Some keys to a better understanding of Lutheranism
The National Evangelical Lutheran Church is subsidized by the State. In 2021, 70% of the population is Protestant, although this proportion has been decreasing for the last 30 years. In 1984, it was 91%. The rest of the population is attached to the Orthodox (1.7%) and Catholic (1.3%) Churches or to other forms of Christianity (7%), as well as to denominations such as Buddhism (1.1%), Judaism (0.5%) or Islam (0.8%), which is increasingly present. There are now 2,300 parishes and as many pastors (trained at the theological universities of Copenhagen and Aarhus) in the eleven Danish dioceses administered by the Minister of Religion. Each of them is organized as a bishopric and has a cathedral. Although there has been a certain disaffection with religious practices in recent years, this situation is not unique to Denmark. The Faroese specificity: in 2007, the former "Faroese diocese" became the Faroese national church, independent of the Church of Denmark.
A little history and how it works
Christianity took root in the early 9th century and became the king's religion in 950 when Harald the Blue Tooth was baptized. The runes inscribed on the Jelling stone still bear witness to the early Christianization of Denmark. Most Danish churches were built some two hundred years later, between the 12th and mid-13th centuries. The Lutheran Reformation of 1536 eradicated Catholicism, breaking away from the Papal Church and establishing Lutheranism as the only state-approved religion.
The hierarchy of the Church was organized with the episcopate at its summit. The highest position, to which several women have been able to accede in recent years. The minister of the Church is responsible for the churches and the pastors. Since 1947, women are also pastors in Denmark. Each church has its own management. The pastor and some lay people form the presbyteral council, which manages the parish and decides on religious activities. Every four years, the parishioners meet to choose a "congregational council" (menighedsråd
). The council appoints the pastors, but they receive their salaries from the state. All members of the Danish church pay church tax (in addition to the state tax) which covers part of the church's expenses. Since monastic vows have been abolished, there are no monastic or conventual communities or vows of chastity, and therefore pastors are allowed to marry and start a family.Their role is to conduct the foundations of the church: baptism, confirmation, marriage, burial or mass. The latter is held every Sunday at noon. Psalms are sung and the pastor preaches on a passage from the Bible. There are other more specific masses for Christmas, Easter or Pentecost. In addition, the pastors play an important social role in the community: they talk to people in difficulty or visit the elderly or the sick.
As far as dogma is concerned, Lutherans recognize only two sacraments: baptism and the Eucharist. The baptized become automatically members of the church, but can withdraw when they wish. Danish teenagers, at the age of 14-15, can make their profession of faith in God or Confirmation. This takes place after one year of religious studies and the obligation to go to church eight times. On this occasion, the cities raise the Dannebrog (Danish flag). The Monday following Confirmation, "Blue Monday", is a day off during which the confirmed can enjoy an amusement park and have fun. The Danish welfare system is a direct heritage of Protestantism.Festivals and popular traditions
The main religious holidays are Easter, Pentecost, Ascension and Nativity, and Reformation on 31 October.
Just before Easter, Fastelavn is carnival time. It is celebrated in all territories associated with Denmark on the Sunday or Monday before Ash Wednesday. The term Fastelavn is derived from Old Norse and means "before fasting", which is the day before the beginning of Lent. During this festival, children dress up and practice the tradition of " slå katten af tønden ". This is a kind of piñata where a black cat used to be locked up, but now it has been replaced by lots of sweets! Whoever manages to knock them out becomes kattedronning ("the queen of cats"), and must choose his or her king, kattekonge. On these days, the windows of the bakeries are filled with Fastelavnsboller, round brioche buns filled with delicious whipped cream.
After this period of indulgence comes the time of fasting and penance. Store Bededag, the "Great Day of Prayer" takes place on thefourth Friday after Easter Sunday. Since 1686, it has combined various dates related to contrition into one day. During the Easter period, it is traditional to write a letter to each other, known as a " gækkebreve ". The letter is written on pieces of paper cut in many different patterns and each one must be personalized. The text must rhyme and the sender must not sign the letter, as it is up to the recipient to guess who wrote it. If they guess, they get a chocolate Easter egg. If not, the pledge is for him.
On Midsummer's Day, Sankt Hans aften, people jump and dance around bonfires. It is a day of joy as the summer solstice is celebrated on the evening of 23 June. Family and friends gather on the beach or by a lake. Holger Drachmann's Midsommervisen is sung and a witch is burned at the top of the bonfire
Jul is the Christmas season, the most intense in the calendar. It begins a little before December with D-Dag, short for " julebrygsdag " (Christmas beer day). The initiative was taken by the Danish brewery Tuborg, which launched the Christmas beer in 1990 and has since become a tradition in Denmark. This day, which falls on the first Friday of November, kicks off the Nativity festivities. It all starts at 8:59 pm sharp. Then comes Saint Lucia, Luciadag, celebrated on December 13. A festival introduced in 1944 from Sweden by Franz Wend, secretary of Föreningen Norden, with the aim of "bringing light to these dark times". The day after Christmas Eve, Juleaften, there are two public holidays, 25 and 26 December. Born in Viking times, the Jul celebration marked the return of light. The houses are decorated with candles and decorations where red dominates, a nice contrast with the green of the tree. Contrary to what one might think, the tradition of the tree only appeared in 1808, and for the first time in Holsteinsborg, then three years later in Ny Kongensgade (Copenhagen). As for Santa Claus, he arrives on a sleigh pulled by reindeer with gifts for the children. That's a familiar sight. But have you heard of his elf friends and the spiky-eared elves, including the well-known Nisse? This sumptuous month concludes with the Midnight Leap. Do as all Danes do, get on a chair and... jump into the new year when the twelve strokes of midnight sound. Be careful because not jumping will bring you bad luck for the rest of the year! At least, that's what the Danes say..
Thor, Odin and other gods of Walhalla: Viking beliefs
In common parlance, we simply speak of Den Gamle tro (the old belief), the notion of folklore does not exist. Thor, the god of thunder, Odin, the creator god, Loki, the mischievous one; Yggdrasil, the great tree or Mjöllnir the hammer; the heroes Siegfried and Ragnar, the giants, the elves, the dwarves... so many characters from the Nordic myths. Through the story of the gods and heroes, the Vikings explained the world around them from its creation to its end... in chaos. This oral tradition was compiled in the 13th century in the Eddas, which should not be confused with the Sagas, more romantic tales that recount the deeds of a king, a hero or a clan. This mythology was revived by the Romantic movement of the 19th century. A pantheistic religion, it gave a predominant place to women, nature and divination. This pantheon, Hof, is made up of two families of gods, the Aesir (warrior and sovereign gods) and the Vanes (fertility), who will eventually unite. For example Odin, god of war, had for wife Frigg, goddess of marriage and fertility through motherhood. Animals play an important role, goats - Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr -, ravens - Hugin and Munin -, horses - Sleipnir -, wild boar - Sæhrímnir -, etc. They are faithful companions of the gods. They are the faithful and totemic companions of the deities.
The city ofAarhus hosts the country's oldest and one of the most important medieval Viking festivals every July. Three weeks of animations, costumes, Viking ships, re-enactments to bring this epic back to life and gastronomy... Hanap and aquavit to serve you! Skål!
