The Vikings have already arrived in York City, England, for the 30th edition of the Jorvik Viking Festival, which, if the world doesn't end, runs until February 23. Since the announcement last year - a hundred days before the end of the world - festival participants have been preparing for the Viking apocalypse.

The legend of the end of the world comes from Norse mythology and says that the god Heimdallr will play the mythical horn (called Gjallarhorn) to warn that the Ragnarök (meaning the "final destiny of the gods" in Nordic) has begun. After making some calculations, Nordic mythology experts announced that the Viking apocalypse is due to take place on February 22, 2014.

The first Vikings begin to arrive in York City. Image Source: Playback / Mirror

Supposedly, the sound of the horn should serve to draw all sons of Odin into battle, when the god will be killed by the wolf Fenrir (son of Loki) and other gods. In addition, many natural disasters - such as earthquakes and floods - must occur so that the earth will later emerge fertile and abundant, where the survivors will gather and the world will be repopulated by two humans.

Signs of the times

Even after the end announced by the Mayan calendar went awry, Danielle Daglan - director of the Jorvik Viking Festival - believes recent events may be a sign that the end is closer than we think.

Believing in the legend of the viking apocalypse, Daglan recalls an excerpt that says "the first to notice will be a man, brother will fight against brother and all the limits that exist will crumble." According to her, the reference concerns the internet, where it is possible to communicate with millions of people simultaneously around the world thanks to the global growth of social media.

Odin and Fenrir fight during the apocalypse. Image source: Reproduction / Wikimedia Commons

The Viking tradition still points out that there must be a harsh winter in the apocalypse. “There are predictions that we are on our way to a small ice age thanks to the decline in solar activity. What is a small ice age but many winters in one? ”Asks Daglan.

Another part of Ragnarök says that Jormungand (the Midgard Serpent) will be released and will rise from the ocean. In this regard, the director recalls the two creatures that inexplicably emerged in California last year.

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Are the Norse right and will the apocalypse really happen this time? Have you decided what to do in your last days on earth or do you know how to survive the end of the world? Share your opinion with us in the comments and save who you can!