Pushing back the Horizon (16): The route of St Olav Ways: the pilgrimages of Northern Europe

In 1031 Olav II of Norway was blessed and buried at Trondheim. The Ways of St Olav, one of the most important historical pilgrimages in the Scandinavian countries, are now being rediscovered, following the example of the Ways to Santiago de Compostela.

A unifying saga

The life of Olav Haraldsson – St Olav – was described in a saga titled “Heimskringla” (‘the circle of the world’), which recounted the lives of the kings of Norway. It was originally written in Old Norwegian in the twelfth century by the poet Snorri Sturluson and was later translated into the different Scandinavian languages, as well as into Latin, but it was only in the nineteenth century, from the revival of Norwegian nationalism to independence in 1905, that it took on greater importance.

“Twelve months and five days after the death of King Olav, his holy remains were disinterred and the coffin appeared almost new, as if it had been made recently …” This text, parallels of which can be found in other accounts of saintliness, demonstrates the political necessity of validating the role played by Olav II, not only as an evangelising warrior but also as the organiser of a unified Norwegian church, with a hasty blessing. By the end of his reign the collection of small Viking kingdoms had been brought together to form a single territory which exerted great influence on Finnish territories and confronted Sweden.

The rapid birth of a pilgrimage to Trondheim, the final resting place of the remains of Olav II, meant that the western coast became a privileged religious destination in a slightly similar fashion to and at approximately the same time as the developments on the Spanish coast of Galicia in the worship of St James the Greater. St Olav’s following spread to the British Isles and the network of Hanseatic towns and travelled as far as Spain and Russia. The oldest representation of the saint, dating to 1160, can be found on one of the columns of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. 350 churches and chapels dedicated to the saint were built in the Scandinavian countries before the Reformation. In 1536 the Lutheran church forbade pilgrimages and it was only in the twentieth century that the phenomenon started once more.

Inter-religious dialogue

The establishment of 550 kilometres of marked routes from Oslo to Trondheim and their official recognition by the Norwegian government in 1997 opened the way for the re-establishment of other routes. To date 2,000 kilometres of paths have been mapped out. Neighbouring countries have been quick to co-operate with this initiative: 200 kilometres have been mapped out in Jutland, Denmark, and work has also been done on the eastern coast and in the southern region of Sweden. The creation of a sea route along the Norwegian coast with its many fjords is currently being studied. Paradoxically, the Lutheran church is today at the heart of the organisation and welcome of the pilgrims and tourists embarking upon these ancient paths. The rugged countryside and largely difficult climate serve to completely renew the vocabulary which we have become accustomed to using when describing the ways of pilgrimage in the south of Europe.

At Trondheim itself, pastor Berit Lanke has created an inter-religious meeting place where she regularly welcomes representatives of churches from the East and West, including those of the Muslim world, and is working to set up a dialogue in relation to the Holy Land.

It is on the occasion of the Festival of St Olav which takes place from 29th July at Trondheim and which this year pays homage to the Spanish holy year, that those in charge of the project (°) received the diploma from the Council of Europe recognising the Ways of St Olav as a route in the presence of the Minister for Culture Ms Anniken Huitfeldt.

(°) Information:

Trondheim Centre for Pilgrims: http://www.pilegrimsgarden.no/
Danish ways: http://www.haervej.dk/