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functioning in Sweden, most probably with complex rites. It was as it were
a cathedral without Christianity. In every third year a great sacrifice was offered
by all the Svea (Swedish) people. The feast lasted for nine days, thus giving time
to elaborate rites. In a sacrificial grove, dogs, horses and even human remains
were visible. The rite served to continue and restore “traditions and peace” (ar ok
fridr, pax et prosperitas). So just at the dawn of the Christian era in Scandinavia,
the traditional religion was finally able to reach a higher level of complexity and
organization, where we can reckon with mysteries as well. But it was too late: the
Scandinavian kings forced the population to be good Christians. And soon the
kings of Scandinavia became themselves Holy Kings.’*
However, in spite of Ernst Uehli’s endless generalizations,”* we really do
not know much about mysteries in Old Icelandic. The situation is different
both in the earlier and the later centuries.
CONCLUSION
For people in (old) Iceland, the mysteries arrived with Christianity, carrying
with them deep meaning, non-indigenous rites, the Latin language, etc. It is
well known that in medieval Scandinavia (especially in Sweden) mysticism
was highly elaborate. But all this took place after the conversion. For the
intellectual background, consider the rapid worldwide success of Holy
Birgitta’s prayers. In Iceland, Christian mysticism was not well known. When
we read the sagas about Icelandic bishops (see the biskupasdégur of the 12'*¬
14" centuries) we find stories about miracles carried out by the first bishops
but there are no reports about mysteries.
Coming back to the motto of my paper (fulget crucis mysterium), the
significance of the Cross was not theoretical for the devoted Scandinavians
but rather implied an attempt to understand and interpret the actual world.
A vexillum regis with a cross was in reality a Danish invention (of 1219,
Lindanisse, today Estonia) when, as legend has it, the victorious Danish flag,
the Dannebrog, fell down directly from the heavens to help soldiers of King
Valdemar II. However, the very first reference to this miracle is from 1529—
and a miracle does not necessarily imply the existence of initiation rites or
a mystery cult.*°
4 On this topic there is a rich literature. See for instance a recent collection of comparative
papers: Nora Berend (ed.), Christianization and the Rise of Christian Monarchy: Scandinavia,
Central Europe and Rus’ c. 900-1200, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007.
Ernst Uehli, Nordisch-germanische Mythologie als Mysteriengeschichte. Mellinger,
Göttingen, 1984.
Since the Dannebrog is the state symbol of Denmark, there exists a vast popularizing
literature on the topic. See for example Inge Adriansen: Nationale symboler, Kobenhavn,
Museum Tusculanum Press, 2003.
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