Feast of the Dead

My hearth's celebration of the Feast of the Dead spans three days.  The first night is given to Odin as the Wild Hunt begins (reaching its peak during Yule).  The second night is given to Nerthus and the ancestral dead.  The third night is given to Hela and those who have died in the past year.  In the main I feel this is an important holytide to establish connections between the world of the living and the dead that last after the Wheel of the Year has turned again.


October 31st: Odin's Night

Supplies Needed:

--A paper with corresponding Lore written for the Godhar to read, perhaps on a parchment scroll for effect.
--A cloak with a hood for the Godhar to wear.
--Three candles: black, blue, and red, which will be arranged on an altar in a triangle.
--Mead, and a horn.
--Two offering bowls: one for Odin, one for the Crossings.
--A set of runes, placed in a hollowed-out gourd or (better) animal skull.


1. Explanation

The Godhar, wearing the cloak, says:

On this night we honor Odin, as the Wild Hunt begins, to come to a peak through the Yuletide season.  As it is said in writings of old:

..Soon thereafter many men saw and heard many hunters hunting. The hunters were black and large and loathly, and their hounds all black and broad-eyed and loathly, and they rode on black horses and black bucks. This was seen in the same way in the town Burch and in all the woods from that town to Stanford, and the monks heard the horns blowing, that they blew at night. Trustworthy men who watched at night said that they thought that there might lit well have been about twenty or thirty horn-blowers. This was seen and heard from when they came thither all that Lenten-tide to Easter. This was its incoming; of its out-going we can not yet say. God fore see.

--Peterborough Chronicle (England), 1127


Wutanes her und alle sîne man,
di di reder und di wit tragen
geradebreht und erhangen,
ir sult von hinnen gangen.

Woden's host and all his men
 who are bearing wheels and willow twigs
broken on the wheel and hanged
you must go away from here.

--Middle German charm or charm of Munich (14. century)


A traditional song sung by the Mummers of Richmond, Yorkshire, contains the following words:

My hide unto the Huntsman
So freely I would give,
My body to the hounds,
For I'd rather die than live:
So shoot him, whip him, strip him,
To the Huntsman let him go;
For he's neither fit to ride upon,
Nor in any team to draw.
Poor old horse! You must die!


On this night Odin begins His ride, and brings death where He goes, claiming His own for His use, as well as giving final rest to those whose times have come.  Let us never forget the cycles of life and death, and the power the Allfather holds in His hands.


2. Invocation to Odin

The lights are turned out, and the three candles are lit is lit as the Godhar calls for Odin to be present, with His faces of Warrior, Chieftain, and Shaman, so He may receive honor as well as bestow protection on the people gathered.


3. Offering to Odin

A horn of mead is poured, and consecrated to Odin, then poured into a bowl to be His alone.


4. Toast to Odin

The horn is re-loaded and passed around the folk, who each give praise and respect to Odin.


5. Rune Pull

The Godhar lifts up the gourd/skull of runes, asking Odin to give His gathered folk a portent of the year to come.  Each individual attending the rite then pulls a rune from the gourd/skull, to meditate upon for a few moments.


6. Toast to the Crossings

The horn is loaded once again and consecrated to those who will pass through the Veil during this tide, that they may go well.  The horn's contents are poured into another bowl, which the Godhar raises as the gathered folk say, Hail!




November 1st: Nerthus' Night

Supplies Needed:

--A paper with corresponding Lore written for the Godhar to read, perhaps on a parchment scroll for effect.
--Food for the ancestors and beloved dead.  This should be a potluck dinner with a few dessert dishes.
--A drink for Nerthus Herself, preferably a strong nut-brown or chocolate-brown ale or stout.
--Each person attending should bring 3 things that remind them of 3 individual deceased ancestors and/or beloved dead.
--Something to cover the face of every attendant at the ritual, preferably a veil, and in any case nothing where breathing will become difficult and cause possible suffocation.


1. Explanation

The Godhar addresses the folk:

Tonight we honor Nerthus, Great Mother of the Vanir, and of the Earth.
...They believe she is interested in men's affairs and drives among them. On an island in the ocean sea there is a sacred grove wherein waits a holy wagon covered by a drape. One priest only is allowed to touch it. He can feel the presence of the goddess when she is there in her sanctuary and accompanies her with great reverence as she is pulled along by kine. It is a time of festive holidaymaking in whatever place she decides to honour with her advent and stay. No one goes to war, no one takes up arms, in fact every weapon is put away, only at that time are peace and quiet known and prized until the goddess, having had enough of peoples company, is at last restored by the same priest to her temple. After which the wagon and the drape, and if you like to believe me, the deity herself is bathed in a mysterious pool. The rite is performed by slaves who, as soon as it is done, are drowned in the lake. In this way mystery begets dread and a pious ignorance concerning what that sight may be which only those who are about to die are allowed to see.

