The White Falcon - 10.08.1963, Blaðsíða 5

WHITE FALCON
4
Saturday, August 10, 1963 Saturday, August 10, 1963
WHITE FALCON
5

PRESIDENT ASGEIRSSON prepares to give
his speech.
^Jridtoric
MR. PALL ISOLFSSON, noted composer and
organist, provides accompaniment for the choir.
THE FIRST LADY of Iceland, Madame Asgeir Asgeirsson, in front of the restored
760-year-old pulpit at the left, listens attentively to the President.
SKALHOLT CATHEDRALS
THE PARISH PRIESTS and archdeacons lead the procession into the cathedral.
AN ICELANDIC POLICEMAN salutes at the
playing of the National Anthem following the
ceremonies.
THE PRESIDENT OF ICELAND, Mr. Asgeir
Asgeirsson (left), is escorted into the cathedral
by Prof. Thorir Thordarson, Professor of Theo-
logy at the University of Iceland.
Christianity was universally
adopted in Iceland in 1056. The
first bishop elected was Isleifur
Gissurarson. He was not pro-
vided a particular place for his
episcopal seat so he administrated
his church from his family es-
tate at Skalholt.
Gissur Isleifsson, son of Bis-
hop Gissurarson, was elected
Bishop of Iceland after his
father’s death. He gave the fami-
ly estate, Skalholt, to be an eter-
nal episcopal seat.
Skalholt remained the episco-
pal seat until 1797 when the dio-
cesan see was moved to Reykja-
vik. During those 741 years, six
cathedrals were built at Skalholt.
The first cathedral, built by
Bishop Gissurarson’s father in
1000, stood for almost a century.
It was replaced during the te-
nure of Bishop Isleifsson.
In the 12th century Klaengur
bishop Thorsteinsson built a new
cathedral on the foundation of
the churchbuilding built by Bishop
Isleifsson, that was enlarged and
improved during the tenure of
Pall bishop Jonsson. (Bishop
Johnsson’s stone coffin was found
by archaeologist in 1954 and is
preserved today in the crypt be-
neath the new cathedral.
The church built by Bishop
Thorsteinsson burned in 1309. All
the most valuable religious ob-
jects in it were saved and in-
stalled in the new cathedral built
by Arni bishop Helgason in 1311.
Again the building burned more
than two centuries later. Og-
mundur bishop Palsson, the last
Catholic Bishop at Skalholt, re-
built it.
A little over a hundred years
later, Brynjolfur bishop Sveins-
son built a new cathedral, the
largest in Skalholt’s history. This
magnificent cathedral was still
standing when the episcopal seat
was discontinued and the order
was given to move the bishop to
Reykjavik in 1785. Hannes bis-
hop Finnsson, the last bishop at
Skalholt, was permitted to re-
main there until his death in
1796.
After the diocesan see was
moved to Reykjavik in 1797, the
church building at Skalholt gra-
dually deteriorated. Finally it
was dismantled and its timbers
were sold at auction. Most of
what was in the building was
scattered all over or eventually
ruined. However, many anicient
objects from the cathedral are
Photos by:
Phil Plouffe, PH2
Dave Rentz, PH3
still in existence. Among them
are an altar and a pulpit which
have been restored and are now
in the new church building at
Skalholt.
In the National Museum of
Iceland there is a baptismal font,
a chalice dating to the 14th cen-
tury, an ancient chasuble (cloak),
and other objects from Skalholt.
Eventually, all articles from Skal-
holt cathedrals will be returned
to the church to be preserved
there
Plans for a new cathedral at
Skalholt were drawn in 1954 by
Mr. Hordur Bjarnason, State
Architect. Many valuable gifts
were sent from the Scandinavian
countries for the new church.
The windows, the organ, the light-
ing, the chairs, and the money
for decoration of the choir wall
above the altar were given by
the Danes. The Norwegians gave
construction material (floor and
roof tiling and the doors'). The
Swedes gave two church bells.
The Norwegians, the Finns, and
the Danes each gave one. The
Faroese gave a baptismal font
carved in granite.
The cornerstone for the new
church was laid at the Skalholt
Festival in 1956. Work continued
on the cathedral and grounds and
was finished a few days before
the dedication and consecration
ceremonies July 21.
C^a ill cclra l ^t)ec!u a ted
BISHOP EINARSSON leads the procession from the cathedral.
GUDMUNDUR OLI OLASON, the parish priest
of Skalholt, enters the cathedral.
NAVAL STATION CHAPLAIN L.C.M. Vosseler,
in full vestments, enters the cathedral with the
processional.
ESCORTING the First Lady is Mr. Hordur
Bjarnason, State Arhitect and designer of the
cathedral.
UNDER THE protective eye of a policeman, a
schoolgirl mounts the steps leading from the
crypt exit.