September 16 we gathered in the priests’s living room for a lecture about St. Olav. Many showed up! We were both new and old faces. Liesbeth from Belgium and Rufina from South Korea both joined us for the first time. Vietnam, Norway, Italy, Malta, The Philippines were also represented. Proof that we are a big, universal family! Fr. Etienne, who was responsible for the student group last semester and has now moved to Molde, talked to us about the different parts of the life of St. Olav and also gave an excellent picture of life in Norway at Olav’s time – year 995 to 1030.
First he was a viking. Later he became the king of Norway for a short time,
before his death, which may have been a martyr death, if he was not murdered by one of his own. After his death, he was named saint by the local bishop. This was before the Vatican took charge and organized the canonization.
Now he is recognized as the patron saint of Norway, and has numerous churches dedicated to him both in Norway (Oslo and Trondheim), and abroad. You will find Olav has greatly influenced Norway when you look for it. Our regional hospital is called St. Olav’s hospital, and Olav, Ola and Ole are still popular names for boys.
Father Etienne also questioned, at the end of the lecture, if it is right to impose faith on others. Saint Olav christened Norway by the sword, and is celebrated by the Church despite this. Today faith is still imposed on people, mostly in other parts of the world. We also discussed whether Church and state should be separate or, as in Norway and England, one.
Father Etienne has been so kind as to give us his whole lecture, for future reference and for those who could not join us. Read it here!
