Bodø Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Bodø Cathedral is a cathedral
in the municipality of Bodø
in Nordland
county, Norway
. It is located in the town of Bodø
. The church is part of the Bodø
parish
in the Bodø deanery
in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland. The cathedral is also the seat of the Bishop
of Sør-Hålogaland, currently Tor Berger Jørgensen
since 2007.
. In 1946, an architectural competition was held for the construction of a new church in Bodø. The architects Gudolf Blakstad
and Herman Munthe-Kaas
won that competition. The foundation stone was laid in 1954 and the new church was consecrated by Bishop Wollert Krohn-Hansen in 1956. By the time it was completed, it became the new cathedral for the new Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland
.
Bodø Cathedral is built of concrete and has a basilica
design. The church has an outer sculpture depicting Petter Dass
made by Kristoffer Leirdal. Over the altar in the east wall, there is a 12 metres (39.4 ft) high stained glass. It is designed by Åge Storstein and constructed by Borgar Hauglid. The church has a 36 metres (118.1 ft) tall independent clock tower that contains three bells. There is also a memorial to those who died from Bodø during the Second World War. The memorial says «Til de fra Bodø som gav sitt liv for Norge under krig og okkupasjon 1940 – 1945. Ingen nevnt, ingen glemt» which means "To those from Bodø who gave their lives for Norway during the war and occupation 1940-1945. Not named, not forgotten."
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in the municipality of Bodø
Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
in Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
county, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is located in the town of Bodø
Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
. The church is part of the Bodø
Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in the Bodø deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland. The cathedral is also the seat of the Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Sør-Hålogaland, currently Tor Berger Jørgensen
Tor Berger Jørgensen
Tor Berger Jørgensen is the Bishop of the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland in the Church of Norway.Jørgensen was named the new bishop of Sør-Hålogaland on 17 November 2006 and took over those duties from Øystein Ingar Larsen on 28 January 2007...
since 2007.
History
The old church in Bodø was destroyed on 27 May 1940 when the whole city center of Bodø was bombed during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1946, an architectural competition was held for the construction of a new church in Bodø. The architects Gudolf Blakstad
Gudolf Blakstad
Gudolf Blakstad was a Norwegian architect.Born in Gjerpen, Blakstad was educated at the Norwegian Institute of Technology, worked with Arnstein Arneberg and Herman Munthe-Kaas...
and Herman Munthe-Kaas
Herman Munthe-Kaas
Herman Munthe-Kaas was a Norwegian architect. Herman Munthe-Kaas was primarily known for his Functionalist building designs.-Biography:...
won that competition. The foundation stone was laid in 1954 and the new church was consecrated by Bishop Wollert Krohn-Hansen in 1956. By the time it was completed, it became the new cathedral for the new Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland
Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland
Sør-Hålogaland is a diocese in the Church of Norway. The Diocese covers the Lutheran Church of Norway churches located within Nordland county in Norway...
.
Bodø Cathedral is built of concrete and has a basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
design. The church has an outer sculpture depicting Petter Dass
Petter Dass
Petter Dass was a Lutheran clergyman and the foremost Norwegian poet of his generation, writing both baroque hymns and topographical poetry. -Biography:He was born at Northern Herøy , Nordland, Norway...
made by Kristoffer Leirdal. Over the altar in the east wall, there is a 12 metres (39.4 ft) high stained glass. It is designed by Åge Storstein and constructed by Borgar Hauglid. The church has a 36 metres (118.1 ft) tall independent clock tower that contains three bells. There is also a memorial to those who died from Bodø during the Second World War. The memorial says «Til de fra Bodø som gav sitt liv for Norge under krig og okkupasjon 1940 – 1945. Ingen nevnt, ingen glemt» which means "To those from Bodø who gave their lives for Norway during the war and occupation 1940-1945. Not named, not forgotten."