Tacitus, Germania

She who brings peace and feasting, to nurture and sustain the Earth, also brings death.  Those who were chosen to serve Nerthus knew that looking upon Her would bring their end, because this is the great mystery She holds: life feeds on life.  We eat the plants and the animals to strengthen our bodies; at the end of our time, the soil consumes our remains.

On this night we honor Nerthus, Giver of Life and Death, Devouring Mother.  We honor those who have gone before us, who have been recycled so we may live in their space upon the land, whose deeds set the pace for us to live as we do now.  As Nerthus feeds us and brings us peace, we share that now with our beloved dead, that they may join us at this table and the worlds connect, the cycles of life and death move forward.


2. Invocation

The Godhar invokes Nerthus, and then invites the beloved dead of those in attendance to pass beyond the Veil as they would, to join the feast.


3. The Dumb Supper
Two tables are set up: one for the living, one for the dead.  The table for the dead should be arranged with the items that were brought in remembrance of the beloved dead.  Before sitting to the table, the Godhar explains that nobody should speak or get up during the feast, to be respectful of the dead who are present.  The first bit of all the dishes is set aside on separate plates so the dead can "eat", and set at the table.  The meal and desserts are consumed.


4. Communion with the Dead

After the food is eaten, each person will cover their face.  A timer should be set for ten minutes, as a precautionary measure.  Each person, covered, will make the effort to connect silently with their beloved dead, in a vision.


5. Offering to Nerthus

The Godhar pours a drink to Nerthus, consecrating it to Her, which goes in a bowl so She can have it all Herself.


6. Toast to Nerthus and the Dead

The next drink is poured out and passed around the gathered folk, each of whom should give a toast to Nerthus, and then to their beloved dead.


7. Closing

Nerthus is thanked for Her presence, and the dead are bid farewell in peace.




November 2nd: Hela's Night

Supplies Needed:

--A paper with corresponding Lore written for the Godhar to read, perhaps on a parchment scroll for effect.
--A list of those who have died the past year, which can either be personal acquaintances, those murdered of a particular "tribe" (e.g. murdered queerfolk), or those who were murdered or died young locally.
--A black candle and a white candle.
--A red apple, which will be left to rot for Her.
--Dried roses, preferably red.


1. Explanation

The Godhar speaks:
On this night we come to honor Hela, Keeper of the Dead.

Hel was cast into Niflheim, and given power over nine worlds, to apportion all abodes among those that were sent to her: that is, men dead of sickness or of old age. She has great possessions there; her walls are exceeding high and her gates great. Her hall is called Sleet-Cold; her dish, Hunger; Famine is her knife; Idler, her thrall; Sloven, her maidservant; Pit of Stumbling, her threshold, by which one enters; Disease, her bed; Gleaming Bale, her bed-hangings. She is half blue-black and half flesh-color (by which she is easily recognized), and very lowering and fierce.

Gylfaginning

May we give worth to Her Ladyship, in the knowledge that we too shall die, and that death is the great equalizer: it comes to the greatest and the lowest, and Hela has compassion on our souls and cares for all the dead given Her.


2. Invocation

The Godhar calls to Hela to be present, and the gathered folk begins a Hela chant:

Hela, Hela, Holy Holy Hela
Hela, Hela, Holy Holy Hela
Lady Death, Lady Death
Holy Lady Hela

When Hela is palpably felt (the temperature in the room will drop, and the room may also smell of rot), the rite will begin.  The black candle and white candle will be lit to show Her light as well as Her darkness.


3. Offering

The apple is consecrated and placed in the bowl to Hela, with the words of acknowledgement that She feeds the dead, and thus She is welcome to transform its rot and decay.  The roses are then given in appreciation of Her beauty.


4. The Memory

The Godhar reads off the list of names of those who have died.  After the name is read off, the gathered folk reply: May (Name) be remembered and rest well.


5. Moment of Silence
The Godhar calls for a moment of silence, so each person can meditate on Hela and/or their own mortality.


6. Closing

Hela is thanked for Her presence, and the people depart with a blessing.


(C) 2008 Sigrun Freyskona.