By CAROLE BRESLIN
The Vikings! The word Viking comes from a Scandinavian word vik meaning bay or creek, with the extended word meaning pirate.
The images the word brings to mind are amazing ships landing around Europe, even on the northeastern fringes of North America, to raid, pillage, and destroy. Although this did happen to some extent, the Vikings also handed down an amazing gift for shipbuilding, downhill skiing, the comb used to subdue unruly hair, and also the founding of such wonderful Irish cities as Dublin and Limerick.
Had the Vikings not traveled to the lower parts of Europe, then the Scandinavian countries would not have been converted to Christianity. King Olaf II is credited for the spread of Christianity in Norway, despite his short life and many travels.
King Olaf II of Norway was the son of Harald Grenske, the great-great grandson of the first King of Norway. When Harald’s wife, Asta Gudbransdatter, was pregnant with Olaf, Harald died. (She later married Sigurd Syr and one of their children became king of Norway when Olaf II died.)
Olaf Haraldsson was born in 995 in Ringerike, Norway, near Oslo. He was short and strong. Some believe that Olaf was baptized in 998 since his ancestor strove to convert Norway to Christianity by force. This is likely not the case.
Christianity in Norway can be traced back to the tenth century when Haakan Haraldsson, Olaf’s grandfather, converted to Christianity. Haakan had been sent to England by his father, then king, to protect his son against those who wanted to take over the throne.
While in England, the court introduced Haakan to Christianity and baptized him. Haakan then returned to Norway, and when he was king he tried to force his people to accept Christianity. Supposedly, this was a failure because Haakan used force rather than reason to spread the faith by destroying temples and threatening those who refused to convert.
Haakan’s grandson, Olaf, unlike most saints in the Roman Catholic Church, was not a particularly devout youth or adult since he had some illegitimate children. As a young man, still in his early teens, Olaf participated in many of the Viking raids around the British Isles. While he resided in England after one of the Viking raids, Olaf was exposed to Christianity in more depth.
As a teen he went on forays to the Osilia Islands in the Baltic Sea as well as Finland in 1008. Then he went to Denmark and then to London, where legend says he helped destroy London Bridge. Supposedly Olaf put Ethelred on the throne in England and then restored the bridge.
Next Olaf went to Normandy, France, where he stayed with Duke Richard II, an ardent Christian. This part of France had been conquered by the Norsemen, also called Vikings, in 881. Most concur that Olaf was baptized in Rouen, France, during his time in Normandy.
In 1015, Olaf returned to Norway with the intention of trying to free Norway and Sweden from the control of the Danes. With the support of five petty kings — the rulers of smaller kingdoms unified under the rule of the Norsemen — Olaf declared himself King of Norway. He solidified his rule in 1016 when he defeated Earl Sweyn, Earl of Lade, who had much control over Norway. Olaf then asked that missionaries be sent from England to help him Christianize Norway.
One of Olaf’s first accomplishments as king was the founding of the city of Sarpsborg by the Sarpsfossen waterfall in Ostfold. He also continued with his objective of unifying all of Norway under one rule by winning over the other petty kings, and subduing the people of the Orkney Islands, part of what is now northeast Scotland. In addition he made peace with the King of Sweden and conquered Denmark.
For a short while, Olaf was engaged to Princess Ingegerd, the daughter of Olof, the King of Sweden. However, Olaf ended up marrying her half-sister, Astrid Olofsdotter, who was Olof’s illegitimate daughter. Olaf and Astrid’s daughter married Ordulf, the Duke of Saxony, and thus began a long line of Olaf’s descendants who married royalty throughout Europe.
King Olaf enjoyed a successful reign for a little more than ten years. In 1026, Olaf, allied with the Swedes, fought against the English and Danes in the Battle of Hegea and lost. Then the Norwegian nobles, incensed with Olaf’s overbearing demands, joined King Canute of Denmark to overthrow Olaf.
Having lost this battle also, Olaf was forced into exile in Kievan Rus, which is now a part of Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. This area had been converted by Vladimir the Great. Some of Olaf’s biographers claim that he spent time in Sweden during this period, baptizing many of the people in Nerike, Sweden.
After three years of exile, King Canute’s regent, Jarl Hakon Erikkson, was lost at sea in 1029. Immediately, Olaf seized the opportunity to try and win back his kingdom. However, in 1030, in a battle with some of his own countrymen, Olaf was killed.
Most historians believe that Olaf was responsible for the conversion of Norway, but others note that Bishop Grimkill, one of the missionaries from England, did most of that work. It is possible that a remnant of Christians remain from the time of Olaf’s grandfather. Still, Olaf sought to consolidate the presence of Christianity in Norway and increase the influence of the Church in his kingdom — especially the interior part of the country.
Olaf is credited with documenting or codifying the teachings of the Church. The resulting document was so valued by the Norwegians that when Pope Gregory VII issued directives on priestly celibacy, the Christians of Norway balked, claiming that it was not in Olaf’s writings.
At the time of Olaf’s death in 1030, Bishop Grimkill was the only missionary left out of all those Olaf brought to his country. On August 3, 1031, Bishop Grimkill initiated the beatification of Olaf. This was before the time of the formal canonization process now in use.
Although records do not indicate that Olaf possessed heroic virtue or suffered intense persecution for his adherence to orthodoxy, many miracles have been attributed to him.
When he died, a blind man rubbed the saint’s blood on his eyes and regained his eyesight. He is reputed to have slain a sea monster, with the remains still visible on a hillside in Norway. Throughout Scandinavia, many shrines, chapels, churches, and schools have been established in his name. He is the patron saint of Norway with elaborate celebrations taking place on July 29, his feast day.
Dear St. Olaf, today there are many battles being waged around the world. You, who fought many battles, obtain for us the courage, the fortitude, the zeal, and the perseverance to fight those battles most important to eternal life. When the enemy of Christ’s Church attacks, may we be prepared to fight for the Truth, and to proclaim the Truth with confidence and charity according to God’s holy will. Amen.
+ + +
(Carole Breslin home-schooled her four daughters and served as treasurer of the Michigan Catholic Home Educators for eight years. For over ten years, she was national coordinator for the Marian Catechists, founded by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ.)
Powered by WPtouch Mobile Suite for WordPress