-day Norse religion practitioners call upon their ancestors as well as calling on any other gods or spirits for whom the ritual is sacred.
May he be surrounded by fire and sword, both living and dead.
Oops! Click Regenerate Content below to try generating this section again.
viking prayers for the dead
It is time to be cremated, and your ashes will rise up into the sky with the smoke.
Your body is falling apart and turning to dust. Your soul seeks new life, as a high-flying eagle or a low-crawling snake; it will be reborn, in one way or another. The spirits of those who have gone before us are looking down on you and preparing for your arrival, but you must still traverse the treacherous waters of death alone. This was not how you expected your journey to go, not at all . . . but you are prepared. You are ready for what comes next!
norse prayers and blessings
A BLESSING FROM THE GODS
O’ gods
May you hear me
And grant these gifts
‘pon my child!
Odin! All Father, may you grant them much wisdom!
Frigga! Great Mother, may you grant them encompassing love!
Thor! Mighty Thunderer, may you grant them immeasurable strength!
Loki! Sly Trickster, may you grant them enduring luck!
Bragi! Honey Speaker, may you grant them soothing speech!
Tyr! Left Warrior, may you grant them indomitable will!
Heimdall! Ever Watcher, may you grant them unmatched perception!
Skadhi! Cold Huntress, may you grant them merciless determination!
Ullr! Brisk Athlete, may you grant them perfected accuracy!
Forseti! Just Decider, may you grant them unbiased judgement!
Idunn! Youth Giver, may you grant them vigorous age!
Freyja! Fierce Lover, may you grant them joyous freedom!
Njord! Tidal Sailor, may you grant them secure ventures!
Freyr! Peaceful Propagator, may you grant them bountiful joy!
Vali! Fresh Avenger, may you grant them expert efficiency!
Heilir, my gods! Heilar, my goddesses!
May you watch over my child
See them come to no harm
And grant, to them, your blessings!