Bishop of Reykjavik (Catholic)
Encyclopedia
The Christianization of Iceland
The Norsemen who settled in Iceland from the end of the ninth century were pagans; and it was one of the functions of their chieftains, called goði, to conduct religious services. But, as the Icelanders made frequent journeys, and often to distant lands, they were soon brought into contact with Christian populations, and thus prepared in some sense for religious change.The first native Christian missionary was one Stefnir Þorgilsson (996), commissioned by King Olaf Trygvesson. The somewhat abrupt methods which characterized his religious zeal brought him at first but a small following, but about the year 1000, Gissur and Hjalti, two Icelanders exiled from the country returned from Norway Christians, and soon obtained a decree from the Althing
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
whereby pagan practices were suppressed, and the people compelled to accept baptism. A real conversion of the nation was only achieved after long and laborious efforts and the careful instruction of the people. The names of the missionaries and of their bishops are only known in part and there is no sure information concerning their work.
50 years later (in 1056) the country was given a bishop of its own, suffragan to the Archbishop of Hamburg, with his see at Skálholt
Skálholt
Skálholt is an historical site situated in the south of Iceland at the river Hvítá.-History:Skálholt was, through eight centuries, one of the most important places in Iceland. From 1056 until 1785, it was one of Iceland's two episcopal sees, along with Hólar, making it a cultural and political...
, while in 1106 a bishopric was erected at Hólar
Hólar
Hólar is a small community located in the Skagafjörður district and situated in northern Iceland.-Location:Hólar is located in the Hjaltadalur valley, some from the national capital at Reykjavík. Hólar has a population of around 100...
. These two dioceses were first under the Archbishop of Lund, later (1152) under that of Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, and until the middle of the 16th century were in close communion with Rome.
The bishops were selected by the Alþingi, but the nominees were consecrated by the metropolitan. Many of their prelates were distinguished for their virtue and wisdom. The priests of Iceland frequently went to French and English universities for studies. Many among the clergy and laity made pilgrimages to shrines of both East and West. Canon law was in force by the year 1053. Under the influence of the Church the old laws (Gragas) were written down in 1117, but civil strife led to recognition of Norwegian hegemony.
After Christianization there sprang up a number of monasteries, such as the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
abbeys of Thingeirar, Munkaþverá
Munkaþverá
Munkaþverá was a Benedictine monastery in Eyjafjörður, Iceland. It was established around 1155 and was abolished when the country was reformed in 1550...
, Kirkjubaer, and the Canon Regular convents of Thykkviboer, Flatey
Flatey
Flatey may refer to either of two islands in Iceland:*Flatey, Breiðafjörður*Flatey, SkjálfandiSee also:* Flateyjarbók, one of the most important medieval Icelandic manuscripts...
, Vioey, Moeoruvellir, and Skrioa. These religious houses were centres of learning and literature and were not foreign to Icelandic culture. The works of literature were of both a historical and a religious character, including poetry. Attempts were made as early as the middle of the 13th century to translate the Bible into the vernacular. There was a numerous secular clergy, with some 300 were distributed among 220 churches and artistic levels of church decoration and religious artisanship was high. This positive situation began to decline when Iceland was affected in the beginning of the fifteenth century by internal unrest, factional conflicts, earthquakes, and epidemics which struck men and beasts alike. About this period, also, religious life left much to be desired. Certain bishops like Árni Ólafsson (1413-30) and Jón Gereksson (1430-33), of Skálholt, neglected their flocks or made themselves odious by their acts of tyranny.
Upon the death of Haakon VI of Norway
Haakon VI of Norway
Haakon VI of Norway was King of Norway from 1343 until his death and King of Sweden from 1362 until 1364, when he was deposed by Albert of Mecklenburg in Sweden.-Background:...
in 1380, his son Olaf, who since 1376 had ruled Denmark, ascended the Norwegian throne and thus effected a centuries-long union of Denmark and Iceland, which later facilitated the spread of Lutheranism
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
during the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. The Althing
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
(Icelandic parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
) was not finally suppressed until 1800.
Catholic Bishops
The following most recent heads of the Catholic Church in Iceland were bishops:Vicars Apostolic of Iceland
- Martino Meulenberg S.M.M.Company of MaryThe Missionaries of the Company of Mary is a missionary religious congregation within the Latin Church one of the 23 sui iuris churches which compose the universal Catholic Church. The community was founded by Saint Louis de Montfort in 1705 with the recruitment of his first missionary disciple,...
, June 12, 1923 - 1941 (died); - Johánnes GunnarssonJohánnes GunnarssonJóhannes Gunnarsson, SMM was an Icelandic prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Apostolic Vicar of Iceland from 1942 until his resignation in 1967.-Biography:Jóhannes Gunnarsson was born in Reykjavík...
S.M.M.Company of MaryThe Missionaries of the Company of Mary is a missionary religious congregation within the Latin Church one of the 23 sui iuris churches which compose the universal Catholic Church. The community was founded by Saint Louis de Montfort in 1705 with the recruitment of his first missionary disciple,...
, February 23, 1942 - 1967 (resigned);
Bishops of Reykjavík
- Hendrik Hubert Frehen S.M.M.Company of MaryThe Missionaries of the Company of Mary is a missionary religious congregation within the Latin Church one of the 23 sui iuris churches which compose the universal Catholic Church. The community was founded by Saint Louis de Montfort in 1705 with the recruitment of his first missionary disciple,...
, October 18, 1968 - October 31, 1986 (died) - Alfred James JolsonAlfred JolsonMonsignor Alfred James Jolson, S.J. , was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church and former Bishop of the Diocese of Reykjavík, Iceland....
, S.J. December 12, 1987 - March 21, 1994 (died) - Joannes Baptist Matthijs GijsenJoannes GijsenJoannes Baptist Matthijs Gijsen is a Dutch bishop of the Roman Catholic Church. He holds a doctorate in Church History. He was first for more than twenty years Bishop of Roermond, Limburg, the Netherlands, later Bishop of Diocese of Reykjavík...
, May 24, 1996 - October 30, 2007 (retired) - Pierre BürcherPierre BürcherPierre Bürcher is a Swiss prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, currently serving as bishop of Diocese of Reykjavík, Iceland....
, December 15, 2007 - onwards
See also
- Diocese of ReykjavíkDiocese of ReykjavíkThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Reykjavík is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church which covers the whole of the country of Iceland, which had 10,207 Catholics on January 1, 2011...
- Christ the King Cathedral, Reykjavík (Iceland)LandakotskirkjaLandakotskirkja , formally named Basilika Krists konungs , is the cathedral of the Catholic Church in Iceland. It is often referred to as Kristskirkja . Landakotskirkja is located in the western part of Reykjavík, on the Landakot property. It has a distinctively flat top, as opposed to the standard...
- Roman Catholicism in IcelandRoman Catholicism in IcelandThe Roman Catholic Church in Iceland is part of the Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope. The current Bishop of the Diocese of Reykjavík is H.E. Msgr. Pierre Bürcher...
- Religion in IcelandReligion in IcelandReligion in Iceland was initially the Norse paganism that was a common belief among mediaeval Scandinavians until Christian conversion. Later, the nation became half-Christian and then more fully Christian. This increasing Christianization culminated in the Pietism period when non-Christian...