Icelandic Germanic Neopagans Criticized Abroad for Conducting Gay Marriage Ceremonies

Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, chief gothi of the Ásatrúarfélagið—the major Germanic pagan organization of Iceland, reports that the group has received criticism abroad for its stance on gay marriage.

From Grapevine.is:

“We have unfortunately received some hateful communications from abroad, on account of how we handle gay issues, and have fought to be able to marry them,” Hilmar told reporters. “I think we echo Icelandic society. The people have stood with us through thick and thin.”

Hilmar says the Ásatrú Society of Iceland will continue to maintain their policy of tolerance, regardless of the misconceptions others may have.

“We’re not running this with some kind of Viking or battle romanticism,” he said. “We’re not contemplating some old text from the year 70, as some foreign Ásatrú believers seem to believe is a part of our practice.”

As of 2014, Germanic Neopaganism is the second largest religion in Iceland.

Source:
"Pagans Criticised for Being Too Liberal" at grapevine.is

Ásatrúarfélagið Goði Blesses Icelandic Air Company WOWair's New Airbus, "Freyja"

Dorrit Moussaief, First Lady of Iceland, and Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, goði of Ásatrúarfélagið, Iceland's major Germanic neopagan organization, were invited to to the unveiling of WOWair's, an Icelandic air company, new airbus unveiling. The airbus is named after Freyja, the North Germanic goddess. Hilmar performed a blessing for the unveiling of the airbus:

"Ancient and modern Iceland met yesterday evening at Reykjavik Airport, as Icelandic low-cost airline WOWair held a naming ceremony for one of two brand-new Airbus A321 aircraft purchased by the airline. The guests of honour at the event were Dorrit Moussaief, First Lady of Iceland, and Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, high priest of the Icelandic neo-pagan religious association, Ásatrúarfélagið.

...

In keeping with this reference to ancient Norse beliefs, Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, chief religious official of the Icelandic neo-pagans, was then called upon to bless the new aircraft by means of a short ceremony involving pouring beer out of a horn onto the tarmac under the plane. Guests were then invited to climb the steps and view the interior of WOWair’s latest acquisition.

Freyja will be put to work straight away and is scheduled to operate WOWair’s inaugural flight to Boston, departing from Keflavík International Airport at 4pm today."

To view more, including video of the event, view the rest of the article here: "Chief pagan blesses Icelandic jet" via mbl.is

Ásatrúarfélagið Temple at Reykjavík Construction to Begin in February

Reykjavík, Iceland: The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (Ríkisútvarpið; RÚV) reports that Iceland's Ásatrúarfélagið, the largest Germanic neopagan organization in Iceland, will begin construction of its first structure for worship, a modern temple (or, less ambiguously, a modern hof), in February in Reykjavík.

Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson, allsherjargoði of the Ásatrúarfélagið, says that the erection of such a temple is a historic event because no such temple has been erected in Northern Europe since the Temple at Uppsala in 1070 ("Í Norður-Evrópu hefur ekki staðið hof síðan hofið í Uppsölum í Svíþjóð var byggt 1070, þannig að þetta er heimssögulegur viðburður").