Freyr

ᚠᚱᛅᚢᛦ

Lord of the Vanir: giver of sunshine, rain, ripe harvest and peace

Freyr, whose name means "Lord", is a god of the Vanir in Norse tradition. He is the son of the sea god Njörðr and the twin brother of Freyja, and he was later counted among the Æsir. Devotees turn to him for sunshine and rain, ripening fields, peace between neighbours, and plenty in herds and households. He is also called Yngvi-Freyr. Swedish tradition remembered him as a king and the ancestor of the Ynglingar royal house, and his reign was recalled as one of peace and plenty.

The centre of his cult was Uppsala in Sweden. He is described in the Poetic and Prose Eddas of the 13th century. Today living Heathen and Ásatrú communities honour him at weddings, harvest feasts and seasonal blóts, including those kept by the Ásatrúarfélagið in Iceland and the Asatru Alliance.

See the gallery

Freyr (Walhall), 1888-01-01. Wikimedia Commons (public domain), Johannes Gehrts (1855–1921)

How to recognise Freyr

Noble, sunlit bearingLook for a young, fair-faced, calm and generous man, since Snorri calls Freyr and Freyja fair of face and mighty; he is a god of peace, not a warrior.
Gullinbursti, the golden boarThe dwarf-made boar "Golden-bristled" carries him, its gold bristles glowing in the darkest night, and the boar was sacred to Freyr and Freyja.
Skíðblaðnir, the folding shipThe best of ships always has a fair wind and folds like cloth into a pouch, yet in the Gylfaginning account it can carry all the gods.
The stag's antlerFreyr gave away his self-fighting sword to win Gerðr, so if he holds anything it is the antler with which he slew the giant Beli.
Grain and sun-glowAn ear or sheaf of grain, a soft glow or a few sun rays point to his gifts of sunshine, rain and the ripening harvest.
Viking-Age dressHe wears a belted tunic and cloak, sometimes with simple arm-rings, in keeping with a god of peace and plenty.
Small companionsHis servants Skírnir and Byggvir ("Barley") may appear beside him, or the boar alone.

Names and titles

The Lord of Sun and RainFreyr means 'Lord', and Snorri says he rules over the rain and the shining of the sun
Ruler of Peace and PlentyHis reign in Sweden was remembered as one of peace and plenty
Rider of the Golden BoarHe rides Gullinbursti, the dwarf-made boar whose golden bristles light the dark
The Ship That Folds AwayHis ship Skíðblaðnir always has a fair wind and folds up like cloth into a pocket
Giver of WealthFégjafa, 'God of Wealth-Gifts', is one of his names in Skáldskaparmál

Feast days

Sigurblót22 April 2027

Sigurblót, the "victory blót", is one of the four main yearly blóts of Iceland's Ásatrúarfélagið. It is held on the first day of summer in the old Icelandic calendar and honours Freyr.
How it's celebrated. The Ásatrúarfélagið says its ceremonies are open to the public. Past gatherings have included a blót followed by grilled sausages, coffee and summer gifts for children. Sites have included Síðumúli in Reykjavík, Klambratún park and Höfn í Hornafirði. Some Asatru groups elsewhere link the day to Odin or to Freyr and Freyja.
Sources: Ásatrúarfélagið: annual blót · Iceland Magazine: 11 things to know about Ásatrú · Norse Mythology Blog: Sigurblót
Freyfaxi19 August, every year

Freyfaxi is a modern Asatru harvest celebration of Freyr. The Asatru Alliance calendar describes it as marking the harvest time in ancient Iceland, and followers keep it with a blót to Freyr and a feast.
How it's celebrated. Devotees hold a blót to Freyr and share a feast of food from garden and field. Some bake a figure of Freyr in bread and eat it as an offering. The name and date are not fixed in surviving sources. The Alliance gives one date, and other groups keep it in early August, mid-month or at the full moon.
Sources: Asatru Alliance: Runic Era Calendar · Freyfaxi – Frey's Blott (Shirley Twofeathers)
Winter Nights (Vetrarnætur)24 October 2026 (date to be confirmed)

Winter Nights (Vetrnætr) marks the start of winter in the old Icelandic calendar. In the sagas it is a time of autumn feasts and blóts, including one to Freyr. This entry and the other Winter Nights entry are the same celebration.
How it's celebrated. The Asatru Alliance lists it as Vetrablot/Freyablot and says it honours Freya and the dísir. Saga accounts, such as Gísla saga, describe a feast and a blót to Freyr. Which deities were honoured varied by saga, and modern groups differ too. The Alliance's listed date range differs from the Icelandic rule of a Saturday in late October.
Sources: Asatru Alliance: Runic Era Calendar · Wikipedia: Winter Nights · Fornkunskap: Vetrnætr
High Feast of Yule21 December, every year

The High Feast of Yule is kept at the winter solstice. The Asatru Alliance calendar calls it the beginning of the runic year and sacred to Thor and Freyr.
How it's celebrated. The Alliance calendar suggests blót, sumbel and a high feast, a Yule log with leaping over the flames, and oaths sworn on Freyr's boar or on a Hammer. Practice varies. Some heathens keep Yule over twelve nights or by a lunar reckoning, and Iceland's Ásatrúarfélagið holds its solstice Jólablót in honour of Freyja.
Sources: Asatru Alliance: Runic Era Calendar · Iceland Magazine: 11 things to know about Ásatrú · The Troth: Yule