

The prayer of Valhalla is an ancient Viking burial rite that was used to help the deceased find their way into the afterlife. The prayer also provided that they could fight bravely in battles against Helheim (the place where souls go after death) and gain victory over evil.Īlthough little else is known about this particular prayer, it seems like it may have been a powerful tool used by Viking warriors for their loved ones to join them soon after death. According to legend, this prayer helped bind the deceased’s soul with Odin’s realm in Valhalla, ensuring they could find food and drink during eternity. One of these prayers was known as the Viking prayer for the dead. One of the most fascinating is their burial customs, which often included elaborate rituals designed to help their deceased travel into the afterlife. There are many interesting and mysterious things about the Vikings that still fascinate us to this day. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that funeral rituals among Vikings were far from simple affairs. Others think that precious metals were scarce in Scandinavian countries at the time, so funerary treasures represented wealth beyond what many people could afford. Some believe that Valhalla was the most sacred place for Vikings after death – and their remains were meant to take them there. A number of Viking graves have been found without any valuable items at all! What was so important to these brave warriors that it warranted being preserved in such an elaborate way? However, this is only sometimes the case. Many believe Vikings were buried with gold and silver objects as part of their burial rites. By learning about these customs, we can better understand how they lived and why things turned out the way they did.
#Viking honor full
This tragic but inspiring story is a glimpse into how Vikings viewed their world – full of violence but also containing many traditions (some of which have survived until today). Finally, the fire was set ablaze next to the corpse as a sign that he would continue after death. At the same time, priests conducted ceremonies honoring the dead man’s life and ancestors.Īfterward, food and drink were served to celebrate the deceased Viking’s life while prayers were said for his journey into Valhalla. The funeral ceremony was elaborate – the dead Viking’s friends and family gathered around him to sing mourning songs. They were laid to rest in an open field with weapons and other valuable items nearby to be used in battle if necessary. When a Viking died, his body was treated with the utmost respect. The entire process, from death until internment, could last several days and involved many rituals and ceremonies. The deceased’s body was usually placed in a wooden coffin on an elevated platform called a bier, which sometimes also served as the burial site. What is a Viking funeral, and how is it carried out?Ī Viking funeral was a highly ceremonial ceremony used to bury the dead, and there are many interpretations of how this ceremony was conducted exactly.

This ancient procedure served several purposes: it allowed families to mourn together it ensured that all belongings left by the deceased at death would be taken care of it gave comfort to those who grieved, and finally – most important – it connected suffering individuals with their departed relatives in a way that bypassed mortality altogether. These items might include weapons, jewelry, ornaments worn during life, clothes suitable for wearing in Valhalla – anything that could remind someone of their loved one while living in Helheim (the underworld). Shortly after death, family members would gather around the pyre for what is known as a “farewell gathering,” where they shared stories about their loved ones and exchanged gifts for afterlife use. The purpose of this ritual was twofold: to release the soul into the spiritual realm (Helheim) and to send away any evil spirits that may have been attached to the corpse. The body or remains of the deceased were burned in an open-air cremation urn atop an altar made from logs placed on either side of a ceremonial fire. This simple but powerful ceremony helped the Vikings connect with their deceased loved ones and ensure they reached Valhalla, the godly realm of warriors where they could feast on choice meats, drinks, and women. Stay tuned! What was a Viking funeral called?Ī Viking style funeral was called a pyre burial. In this post, we explore the spiritual meaning behind this particular prayer. This prayer was used to guide the deceased through the afterworld and to ask for the dead’s blessings. One of the essential parts of a Viking funeral was the funeral prayer. The deceased were typically buried with weapons, jewelry, and other possessions to protect them in the afterlife. Viking funerals were an elaborate affair.
