Sunniva
Encyclopedia
Saint Sunniva is the patron saint
of the Norwegian Diocese of Bjørgvin
, as well as all of Western Norway.
According to legend, Sunniva was the heir of an Irish
kingdom, but had to flee when a heathen king, who wanted to marry her, invaded. At the Norwegian island of Selja
, in the present-day municipality of Selje
, she and her followers took refuge in a cave. The locals suspected the foreigners of stealing their sheep, and the ruler Håkon Jarl
was sent for. Sunniva and her followers prayed to God that they should not fall into the hands of the heathens, upon which rocks fell down blocking the entrance to the cave.
Sunniva and the others died in the cave, but in the years to come miracles were reported on the island. When the Christian king Olaf Tryggvason
excavated the cave in 996, the body of Sunniva was found intact. Later a Benedictine
monastery, Selje Abbey
, was built on the site, the ruins of which can still be seen.
In about 1170 the relic
s of Sunniva were translated from Selje to Christ Church
, the old cathedral of Bergen
, and were found to be incorrupt
.
During the fires in Bergen of 1170/71 and of 1198 the relics of Sunniva were taken from the cathedral and set down at Sandbru. This reportedly halted the advance of the fire and was hailed as a miracle.
The relics appear to have been lost in or around 1536, as a consequence of the Reformation.
Around 1170 the story of Sunniva was written down in a Latin hagiographic work titled Acta sanctorum in Selio
.
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 the Norwegian Diocese of Bjørgvin
Diocese of Bjørgvin
Bjørgvin Diocese is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers churches located in the counties of Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane. The cathedral city is Bergen. Bergen Cathedral, formerly the Church of Saint Olaf, serves as the seat of the presiding Bishop...
, as well as all of Western Norway.
According to legend, Sunniva was the heir of an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
kingdom, but had to flee when a heathen king, who wanted to marry her, invaded. At the Norwegian island of Selja
Selja, Selje
Selja is a small island in the municipality of Selje in Sogn og Fjordane county, Norway. It has been formerly known as Sellø or Selø. The island is located in the Sildagapet bay, just west of Selje harbor....
, in the present-day municipality of Selje
Selje
Selje is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Nordfjord. The village of Selje is the administrative center of Selje municipality...
, she and her followers took refuge in a cave. The locals suspected the foreigners of stealing their sheep, and the ruler Håkon Jarl
Haakon Sigurdsson
Haakon Sigurdarsson was the de facto ruler of Norway from about 975 to 995.-Background:Haakon was the son of Sigurd Haakonsson, Jarl of Lade and ruler of Trøndelag and Hålogaland. His mother was Bergljot Toresdatter, daughter of Tore Ragnvaldsson, Earl of Møre...
was sent for. Sunniva and her followers prayed to God that they should not fall into the hands of the heathens, upon which rocks fell down blocking the entrance to the cave.
Sunniva and the others died in the cave, but in the years to come miracles were reported on the island. When the Christian king Olaf Tryggvason
Olaf I of Norway
Olaf Tryggvason was King of Norway from 995 to 1000. He was the son of Tryggvi Olafsson, king of Viken , and, according to later sagas, the great-grandson of Harald Fairhair, first King of Norway.Olaf played an important part in the often forcible, on pain of torture or death, conversion of the...
excavated the cave in 996, the body of Sunniva was found intact. Later a Benedictine
Order of Saint Benedict
The Order of Saint Benedict is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of St. Benedict. Within the order, each individual community maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests...
monastery, Selje Abbey
Selje Abbey
Selje Abbey was a Benedictine monastery located on the island of Selja, formerly known as Selø, in the municipality of Selje, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway.-History:...
, was built on the site, the ruins of which can still be seen.
In about 1170 the relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
s of Sunniva were translated from Selje to Christ Church
Christ Church, Bergen
Christ Church or the Old Cathedral on Holmen was the main church and cathedral of Bergen.The church was built by King Olav Kyrre during the period 1066-1093. The church was situated north of Haakon's hall, the King's hall. It was dedicated to the Holy Trinity but was always known as Christ Church...
, the old cathedral of Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, and were found to be incorrupt
Incorruptibility
Incorruptibility is a Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox belief that supernatural intervention allows some human bodies to avoid the normal process of decomposition after death as a sign of their holiness...
.
During the fires in Bergen of 1170/71 and of 1198 the relics of Sunniva were taken from the cathedral and set down at Sandbru. This reportedly halted the advance of the fire and was hailed as a miracle.
The relics appear to have been lost in or around 1536, as a consequence of the Reformation.
Around 1170 the story of Sunniva was written down in a Latin hagiographic work titled Acta sanctorum in Selio
Acta sanctorum in Selio
Acta sanctorum in Selio is a Latin hagiographical work on Sunniva and the other saints of Selja. It is believed to have been composed shortly after 1170. Oddr Snorrason made use of it in his Latin Óláfs saga Tryggvasonar....
.