Hús-lestr

Old Norse Dictionary - hús-lestr

Meaning of Old Norse word "hús-lestr" in English.

As defined by the Cleasby & Vigfusson Old Norse to English dictionary:

hús-lestr
m. a house-reading, home-service, family prayers, at which hymns are sung and a sermon or lesson read; such services are held in Icel. on Sundays all the year round, in the middle of the day, for the people who cannot get to church; the húslestr consists of the Gospel for the day and a printed sermon (Vídalíns Postilla), a short prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, and a hymn before and after. During the winter an evening service is held every week day (from November to April), which consists of a brief sermon (hugvekja), a prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, and a hymn: hence hús-lestrar-bók, f. a house-reading-book, a postil or the like; húslestrar-fær, adj. able to read a huslestr, of one who has learnt to read well; vera við húslestr, to attend a h. During Lent the Passíu-Sálmar are by popular consent appointed for the húslestr. This old and pious custom is entirely spontaneous, and not ordered by any church authority.

Possible runic inscription in Younger Futhark:ᚼᚢᛋ-ᛚᛁᛋᛏᚱ
Younger Futhark runes were used from 8th to 12th centuries in Scandinavia and their overseas settlements

Abbreviations used:

adj.
adjective.
f.
feminine.
Icel.
Iceland, Icelander, Icelanders, Icelandic.
l.
line.
m.
masculine.

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