Ragnarok: One Month Left Before Viking Apocalypse Ends Life on Earth

There is just one month left before the Viking apocalypse is upon us, at which point the nine worlds of the cosmos will be destroyed in a cataclysmic event.

Ragnarok, or the end of the world, will begin when the wolf, Fenrir, son of Loki, breaks out of his prison. A chain reaction will then take place, with the Midgard snake Jormungand rising from the sea and a wolf devouring the sun.

These events will accumulate in a huge battle, where the Gods, mankind and all races from the nine worlds will fight.

According to the Jorvic Viking Festival, which takes place in York every February, these events were prophesied by Odin, who had hung himself from Yggdrasill, the world tree, for nine days so he could die and be re-born with wisdom and foresight.

"The wisdom acquired by Odin allowed him to see the events of Ragnarok enabling him to plan for the end of the world, including rounding up all the Vikings heroes who died in battle to Valhalla, his great hall where they would feast and wait for the end of the world and the battle to end all battles," festival organisers explain.

When the world ends, the Sun's beams will turn to black and the weather will become treacherous: "Brothers will fight and kill each other, sisters' children will defile kinship. It is harsh in the world, whoredom rife - an axe age, a sword age - shields are riven - a wind age, a wolf age - before the world goes headlong. No man will have mercy on another," a prophetic poem says.

Normally, the Viking festival of Jolablot takes place every 22 February to mark the end of winter. However, this year it also coincides with Ragnarok. But will the world really end one month from today?

"No one can say for certain – we have only interpreted the myths as best we can. What we do know for certain is that the Vikings loved to feast and wouldn't want to miss an event like this!"

Some have even suggested Ragnarok has already happened, with prophecies being fulfilled in recent world events. In Norse mythology, it says: "Boundaries that exist shall crumble." Some have interpreted this as the global rise of social media and the apparent non-existence of internet security.

The Migard Serpent has also been linked to two giant oarfish that were washed up on a shore in California a few months ago.

The Jorvik Viking Festival is expected to attract around 40,000 people to York, with the celebrations running from 15 February.

Danielle Daglan director of the festival, said: "Ragnarok is the ultimate landmark in Viking mythology, when the gods fall and die, so this really is an event that should not be underestimated."