Hallvard Vebjørnsson
Encyclopedia
Hallvard Vebjørnsson (c. 1020–1043), commonly referred to as Saint Hallvard, is the patron saint
of Oslo
. He is considered a martyr
because of his defence of an innocent woman.
. The exact year of birth and place of his birth is unknown. According to tradition, his father was the farmer Vebjørn. His parents were wealthy farmers and owned the farm Husaby in Lier
. His mother was Torny Gudbrandsdatter. His mother was reportedly related to St. Olaf
, the patron saint of Norway
. It is said that his mother was the daughter of Gudbrand Kula from Oppland
, who was also the father of Åsta Gudbrandsdatter
, St. Olav's mother.
, who had been given sanctuary on his ship from three men accusing her of theft. Hallvard, together with the woman, was killed by arrows from the men. The woman was buried on the beach. Hallvard, however, was bound with a millstone
around his neck, and the men attempted to drown his body in Drammensfjord
but it refused to sink and as a result their crimes were discovered.
Hallvard's Cathedral (Hallvardskatedralen), a cathedral dedicated to his name was finished in Oslo in 1130, where his relics were stored. The Cathedral was built on the hill by the Old Town market square in Oslo (intersection of Bispegata - Oslo gate) during the early 12th century, and was in use as a church until about 1655. Besides being the bishop's seat and religious center in more than 500 years, the cathedral was the coronation church, the royal wedding church and the royal burial chapel. It fell into disrepair in the 17th century and is today a ruin.
The connection of St. Hallvard to the city of Oslo
was fortified by the fact that his image was recorded in the city's seal already on the 14th century. The municipality's highest honor, the St. Hallvard Medal (St. Hallvard-medaljen), was named after him in 1950.
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. He is considered a martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
because of his defence of an innocent woman.
Background
Little is known of his life, and all traditional stories relate to his death near DrammenDrammen
Drammen is a city in Buskerud County, Norway. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the eastern and most populated part of Norway.-Location:...
. The exact year of birth and place of his birth is unknown. According to tradition, his father was the farmer Vebjørn. His parents were wealthy farmers and owned the farm Husaby in Lier
Lier, Norway
Lier is an affluent municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lier. The municipality of Lier was established on 1 January 1838...
. His mother was Torny Gudbrandsdatter. His mother was reportedly related to St. Olaf
Olaf II of Norway
Olaf II Haraldsson was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae and canonised in Nidaros by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. Enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral...
, the patron saint of 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 said that his mother was the daughter of Gudbrand Kula from Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
, who was also the father of Åsta Gudbrandsdatter
Åsta Gudbrandsdatter
Åsta Gudbrandsdatter was the mother of two Norwegian kings, King Olaf II of Norway and King Harald III of Norway.According to the sagas, Åsta Gudbrandsdatter was from Vestfold. Åsta's father was Gudbrand Kula from Oppland...
, St. Olav's mother.
Death
Hallvard defended a pregnant woman, most likely a slaveThrall
Thrall was the term for a serf or unfree servant in Scandinavian culture during the Viking Age.Thralls were the lowest in the social order and usually provided unskilled labor during the Viking era.-Etymology:...
, who had been given sanctuary on his ship from three men accusing her of theft. Hallvard, together with the woman, was killed by arrows from the men. The woman was buried on the beach. Hallvard, however, was bound with a millstone
Millstone
Millstones or mill stones are used in windmills and watermills, including tide mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.The type of stone most suitable for making millstones is a siliceous rock called burrstone , an open-textured, porous but tough, fine-grained sandstone, or a silicified,...
around his neck, and the men attempted to drown his body in Drammensfjord
Drammensfjord
Drammensfjord is a fjord in Norway that connects to Ytre Oslofjord on the west side. It stretches to the north and northeast. The Drammenselva river discharges into the head of the fjord...
but it refused to sink and as a result their crimes were discovered.
Veneration
St. Hallvard was celebrated as a local saint in Norway - and especially in the eastern region - throughout the Middle Ages from about mid-11th century, with a peak in the early 13th century. His religious feast day was 15 May. Hallvard has been revered as a martyr for his defence of an innocent person since medieval times.Hallvard's Cathedral (Hallvardskatedralen), a cathedral dedicated to his name was finished in Oslo in 1130, where his relics were stored. The Cathedral was built on the hill by the Old Town market square in Oslo (intersection of Bispegata - Oslo gate) during the early 12th century, and was in use as a church until about 1655. Besides being the bishop's seat and religious center in more than 500 years, the cathedral was the coronation church, the royal wedding church and the royal burial chapel. It fell into disrepair in the 17th century and is today a ruin.
The connection of St. Hallvard to the city of Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
was fortified by the fact that his image was recorded in the city's seal already on the 14th century. The municipality's highest honor, the St. Hallvard Medal (St. Hallvard-medaljen), was named after him in 1950.