AN ‘‘A-choc-alypse’’ ceremony is being hosted in York today on the date the Mayans predicted the world would officially end.

The Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012 and for centuries there have been predictions that this date would bring the apocalypse.

It may sound like superstitious nonsense to many, but the date has been causing stress and worry in some parts of the world.

A poll by Ipsos, published in May, suggested that eight per cent of people across 21 countries have been feeling anxious because they fear the world will end this year. And last Friday, NASA launched a video to reassure people that we are not about to encounter Doomsday.

York’s Chocolate Story is inviting visitors to attend a special ‘‘A-choc-alypse’’ ceremony today, allowing them to learn about chocolate’s lasting link with the Mayans.

They will recreate the sacred ritual and offer specially made Mayan hot chocolate to the Mayan gods.

Marketing manager Beckie Senior said: “Chocolate has been linked to the Mayans for thousands of years and our team of talented storytellers will bring life to the ancient rituals on the date when the Mayans predict the world will officially end.”

However, according to a message received from Master Shaman LionFire, farmer Tom Pearcy, the owner of York Maze, reassures us that the world will not be ending today.

Mr Pearcy flew in the Mayan Shaman from America last summer to conduct a traditional Mayan blessing on his land at York Maze.

He claims the Mayan Shaman has since been in touch to let people know they do not need to fear the end of the world today.

Mr Pearcy said: “Following the blessing ceremony LionFire conducted at York Maze in the summer, he has been in touch to ask me to pass on a message from the Mayan elders to reassure the world that this Friday heralds a time of great change and not the end of the world.”